Jodie Comer reflects on missing out on Napoleon role
Jodie Comer has reflected on the scheduling conflict that led her to drop out of Ridley Scott's latest film, Napoleon.
The Killing Eve actress had been set to play the role of Joséphine Bonaparte in the historical epic, but she was later forced to drop out due to a scheduling conflict, with the role subsequently going to The Crown's Vanessa Kirby.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter about the scheduling conflict, which saw her already committed to Prima Facie, Comer revealed she was "happy" with her decision to focus on the one-woman play.
"That was a choice I had to make, and I didn't look back, in a sense. I knew I really wanted to do the film, but now, Josephine is Vanessa's [Kirby] role. I'm so happy for her," she said, adding that she wishes Kirby "all the success" with Napoleon.
Related: Ridley Scott responds to criticism about Napoleon's historical inaccuracies
"A lot of this industry is sliding doors, and I do feel like I was always supposed to do that play," Comer continued.
"There was something almost cosmic about it, when I think of it in its entirety and the people who I met and just how profound that experience was. So, yeah, I was happy with my decision."
Napoleon stars Joaquin Phoenix as legendary French general Napoleon Bonaparte alongside Kirby. The film is in cinemas now.
Meanwhile, Comer's work in Prima Facie — in which she played a barrister whose perspective on the legal system changes after a traumatic event — won her a Tony Award and a Laurence Olivier Award.
The play also enjoyed a successful run streaming in cinemas, becoming the highest-grossing event cinema release for the National Theatre Live, earning £4.47 million.
Related: When will Napoleon be released on Apple TV+?
Comer's next film, The End We Start From, will see her star alongside Benedict Cumberbatch and Line of Duty's Gina McKee. She'll play the role of a young woman adapting to motherhood during an environmental crisis that floods London.
Additionally, Comer will co-star with Tom Hardy and Austin Butler in the upcoming film The Bikeriders, which is set to premiere on June 21, 2024.
Napoleon is out now in cinemas. The End We Start From will be released in UK cinemas on January 19, 2024.
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