Alicia Vikander on Working With an Unrecognizable Jude Law in ‘Firebrand’ and Why It’s Taken 10 Years to Reunite on Screen With Husband Michael Fassbender in ‘Hope’

variety.com:

Marc Malkin Senior Editor, Culture and Events King Henry VIII is most associated with ordering the killings of two of his wives while he had his marriages to another three annulled.

Usually forgotten or rarely mentioned is sixth and final spouse Catherine Parr. But Alicia Vikander is hoping her portrayal of Parr in the new drama “Firebrand” will bring more attention to the royal widow. “I must confess, I almost felt a bit embarrassed when I was sent the script because I think if I knew anything, it was probably more about the wives that didn’t make it,” the Oscar winner tells me on a new episode of the “Just for Variety” podcast. “I was, in one way, sad.

But then I realized speaking to other people, it seemed like that was the general feel for most, that we have the least knowledge about this woman who actually did survive X amount of years living with this man, and even outlived him.” An almost unrecognizable Jude Law co-stars as the king. “I think it was one of the bigger rehearsals we had,” Vikander recalls of seeing Law in wardrobe for the first time. “Because mostly because we wanted to see, can he fit through the door and things like that.” While Law wasn’t Method in his work, Vikander explains, “I think he stayed within that character a bit more in the beginning, the first week maybe, to just feel what it’s like… The beard, too — that takes up a big space.

But when we got further into the shooting, actually started to do some of the more tough scenes, then you needed a break from it, to have a little breather before you do the next deep dive.” The film is as much about soapy palace intrigue as it is about domestic violence.