Directed by Nia DaCosta and Starring Tessa Thompson in the lead role, Hedda is a bold new adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s classic play Hedda Gabler, reimagining the iconic story through a modern and daring lens. Set in a contemporary world, the film explores themes of power, desire, addiction, and control, with gender-swapped roles adding fresh psychological complexity. Directed with intensity and style, Hedda brings Ibsen’s timeless exploration of human emotion and self-destruction into sharp focus for today’s audiences.
Speaking to HeyUGuys recently , Thompson and DaCosta spoke aboiut their collaborative work in builkding this new cinematic version of the much-loved play. Thompson shares how she first connected to Ibsen through A Doll’s House and was intrigued, though confounded, by Hedda’s complexity — a character she views not as a monster but as a deeply human figure capable of both cruelty and compassion. DaCosta explains that rather than simply modernizing Ibsen’s text, she wantedt to reinterpret its timeless struggles — power, repression, and identity — through her own creative lens. One major change was transforming Lovborg into a woman, Eileen, which DaCosta says added new feminist dimensions and emotional depth, making the relationships richer and more resonant.
Speaking about their roles in the film, Imogen Poots and Nina Hoss discussed how this daring new adaptation reimagines the classic through gender reversal and psychological depth. Hoss, who previously played Hedda on stage, reflects on portraying Eileen — a female version of the original male character Lovborg — finding the change both surprising and illuminating, as it heightens the play’s themes of power, addiction, and self-destruction. She explores Eileen’s struggle with alcoholism and the longing to rediscover herself without relying on it. Poots, meanwhile, portrays Thea, whom she sees as the most honest yet isolated character — fragile on the surface but courageous in confronting manipulation and truth.
For their part,Tom Bateman & Nicholas Pinnock reflected on the film’s intense character dynamics and the collaborative energy of its ensemble cast. Bateman discusses playing George, a man deeply in love with the idea of Hedda rather than who she truly is, revealing how his desire to control her mirrors his obsession with order and possession. Pinnock, meanwhile, describes his character as sharing Hedda’s taste for chaos and manipulation,