Jude Law ‘Didn’t Fear Repercussions’ for Playing Vladimir Putin in New Film: ‘We Weren’t Looking for Controversy’

Jude Law said his newest role didn’t make him nervous.

The 52-year-old actor plays Russian President Vladimir Putin in the upcoming political thriller The Wizard of the Kremlin, which had its world premiere at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on Sunday, Aug. 31.

At a press conference with director Olivier Assayas and costars Paul Dano, Alicia Vikander, Tom Sturridge, and Jeffrey Wright, Law explained that stepping into Putin’s role at age 72 didn’t intimidate him.

“I hope not naively, but I didn’t fear repercussions. I felt confident, in the hands of Olivier and the script, that this story was going to be told intelligently and with nuance and consideration,” Law said.

“We weren’t looking for controversy for controversy’s sake,” he added. “It’s a character in a broader story. We weren’t trying to define anything about anyone.”

Law confirmed his casting in January in an interview with Deadline. According to the outlet, The Wizard of the Kremlin will feature Law in a supporting role, following Putin “at the beginning of his governing career.”

At the time, the Talented Mr. Ripley actor admitted he hadn’t fully started preparing for the film yet. “I mean, I have, but at the moment it looks like an Everest to climb, so I’m in the foothills looking up thinking, ‘Oh Christ, what have I said?’ ”

He continued, “That’s often how I feel whilst I say yes. I was going, ‘Oh God, how am I going to do this?’ But anyway, that’s for me to sort out.”

The movie is adapted from Giuliano da Empoli’s 2023 book of the same name, with a script by Assayas and writer Emmanuel Carrère, Variety reported in May 2024.

Paul Dano, 41, leads the cast as Vadim Baranov, an artist-turned-TV-producer who “blurs truth with lies, the news with propaganda, directing the entire society like one great reality show,” while working close to Russian power, per Variety.

“Only his love for the magnetic, free-minded Ksenia can turn him away from this dangerous game,” the outlet added.

During the festival, Assayas explained the larger vision behind the movie: “The film is very much about how modern politics, 21st-century politics, were invented. And part of that brought the power of Vladimir Putin in Russia, so we made a movie about what politics has become and the very scary and dangerous situation we all feel we are in.”

He continued, “We took a case, which was the specific story of Vladimir Putin, but I think it applies to a lot of leaders.”

Assayas added: “I think politics have changed in a major way during this time. I mean, especially for people from my generation. What’s going on right now is not only terrifying, but it’s even more terrifying by the fact that we haven’t really found the answer.”

The Venice International Film Festival runs through Saturday, Sept. 6. An official release date for The Wizard of the Kremlin has not yet been announced.