"I didn't fear repercussions": Jude Law on playing Vladimir Putin in 'The Wizard of the Kremlin'

While Jude Law stepped in as Vladimir Putin, Paul Dano was seen as Vadim Baranov, the Russian president's former right-hand man.

Set in the early 90s during the final years of the Soviet Union, the film focuses on the fictional character of reality TV star Vadim Baranov, who unexpectedly became Putin's spin doctor. The character is believed to be inspired by Vladislav Sourkov, a real-life fixer credited for shaping Putin's persona and authoritarian leadership style, Variety reported.

Alicia Vikander, Tom Sturridge, and Jeffrey Wright further round up the cast.

Speaking at the festival, Jude Law shared that he had no fear about portraying Putin.

"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. We weren't looking for controversy for controversy's sake. It's a character in a broader story. We weren't trying to define anything about anyone," the actor told the media, as quoted by Variety.

When asked about his preparations for the character, Law shared how his director didn't want him to hide behind prosthetics. "We worked with an amazing makeup and hair team and had reference to that period in Putin's life. We tried to find a familiarity with me. It's amazing what a great wig can do," he said.

Co-written and directed by Olivier Assayas, 'The Wizard of the Kremlin' is adapted from Giuliano da Empoli's 2022 novel of the same name.

"Beyond the passions of men navigating the dangerous fluxes of modern politics, we see the powerful cinematic sweep of history in the making. It's drama; it's action; it's about trying to make sense of the chaos that is transforming our world in the strangest, most disturbing ways," the director said while announcing the film, the outlet reported. (ANI)