Overview
- In a new interview with The Times, McKellen said he "doesn't quite get" Hamnet and argued Shakespeare's imagination did not "just come from family life."
- He called the portrayal of Shakespeare’s wife, referred to as Agnes in the film, "improbable," specifically objecting to the suggestion she had never seen a play.
- Despite his skepticism, McKellen predicted the film will likely fare well at the Oscars, likening its prospects to Shakespeare in Love.
- Directed by Chloé Zhao and adapted from Maggie O’Farrell’s 2020 novel, Hamnet has multiple Academy Award nominations, with Jessie Buckley also winning a Golden Globe.
- Reviews have praised Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal’s performances along with Łukasz Żal’s cinematography and Max Richter’s score.