He’s been a force in the industry now for quite some time, but The Happy Prince – a biopic depicting the later years in the life of wordsmith Oscar Wilde – marks his directorial debut. To celebrate the film’s release – which hits screens on June 15th – we had the pleasure of sitting down with the man himself.
Everett explains to us why he felt compelled to write and direct this particular story, and how he found the experience of directing himself on set. As this is the second time the actor has embodied Wilde, we asked too on revisiting a character he knows so well, and then explains the benefits, and challenges, in being the ugliest version of yourself on screen.
Given Wilde has since been ‘pardoned’ for his supposed crime of being gay, Everett explains his great issue with that particular notion, as though we’re still admitting it to have been a crime. We then discuss how sad and frustrating it is that so many within the film industry still feel as though they can’t come out, and Everett then goes on to describe what impact coming out had on his career.
Watch the full interview below:
Synopsis
The untold story of the last days in the tragic times of Oscar Wilde, a person who observes his own failure with ironic distance and regards the difficulties that beset his life with detachment and humour.
The Happy Prince is released on June 15th.
