Being a part of a book-to-screen adaptation is a daunting prospect for any actor. There are additional expectations and pressures absent from any original production. But when that novel happens to be a stone-cold classic like Bram Stoker’s Dracula , it’s hard to even quantify all of the preconceived notions of how best to bring the gothic story to life.
In the case of this latest version, Dracula: A Love Tale , the focus is less on the horror and more on the centuries-spanning love story between Vlad (played here by Caleb Landry Jones) and his soulmate (Zoë Bleu). That’s not to say there isn’t enough blood and supernatural happenings to keep genre fans happy, but it’s all in service of reuniting the couple at the heart of the film. All of the regular supporting characters are present (including an excellent Christoph Waltz) and accounted for (though with altered names and occasionally altered backstories), and, as with any gothic period piece, there are sumptuous sets and costumes to delight the eye, too.
That Shelf Managing Editor Emma Badame sat down with stars Landry Jones and Bleu ahead of the film’s release to discuss the experience of bringing such a well-known story to 21st-century audiences and the essential teamwork it takes to make it happen. They also discuss fashion, nerves, and trusting the vision of the man at the helm, filmmaker Luc Besson.
Watch the conversation below now.
Luc Besson’s Dracula: A Love Tale hit theatres on February 6.
