Rosaline, which premieres on Hulu on October 14, puts a fun new spin on Romeo & Juliet that even William Shakespeare must approve of. Though still set in the 1400s, the new film modernizes the dialogue of everyone save for the eternal poet Romeo himself, whose flowery language underscores his romantic nature. Furthermore, the movie casts its eye on his ex-girlfriend Rosaline as its protagonist, taking one line from the classic play and turning it into a full-blown tale of unrequited love and revenge.
Directed by Karen Maine from a screenplay by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, Rosaline takes inspiration from Rebecca Serle’s novel When You Were Mine. After a misunderstanding, the titular heroine (Kaitlyn Dever, Dopesick) finds herself ghosted by her boyfriend Romeo (Kyle Allen), who has moved on to her cousin Juliet (Isabela Merced). Naturally, Rosaline must stop at nothing to break them up, and she’ll need help from some friends along the way. Chief among them are her trusty Nurse (played by screen queen Minnie Driver) and her almost-betrothed Dario (Sean Teale).
Screen Rant spoke with Driver about what draws her to films like Rosaline and last year’s Cinderella, how Nurse and her charge relate to one another, and which Shakespeare adaptation she’d love to tackle next.
Minnie Driver on Nurse’s Dynamic with Rosaline
I really loved this film, and Nurse was so much fun. You’ve been having a great time in these pseudo-Renaissance, somewhat modern projects lately. What’s it like to go from Queen to Nurse?
Minnie Driver: The Queen and the Nurse… I love these women. I love these women who are apparently oppressed by their positions, but ultimately triumph because they’re such bloody good people. That’s fun. I like being part of things that I know people are going to enjoy. That’s the reason I did Cinderella, and it’s definitely the reason that I wanted to be part of Rosaline as well. I just know people are going to have a wonderful time and love it, and we need that right now. We need people to feel happy and better.
That is 100% true. I love the dynamic between you and Rosaline. It’s such a fun back-and-forth that you have with Kaitlyn Dever’s character. Can you talk about building that relationship and the whole life that comes behind it?
Minnie Driver: First of all, Kaitlyn is just one of the loveliest, best people. She’s generous and kind and lovely, and we had such a laugh together as people. It was just very fun to have this girl who’s a wayward child to me, but is also a young woman. It’s fun to have a friend who will protect you, but also give you a hard time. It was good; it’s a nice, centered relationship. And she doesn’t have a mother, so she has this nurse. I think there’s something interesting about the space that she occupies.
I loved the moment where she brings up the love that she once had. I was like, “All right, spin-off for Nurse Janet!” If we could see Nurse in a different Shakespeare play where we could quirk-ify that story, which one would you like to hop into?
Minnie Driver: I have always wanted to do Measure for Measure—which again is about a woman who, by virtue of her situation at the hands of men, is in an impossible position. The idea of figuring out how that would look today, of how we would unwind that particular Gordian Knot; the knot that is placed upon women over and over again? I would love to [do that]. I love that play, and I would love to figure that one out, particularly.
About Rosaline
Rosaline is a fresh and comedic twist on Shakespeare’s classic love story Romeo & Juliet, told from the perspective of Juliet’s cousin Rosaline (Kaitlyn Dever), who also happens to be Romeo’s recent love interest. Heartbroken when Romeo (Kyle Allen) meets Juliet (Isabela Merced) and begins to pursue her, Rosaline schemes to foil the famous romance and win back her guy.
Check out our other Rosaline interviews here:
- Kaitlyn Dever & Sean Teale
- Kyle Allen & Isabela Merced
- Director Karen Maine
Rosaline premieres October 14 on Hulu.
