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Jude Law made perfume from ‘blood, fecal matter and sweat’ to play Henry VIII in ‘Firebrand’

By
Social Links for Brooke Steinberg
Published May 22, 2023
Updated May 22, 2023, 11:08 a.m. ET
Jude Law poses for photographers at the photo call for the film 'Firebrand' at the 76th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Monday, May 22, 2023.
Jude Law at the photo call for "Firebrand" at the 76th Cannes Film Festival, on May 22, 2023. Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP

Jude Law put blood, sweat and . . . poop . . . into his latest role.

Law, 50, plays King Henry VIII in “Firebrand,” a historical drama that follows the marriage of the monarch and Queen Catherine Parr, his sixth and final wife — played by Alicia Vikander.

In order to get into the role, the actor had a repulsive perfume blended from “blood, fecal matter and sweat” specially made to wear while shooting the movie.

“I read several interesting accounts that you could smell Henry three rooms away. His leg was rotting so badly. He hid it with rose oil,” Law said at a press conference Monday at the Cannes Film Festival, according to Variety. “I thought it would have a great impact if I smelt awful.”

The king infamously suffered from a leg ulcer following a jousting accident that he suffered from for the remainder of his life, and Law went to a perfume specialist to create the nasty eau de toilet for him.

“She makes wonderful scents, and she also makes awful scents. She somehow came up with this extraordinary variety of blood, fecal matter and sweat,” he shared.

Jude Law
Jude Law plays King Henry VIII in “Firebrand,” a historical drama that follows the marriage of the monarch and Queen Catherine Parr. REUTERS/Yara Nardi
Jude Law attends a press conference for the film "Firebrand" during the 76th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 23, 2023.
Jude Law had a perfume blended from “blood, fecal matter and sweat” custom-made to wear while shooting “Firebrand.” JULIE SEBADELHA/AFP via Getty Images

Law started off lightly applying the perfume, but as filming went on, it became a “spray fest.”

“When he walked in on set, it was just horrible,” director Karim Aïnouz admitted.

Although Law plays a monarch in the period drama, he doesn’t care much for gossip surrounding the crown — and even laughed when a journalist asked him for his thoughts on the royal family.

Alicia Vikander, Brazilian film director Karim Ainouz, British actor Jude Law and British director Gabrielle Tana attend a press conference for the film "Firebrand" during the 76th edition of the Cannes Film Festival
Alicia Vikander (from left), director Karim Aïnouz, Jude Law and producer Gabrielle Tana attend a press conference for “Firebrand” during the 76th edition of the Cannes Film Festival. JULIE SEBADELHA/AFP via Getty Images
Alicia Vikander and British actor Jude Law attend the photocall for 'Firebrand'
Alicia Vikander and Jude Law attend the photo call for “Firebrand.” MOHAMMED BADRA/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

“I kind of see it like theater, although I’m slightly more obsessed by theater,” Law shared. “But I’m not one for gossip. I don’t really enjoy it. I find no interest in it, and I don’t really enjoy following tittle-tattle stories.”

However, he did have thoughts on the coronation of King Charles III, adding: “There was something remarkable about looking at the photos of this medieval ceremony and how it applied to today made me feel very modern.”

“Firebrand” — adapted from Elizabeth Fremantle’s 2013 novel “Queen’s Gambit” — had its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival last weekend and was met with an eight-minute standing ovation.