The Bride! Premieres in London as Jessie Buckley Celebrates Giving Iconic Role a Voice

Jessie Buckley has said she “loved” giving the Bride of Frankenstein a voice as her new film, The Bride!, received its world premiere in London on Thursday evening.

The 36-year-old stars opposite Christian Bale in the horror reimagining directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal. The film follows Frankenstein’s Monster (Bale) as he travels to 1930s Chicago to seek the help of scientist Dr Euphronious, played by Annette Bening, to create a companion by reviving a murdered young woman — The Bride, portrayed by Buckley.

The project draws inspiration from the 1935 classic The Bride of Frankenstein, in which Elsa Lanchester famously appeared in a largely silent role that nonetheless left a lasting cultural impression.

‘What If She Had Something to Say?’

Speaking at the premiere, Buckley reflected on the legacy of Lanchester’s performance.

“Elsa Lanchester is on screen for about three minutes in the 1935 version, and she makes such an impact,” she told the Press Association. “Still people dress up at Halloween as her, but she doesn’t say anything.

“She’s on the precipice of it; she wants to say something. And I think that was Maggie’s first curiosity — ‘What if this woman has something to say?’”

Buckley described the opportunity to reinterpret the character as creatively liberating.

“To be able to give voice to that ‘What if?’ and to really find all the colours of that curiosity and self-discovery and voice — and let the things that maybe have been silenced, or we didn’t give ourselves permission to say at the time — you can only imagine, I loved it.”

Championing New Voices in Film

The Bride! was both written and directed by Gyllenhaal, who used the occasion to stress the importance of broadening representation behind the camera.

“Someone told me recently that only seven per cent of the films made last year were made by women, but so many of the films we are talking about this year are those seven per cent,” she said.

“I think people are interested in a new voice and a new perspective and a new language, and when you let different people behind the camera, you will get something new.

“Everyone says they want something new — well, then different people have to make the films.”

Gyllenhaal previously directed the acclaimed adaptation of The Lost Daughter by Elena Ferrante, which starred Buckley alongside Olivia Colman, Dakota Johnson and Paul Mescal.

Award Success and Release Date

The London premiere comes days after Buckley secured the Leading Actress prize at the BAFTA Film Awards for her portrayal of Agnes in Chloé Zhao’s adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s Hamnet.

The Bride! also features performances from Peter Sarsgaard, Jake Gyllenhaal and Penélope Cruz, and is scheduled for UK cinema release on 6 March.

Buckley and Gyllenhaal are also set to appear as guests on Friday’s edition of The Late Late Show, hosted by Patrick Kielty.

The film’s reimagining of a classic horror figure — this time with a voice — marks a bold reinterpretation of a cinematic icon for a new generation.