Rosaline, the most recent take on Romeo & Juliet, is now streaming on Hulu. With a mix of classic settings and modern language, the new film was written by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber (best known for 500 Days of Summer) and directed by Karen Maine. The story shifts from the iconic lovers and focuses instead on Juliet’s cousin Rosaline as she does her best to win back her fickle ex.
Based on Rebecca Serle’s novel When You Were Mine, Rosaline adapts the central conflict but returns to the 1400s, thus further highlighting how differently its titular character (Kaitlyn Dever, Dopesick) feels about her options. Juliet (Isabela Merced) is not left behind either, however, as her friendship with Rosaline plays an important role in each of their arcs and in the outcome of the romance as well. Finally, Dario (Sean Teale, The Gifted) is an entirely new character that offers Rosaline a more level-headed choice than Romeo (Kyle Allen) and his rose-colored glasses.
Screen Rant spoke to Maine about how she hoped to accentuate both Rosaline and Juliet’s layers, which adjustments made for the perfect blend of Shakespearean drama and modern rom-com, and what project she’d like to tackle next.
Karen Maine Talks Rosaline’s Women & Modern Twists
Screen Rant: What was it that you wanted to bring to the script? It’s already written by some of the greats, but you’re bringing your own life to it. What did you hope to expand on?
Karen Maine: For me, it was really driving home the female story in Rosaline, but also Juliet, and really getting into those narratives. Juliet comes across as sort of naive and innocent, which she is at the beginning. But I love that Rosaline is able to influence her a little and give her the courage and the confidence to start finding her own voice and railing against the patriarchy as well. I just really wanted to make sure that the female characters, in particular Rosaline, felt very authentic and realistic. And were funny, fully-fledged characters.
I 100% felt that while watching it. They both are such excellent counterpoints to each other without either one being villainized. How did you accomplish that delicate balance between the medieval and modern? Was there ever a time to get the pullback or change any dialogue or accentuate the costuming?
Karen Maine: The whole idea was that what you see should feel very Renaissance and classic and old. What you hear, and the non-visual elements of the story, like the themes and the storylines, were more modern. So, that’s how we did it.
Occasionally there’d be something that felt too modern that we’d get rid of, but essentially, because the scripts and the storyline were so kind of free and fun and already playing on something that was so familiar, the parameters we set were never in stone. You could push them a little or you could rein them in, depending on what you needed. There was a lot of room to play, and play we did.
Working with the actors and their characters, we would bring a little Shakespearean drama to it. At times it felt like a play or a performance, and we tried to keep things theatrical. There were even moments where you have some Easter eggs with the other Shakespeare [plays], or Romeo and Juliet performances. Like [Franco] Zeffirelli and the classic Baz Luhrmann.
Now that you’ve dipped your toe into this very specific and fabulous genre, are there any other Shakespearean works you would like to quirk-ify?
Karen Maine: I don’t know the comedies as well as I’d like to, but I’m sure there’s something there. Macbeth was always my favorite Shakespeare play because of Lady Macbeth, and I feel like we haven’t quite done justice to that role yet. No offense to anyone who’s done that. And the witches too; the witches are so cool. I’d love to find a new way into it that really focuses on those characters a bit more.
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:
- Minnie Driver
- Kaitlyn Dever & Sean Teale
- Kyle Allen & Isabela Merced
Rosaline premieres October 14 on Hulu.
