'Elsinore', film about actor Ian Charleson, opens BFI London Film Festival
Simon Stone's 'Elsinore', starring Andrew Scott as Ian Charleson during his final run as Hamlet at the National Theatre, opens the BFI London Film Festival. Coverage focuses on the film's making and on Scott's comments about being an out gay actor.
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The story, neutrally told
Centre · 1Elsinore, directed by Simon Stone from a screenplay by Stephen Beresford, is due to open the BFI London Film Festival on Wednesday on London's Southbank. DeadlineN “will open the BFI London Film Festival on Wednesday on London’s Southbank.” Read at Deadline ↗ Mixed · 2The film stars Andrew Scott as Ian Charleson, the Scottish-born Chariots of Fire actor who, diagnosed with AIDS, refused to give up playing Hamlet at the National Theatre in 1989. The Hollywood ReporterLC “he gives a performance for the ages as Chariots of Fire actor Ian Charleson during the final chapter of his life, when he was diagnosed with AIDS but refused to give up a gig playing Hamlet at the National Theatre.” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ DeadlineN “having taken over the role from Daniel Day Lewis in Richard Eyre’s 1989 production.” Read at Deadline ↗ Centre · 1Deadline's Breaking Baz column describes the film as beginning with Daniel Day-Lewis leaving the National's Olivier stage mid-performance, and reports that the National and Charleson's agent had officially said Charleson had a sinus infection while he was ill with HIV/AIDS. DeadlineN “The film isn’t about Daniel Day Lewis, but it begins when he famously left the National’s Olivier Theatre stage mid-performance, while playing Hamlet.”“Officially, the National and Michael Whitehall, his agent, had insisted that Charleson was suffering from a sinus infection.” Read at Deadline ↗
Centre · 1Producer Gabrielle Tana told Deadline the project began as a road movie set in Italy, but Beresford was rehired to rework the script around Charleson's final run as Hamlet, and Scott stayed attached. DeadlineN “At that point, says Tana, the project was a road movie set in Italy”“Tana then rehired Beresford to come back and work on the script, because she shared his view that the film should not be a road movie.” Read at Deadline ↗ Centre · 1The cast includes Olivia Colman as Professor Margaret Johnson, an HIV/AIDS treatment pioneer who cared for Charleson, Johnny Flynn as director Richard Eyre, Billie Piper, Peter Mullan, Juliet Stevenson and Joe Locke. DeadlineN “Olivia Colman stars as Professor Margaret Johnson, a pioneer of HIV/AIDS treatment, who cared for Charleson at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead, London.”“Johnny Flynn who portrays him in Elsinore” Read at Deadline ↗ Left · 1The Hollywood Reporter says the film recently premiered at the Telluride Film Festival and that Focus Features will release it on Nov. 20. The Hollywood ReporterLC “Simon Stone’s film that recently premiered at the Telluride Film Festival”“which Focus Features will release on Nov. 20” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗
Left · 1The Hollywood Reporter reports that Scott also produced the film, and that there is already 'significant chatter' he could become the first out gay person to win an acting Oscar. The Hollywood ReporterLC “he signed on not only to play the man in Elsinore but also to produce the film”“there is already significant chatter that he could become the first out gay person to ever win an acting Oscar.” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ Left · 1In a podcast interview, Scott, 49, said he publicly came out in 2013 with no fallout and that his career went well afterwards. The Hollywood ReporterLC “No fallout. No fallout whatsoever.”“after that, things really started to go really well career-wise for me” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗ Left · 1Scott said Charleson and his predecessors 'weren't invited to do the work', and that, unlike what Scott had feared for themself, they have been able to 'thrive' as an out gay actor. The Hollywood ReporterLC “Ian and his predecessors weren’t invited to do the work.”“I’ve been able to thrive in this situation, and that feels genuinely extraordinary.” Read at The Hollywood Reporter ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- The Hollywood Reporter leads with an awards-season interview with Scott, tying the film to Scott's own experience as an out gay actor and to Oscar prospects.
- Emphasis
- Scott's career, coming out in 2013, and the contrast with Charleson's era; Oscar buzz and the US release date.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Little about the film's production history or the London Film Festival opening.
- Charged language
- “a performance for the ages”
- For example
-
“he gives a performance for the ages as Chariots of Fire actor Ian Charleson” — The Hollywood Reporter
“there is already significant chatter that he could become the first out gay person to ever win an acting Oscar.” — The Hollywood Reporter
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Deadline's Breaking Baz column is a personal, admiring piece on the film as a tribute to Charleson, mixing the columnist's memories of covering the story in 1989 with an interview with producer Gabrielle Tana.
- Emphasis
- The AIDS-era secrecy and fear, the film's tangled genesis, the producer's account and the cast.
- Leaves out or plays down
- No discussion of Oscar prospects or of Scott's own comments about being an out actor.
- Charged language
- “Triumphant Epitaph”“Extraordinary Man”
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Elsinore stars Andrew Scott as Ian Charleson, the Chariots of Fire actor who played Hamlet at the National Theatre while ill with AIDS.
- Simon Stone directed the film.
- Both outlets praise Scott's performance.
Andrew Scott person
Scott plays Charleson and also produced the film. Scott says Charleson's generation of gay actors were denied opportunities and that Scott has been able to thrive, hoping this becomes less unusual.
“I’ve been able to thrive in this situation, and that feels genuinely extraordinary.” — The Hollywood Reporter
“In some ways, I hope it becomes less of a special thing for actors in the future” — The Hollywood Reporter
Ian Charleson person
Charleson is portrayed as an actor who used Hamlet to feel alive while dying of AIDS, in a period of fear and secrecy; he was not publicly out.
“Charleson would “rather die from performing Hamlet than AIDS.”” — Deadline
“Also, Charleson wasn’t out as a gay man, at least publicly.” — Deadline
BFI London Film Festival event
The festival is opening with Elsinore on Wednesday on London's Southbank.
“will open the BFI London Film Festival on Wednesday on London’s Southbank.” — Deadline
Left1 article
-
Sympathetic An awards-podcast profile of Scott that links Elsinore to LGBTQ representation and Oscar buzz.
Centre1 article
-
DeadlineN · · Opinion
Breaking Baz: Why LFF Opener ‘Elsinore’ Is A Triumphant Epitaph For An Extraordinary Man
Celebratory A first-person, admiring column presenting the film as a fitting tribute to Charleson, with the producer's behind-the-scenes account.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 5 Oct 14:00 First DeadlineN Breaking Baz: Why LFF Opener ‘Elsinore’ Is A Triumphant Epitaph For An Extraordinary Man Opinion
- 6 Oct 19:30 +29h 30m The Hollywood ReporterLC Andrew Scott on ‘Elsinore’ and Being an Out Gay Actor in 2026: “I’ve Been Able to Thrive in This Situation, and That Feels Genuinely Extraordinary”
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.