Archive · 8 Nov 2025
Tessa Thompson and Nia DaCosta Discuss
Imagine an old story about a woman named Hedda who felt stuck and wanted to control things.
Now, a new movie called 'Hedda' is making this story in a different way.
The actress playing Hedda, Tessa Thompson, and the director, Nia DaCosta, who are good friends, decided to change some important things.
They made a character who was a man in the old story into a woman named Eileen.
This makes the story more about the relationships between women and adds a 'queer' element.
They also thought about Hedda's race to make her feel more alone in the world.
Tessa said playing Hedda was really hard because she's so complicated.
The new movie explores how women try to find freedom and feel good about themselves.
The director wanted to make the story feel fresh and interesting for today's audiences by changing the original play.
Director Nia DaCosta and star Tessa Thompson discussed their adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's 'Hedda Gabler,' titled 'Hedda.'
A significant change involves transforming the character Eilert Lovborg into Eileen Lovborg, introducing a queer narrative and focusing on the dynamics between three women.
DaCosta aimed to make Hedda's isolation more impactful by considering her race, hoping to foster greater audience empathy.
Tessa Thompson described playing Hedda as a challenging experience due to the character's complexity and the modern thematic explorations.
The adaptation, released on Amazon Prime Video on October 29, seeks to explore themes relevant to contemporary women and agency.
- Who
- Actress Tessa Thompson and Director Nia DaCosta
- What
- Discussing their adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's 'Hedda Gabler,' focusing on the addition of a queer narrative, the gender-swap of a key character, and the thematic shifts.
- When
- Recent press conference.
- Where
- Global press conference.
- Why
- To explain the creative choices and new dynamics introduced in the film adaptation 'Hedda'.
Modern Adaptation Perspective
Original Play's Intent
Queer Narrative and Gender Dynamics
Modern Adaptation Perspective
Director Nia DaCosta and star Tessa Thompson emphasize that changing Eilert Lovborg to Eileen Lovborg introduces a significant queer element and a dynamic focused on the interplay between three women navigating their lives and seeking wholeness. Thompson views this as giving Hedda a strong female foil and allowing the adaptation to explore themes relevant to modern women.
Original Play's Intent
While acknowledging some interpretations of the original play suggest queerness, DaCosta did not initially read it as such. The adaptation's explicit introduction of a queer narrative through Eileen Lovborg marks a departure from the original text's established characters and heterosexual dynamics.
Hedda's Isolation and Identity
Modern Adaptation Perspective
DaCosta aimed to make Hedda's isolation more palpable by considering her race, believing it could foster greater empathy from a wider audience and highlight her feelings of being an outsider beyond just her gender.
Original Play's Intent
The original 'Hedda Gabler' does not explicitly address Hedda's race as a factor contributing to her isolation, focusing instead on societal pressures, gender roles, and her personal disposition within the context of 19th-century Norway.
Focus of Exploration
Modern Adaptation Perspective
Thompson suggests the adaptation is interested in exploring 'our piece'—implying a modern reinterpretation and a focus on contemporary themes and character relationships—more than solely adhering to Ibsen's original focus.
Original Play's Intent
The original play by Henrik Ibsen centered on Hedda's desire to control a man's destiny and her own complex psychological landscape within the societal constraints of her time.
- Film Title
- Hedda
- Starring
- Tessa Thompson
- Director
- Nia DaCosta
- Based On
- Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen
- Key Adaptation Change
- Eilert Lovborg changed to Eileen Lovborg (female, queer character)
- Other Cast Members
- Imogen Poots, Tom Bateman, Nicholas Pinnock, Nina Hoss
- Release Platform
- Amazon Prime Video
- Release Date
- October 29
Sources
'Hedda' director Nia DaCosta on her directorial: 'I fell in love with this character and...'
'Hedda' actress Tessa Thompson on working with director Nia DaCosta: 'When she told me she wanted to work on an adaptation...'
