Jude Law Says He Wore Perfume to Smell Like ‘Blood and Fecal Matter’ for Henry VIII Role

Jude Law will do anything to embody a character — including smell really bad.

In his upcoming movie, Firebrand, Law, 50, takes on the role of King Henry VIII alongside Alicia Vikander, who plays the last of Henry’s six wives, Catherine Parr. Law took this role seriously, making sure to look, speak, behave — and smell — like the monarch in his final years.

"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 shared at a press conference at the Cannes Film Festival on Monday. “I thought it would have a great impact if I smelled awful."

To achieve this goal, the two-time Oscar nominee says he sought out professional help. Law went to a perfume specialist, who he says makes “wonderful scents,” and requested she create an “awful scent” for him.

“She somehow came up with this extraordinary variety of blood, fecal matter and sweat,” the Peter Pan & Wendy actor explained.

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Karim Aïnouz, the movie’s director, confirmed the Fantastic Beasts star was successful in his mission.

“When Jude walked in on set, it was just horrible,” Aïnouz remembered.

Law added that he initially wore the scent “very subtly,” but Aïnouz got his hands on it and sprayed it around the set when everyone left to eat.

“It became a spray-fest,” Law joked.

The smell must have had the impact Law was hoping for on his performance, because Firebrand received an eight-minute standing ovation after its premiere in Cannes.

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Firebrand does not yet have a release date.