The Big Picture
Uma Thurman’s role as President Ellen Claremont in Red, White & Royal Blue saw her portray power, femininity, and supportiveness. Thurman’s presence on set was described as a blessing, as she brought a master class in acting and elevated the entire cast’s performance. She was involved in conversations about costume and set design to shape her character. The film explores the idea that women in power can maintain their femininity while being powerful.
It’s not often that we get to see actors that we know and love take on iconic roles like the President of the United States. That’s especially more uncommon for female actors, since America is yet to see a woman as POTUS. In Red, White & Royal Blue, however, we get to live in a world where Uma Thurman rules America, and the movie’s director and screenwriter Matthew López told Collider that, behind the scenes, this adventure was as incredible as it looks.
The filmmaker sat down with Collider’s Christina Radish and revealed that, much like many of us, he’s a fan of Thurman’s work and to have the Pulp Fiction star on set was “a blessing.” López also revealed that they had the same ideas for what they wanted to do with President Ellen Claremont, and Thurman was in the loop through every step of the way:
“We had a lot of conversations about how, in American politics, women in power often have to sacrifice their understanding of their own femininity, in order to attain and hold onto power. What was most important to her and I was that Ellen can both be powerful and maintain her definition of femininity for herself. I included Uma in conversations about costume design, production design, and of the oval office set. When she walked onto the set, I have never encountered a more prepared actor. She understood, implicitly. She already understood why every piece of furniture was chosen for her. She understood why every article of clothing was there. It was a master class in prepared acting. She really rose, and she brought everybody’s game up.”
Image via Prime Video
The Challenges of a Supporting Role
Thurman’s role is also one that demands its performer to have a commanding presence. In just a handful of scenes, she needdc to be able to convey how Ellen Claremont exceled as a leader, mother, commander in chief, and she also needed to sound and look cool under all those hats. In the story, Ellen is immensely supportive of her son’s career and love life, to the point of having a sex-positive conversation that most parents would avoid for as long as possible.
Red, White & Royal Blue is adapted from the best-selling novel written by Casey McQuiston. López co-wrote the script with Ted Malawer (Fallen), and aside from Thurman, the cast also features Nicholas Galitzine (Cinderella) as Prince Henry, Taylor Zakhar Perez (The Kissing Booth) as Alex Claremont-Diaz, Sarah Shahi (Sex/Life) as Zahra, Ellie Bamber (Willow) as Princess Beatrice, Rachel Hilson (Love, Victor) as Nora, Clifton Collins Jr. (Nightmare Alley) as Oscar Diaz, Thomas Flynn (Bridgerton) as Prince Philip and Stephen Fry (Heartstopper) as King James III.
You can stream Red, White & Royal Blue on Prime Video.
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