Most of the early buzz for the upcoming drama My Week With Marilyn has been about Michelle Williams and her portrayal of Marilyn Monroe. Here, for a change, we focus on Kenneth Branagh and his take on Sir Laurence Olivier.
My Week With Marilyn is based on the filming of The Prince And The Showgirl as seen through the eyes of Olivier’s assistant (Eddie Redmayne). Olivier directed and starred in the movie opposite Monroe, whose real-life dramatics rivaled those onscreen. The production was so difficult, Olivier didn’t direct again for 13 years.
Branagh is a perfect fit for the role, as both he and Olivier are writer/actor/directors who dabbled in both Shakespeare (Hamlet, Henry IV) and mainstream pop (The Prince And The Showgirl, Thor). A comparison:
Branagh tells Empire Online:
I was incredibly impressed by the screenplay and wanted to play this man – who just happened to be Sir Laurence Olivier – but who was a fascinating human being to play at this point in his life. He was a great actor and director wrestling with the phenomenon that was Marilyn. He was in awe of her screen persona and her sexuality and at the same time infuriated by her off screen behaviour. The script was a fascinating study of a very fine artist coming up against an equally fine one and the fireworks that result.
My Week With Marilyn also stars Dougray Scott as Arthur Miller, Julia Ormond as Vivien Leigh (Olivier’s wife), Judi Dench as Dame Sybil Thorndike, and Dominic Cooper, Toby Jones, Emma Watson and Derek Jacobi. It hits theaters November 18.
How well do you think Branagh fits his role?