Happy Prince premiere: A chat with Rupert Everett and cast on Oscar Wilde’s latest biopic

At the Vue Leicester Square, the red carpet belonged to one man: the inimitable Rupert Everett. Attending the premiere of The Happy Prince as director, writer and star, the British actor and filmmaker stepped back into the spotlight with a performance described by critics as his best work to date.

Everett’s directorial debut recounts the final years of Oscar Wilde, revealing the ghosts which haunted the famed writer until the end, but also hailing the sparkling wit and charm which defined his incredible public presence. The film opens with the protagonist penniless in Paris, following his imprisonment for homosexuality. The story then charts the literary icon’s oscillations between grief and hope as he endeavours to suck all the beauty he can from the time he has left. Struggling against feelings of desire and betrayal, he travels from England to France and Italy, uncovering both the tragedy and beauty that love can bring.

Everett, who played Wilde previously to great acclaim in David Hare’s The Judas Kiss, builds on his previous performance alongside a stellar supporting cast including Colin Firth, Emily Watson and Colin Morgan.

We spoke with Everett as he discussed his reasons for choosing a biopic of Wilde as his debut, his reasons for reprising the role and the ambitiousness of the project, considering he also wrote the screenplay and plays the main character.

We also spoke with the cast in attendance: long-time friend Julian Wadham, Colin Morgan, Edwin Thomas, Tom Colley and newcomer Christian Tye who also shared with us details about his upcomig screenwriting debut Cascade. Everyone agreed that Everett’s brilliant directorial skills were no surprise and this new role didn’t feel like a debut at all.

Filippo L’Astorina, the Editor
Videos: Marta Starczynowska

The Happy Prince is released nationwide on 15^th June 2018. Read our review here.

Watch the trailer for The Happy Prince here: