‘Napoleon’ Star Vanessa Kirby On Finding The “Quiet Power” Of The Woman Who Captivated An Emperor
deadline.comJosephine Bonaparte was a woman with strength, elegance, and an unknowable nature that proved an irresistible combination for the French emperor Napoleon.
In researching the role for Ridley Scott’s historical epic Napoleon, Vanessa Kirby discovered that behind this allure lay an unrelenting drive to survive, and, using that as a basis, she found a foothold: a way to show how this “internally mysterious” woman weathered a tempestuous relationship and its constantly shifting power dynamic.
Although Josephine would ultimately fall from favor, due to her inability to produce an heir, Kirby notes that her integrity prevailed, in spite of the unbearable pressures she faced. DEADLINE: Did you know a lot about Josephine before you got the role? VANESSA KIRBY: Not really.
Actually, when Ridley called me and said, “I’d really like you to play Josephine,” as soon as he said the name and the word, I had all these associations come up with her.
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