By Alison Stateman
What if Romeo had eyes for more than just Juliet? In Rosaline, a minor character mentioned in Shakespeare’s classic play Romeo and Juliet takes center stage in a comic retelling of this timeless love story.
This rollicking reimagining from 20th Century Studios is told from the perspective of Juliet’s cousin Rosaline (Kaitlyn Dever), who also happens to be Romeo’s recent love interest. Heartbroken when Romeo (Kyle Allen) meets Juliet (Isabela Merced) and begins to pursue her, Rosaline schemes to foil the famous romance and win back her guy.
The film will stream as a Hulu Original in the U.S., on Star+ in Latin America, and on Disney+ under the Star banner in all other territories beginning Friday, October 14.
(Rosaline has strong language and adult themes; recommended for mature audiences.)
During a virtual press conference for the film, key members of the cast along with director Karen Maine (Yes, God, Yes) shared how they infused the tragic love story with humor and a modern sensibility.
Origin Story
Adapted from Rebecca Serle’s novel When You Were Mine by 500 Days of Summer writers Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, the script—and the fact that Dever was playing the lead—was a major draw for Maine.
“The script was sent to me, and I was told that Kaitlyn was attached to play the lead. I love Kaitlyn; I love her work. I was dying to work with her,” admitted the director. “I read the script and it was amazing. It’s just hilarious.”
She continued, “The idea to set it in this classic Renaissance period with this modern language, and modern sensibilities and themes, just created in my mind this perfect juxtaposition of old and new that really nailed the comedy and let it shine.”
For Dever (Dopesick), the opportunity to “do anything and everything” with the character was an especially “exciting prospect.”
“The character that I created with Karen was something [where] we just felt like you could go for it in so many ways,” she said. “On the daily I was having so much fun with the role. I appreciated and admired her determination and her fearlessness and her drive, and just playing up the comedy. It was so easy to just have the most fun and be sort of outrageous sometimes, and sarcastic and comedic with this whole cast. It was really, really fun.”
That sense of fun came through during the virtual gathering, with Maine, Denver, Allen, Merced, Minnie Driver (Nurse Janet), Sean Teale (Dario), and Spencer Stevenson (Paris).
The movie, filmed over two months in Italy, marked several “firsts” for Stevenson—it was his first project for Disney; first time playing a Shakespearian character; and first time traveling outside of the United States.
“When I booked the role, I did not have a passport. I needed to get there in a week. I ended up getting my passport on a Thursday and got on a plane on Saturday. It was intense. I was so excited,” he said. “Paris is so much like me. It was kind of like playing dress up and just having fun. And it was so much fun.” (Viewers should keep an eye out for a very outré cape that Paris wears during an elaborate party scene.)
Like in the play, Paris is a count and the prospect that Juliet’s parents want her to marry. However, in the film, he’s brought to their attention as part of the larger romantic scheme by Rosaline.
Characters Reimagined
In this retelling, Romeo is still a lovestruck teen—taken to the extreme.
“Romeo would fall in love with a stick,” Allen, who most recently played Balkan in West Side Story (2021), said, drawing laughs from the cast. “He’s completely obsessed with the concept and the idea of love. And other than that, that’s pretty much the entirety of his personality. He doesn’t have much else going on.”
Juliet, meanwhile, still has an innocence about her—but it’s counterbalanced with a strong sense of self. When Merced was offered the iconic role, she said she was happily surprised.
“I am used to playing characters that are very headstrong, independent—typically ‘not Juliet,’” she said. “But I think Rosaline and Juliet do a great job of representing both sides of what feminism and womanhood really is. You can be strong and be sentimental and sensitive and still be an independent woman. It’s nice to see the two sides of rebellion and then sweetness.”
Even the supporting role of Juliet’s nurse was given a modern update, as played by Oscar® and Emmy® nominee Minnie Driver (Speechless).
“You have to have an anchor in a wayward love story/drama. And she was really funny. And it was very good that she was British because British people sound funny,” said London-born Driver, which cracked up the cast.
“I always played the nurse in Romeo and Juliet in drama school and she’s always the worst part… because she was the boring old person. But now, in this, she’s obviously youthful and vigorous and extremely funny,” she continued. “I was just thrilled to be part of this whole thing with all these lovely people.”
Then there is Dario, a totally new character/potential love interest played by Sean Teale (Little Voice).
Without revealing any spoilers, Teale shared what appealed to him about the role.
“The thing that drew me to Dario is that he just doesn’t mind what anyone thinks of him or how he appears,” said Teale. “He is certain in a way, and I do not possess that trait at all. But Dario manages to be a lot more progressive than a man would be in that time.”
Rosaline is produced by Shawn Levy, Dan Cohen, Dan Levine, with Kaitlin Dever, Scott Neustadter, Michael H. Weber, Whitney Brown, Emily Morris, and Becca Edelman serving as executive producers.
