Olivier Assayas on Transforming Jude Law into Vladimir Putin

French filmmaker Olivier Assayas, known for blending political insight with deeply personal storytelling, has long been a vital voice in international cinema. A former film critic, Assayas quickly established himself as an auteur with a taste for complexity. His diverse filmography spans everything from intimate character studies (Clean, 2004; Personal Shopper, 2016) to politically charged works, including Carlos (2010), which examined international terrorism through the lens of real-life militant Carlos the Jackal.  

Assayas’s work navigates themes of identity, globalization and power, and his next film is no different. When I spoke to him in July, he was in the final stages of editing The Wizard of the Kremlin, which stars Jude Law in the provocative role of Vladimir Putin. Adapted from Giuliano da Empoli’s bestselling 2022 novel, the film explores the shadowy corridors of Russian power through a fictional political strategist. Casting Law as Putin was a bold and unexpected move, but, as Assayas says, he’s “an actor who can transform himself.” 

When did you first meet Jude Law? 

OLIVIER ASSAYAS We were both jury members at the Cannes Film Festival in 2011, when Robert De Niro was president. That’s when we first met. We got along really well and were both on the same wavelength. And since we agreed on most films, I found he had very acquired taste! But seriously, we both fought for Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life to win the Palme d’Or.  

When did you first consider casting him to play Vladimir Putin in The Wizard of the Kremlin?  

OA The casting process was difficult for Vladimir Putin’s character. It’s a very sensitive and delicate choice. I considered working with an unknown actor, but when Jude Law came to mind, I was inspired by the fact that he was both a real movie star, in the greatest sense, but also an actor who can transform himself. He likes to research things and change himself physically. He also had to play a character over a 15-year period, so even if we can recognize him, he’s also very different. He had space for poetry and imagination around the character. That was important, because I didn’t want him to imitate Putin. I just wanted him to be credible in the part so that we could seize something about his personality.  

How did you work together on his transformation?   

OA Well, since he lives in New Orleans now, we first worked on Zoom. I think he wanted us to talk in detail. He read Giuliano da Empoli’s book and had a Zoom meeting with the author to ask him specific historical questions. Giuliano told me he was very impressed with Jude’s meticulousness and the precision of his questions. They got along very well. After that, he worked with the hair and makeup department to really find the physicality and the way the character changes over time, with makeup, wigs, etc. In the film, we also recreated real archives, like Putin’s interview with Larry King on CNN.  

Did anything surprise you about working with him on set?  

OA I’ve worked with many different kinds of actors, who all have very different techniques. To work with an actor is really to understand his “algorithm,” in a way. What clicked very well between us is that I need to work with actors who maintain a certain spontaneity. I never rehearse – I just set up the shot and start shooting. What is interesting with Jude’s process is that his first take is one of absolute freedom: it’s inventive, risky, unsteady. Very often he blew my mind. After that, on each take, he makes it more precise, evaluates what works and what doesn’t. Each take is fascinating. He’s a virtuoso. Interestingly, in the editing room, I ended up always choosing his first takes. Because what he did the first time, he never did again. So for me, it was a godsend. It’s exactly what I hope for in an actor’s work: that they literally dive into the scene, almost unaware of what they’re doing, in a state of semi-consciousness, in a state of total abandonment.  

Was there a secret, an enigma or something you wanted to uncover in Putin’s character?  

OA I didn’t want to make a political film. I wanted to make a film about power. It’s a film about politics that questions what a politician is, specifically in the contemporary context of Russia, which went through a certain chaos in the 1990s. When we talk about someone like Vladimir Putin, people speak of him as a sort of monster. But I had to find some kind of – maybe “humanity” is not the right word – but an idea that as human beings, we are many different things, and we hold a multiplicity of possible emotions. But I really didn’t want Jude to look like Putin or even try to look for a hypothetical “truth” about Putin’s character. When making a film like this about contemporary events, we have to be very modest and understand that the most important thing is to not cheat on the truth of the events. We wrote a script, but the facts must be true and indisputable. We have a responsibility in that regard. And sometimes it’s delicate because there may be doubts. So, can we create moments or scenes where there is doubt about a character’s behavior? I don’t know if I have a real answer to that. 

What memory of Jude on set has stayed with you?  

OA On Jude’s first day of filming, we shot the first scene, the first sequence shot, where we meet Putin, which lasts about three minutes. So, the first time the audience will see Putin in the film was literally Jude’s first day on set. It’s the moment he dives into the role. I kept everything. Also, I was surprised because after two hours of preparation with makeup and costume in the morning, and after acting Putin all day, Jude would be himself at the end of the day, with lots of energy, humor, humanity. There was something very natural and simple with the crew members as well. Everybody loved him on set. He has that quality where everyone has both respect and affection for him. He was really part of the gang. I was just stunned by the fact that he became himself again so easily after working so intensely all day. It was impressive. 

Do you have the sense that he is now interested in darker roles?  

OA I think that, like all actors, he wants to play parts that take him out of himself. He wants to reinvent himself. Actors need to find characters that are real challenges. I think Jude did this film because it was a real challenge. It scared him; he didn’t know if he could do it. I think it put him in a state of risk, and that’s what he’s looking for. There isn’t anything repetitive or conventional about it. He did this because it stimulated him and he had never done it before.