EXCLUSIVE: Jessie Buckley says creating The Bride was ‘no joke’, lauds Maggie Gyllenhaal’s fearless female perspective

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Get ready for “The Bride,” a new gothic romance film! Directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal, the movie stars Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale as Ida and Frank. Buckley is currently promoting this role while also being recognized for her performance in “Hamnet.” This project reunites Buckley with Gyllenhaal, following their successful collaboration on the 2021 film “The Lost Daughter,” which earned them both Academy Award nominations.

As a lifestyle expert, I’m always fascinated by powerful creative partnerships, and Jessie Buckley recently shared something truly special with me ahead of her new film’s premiere. She told me why she jumped at the chance to work with this particular director again – she considers her one of the most important women in her life! Jessie described becoming her ‘Ida’ as a deeply transformative experience, saying this director ‘woke her up’ in ways she never imagined possible. She’s a true artist, completely fearless, and Jessie admires how she faces her fears head-on.

Maggie Gyllenhaal hasn’t let being a woman limit her ambitions, and for good reason. Another Maggie shared, “She’s driven to explore the full human experience. As a woman, finding a director who not only wants that but actively pursues it in their writing and characters has been incredibly inspiring. Working with someone like Maggie has been a truly liberating and valuable experience.”

Jessie Buckley dishes on what it was like to work with Maggie Gyllenhaal on The Bride

The mother praised the filmmaker for bringing the 1818 story to life, saying it takes real courage to create anything at all. She admired the filmmaker’s dedication to honesty and self-reflection, both in her work and on set, which forced everyone to be equally truthful. She added that she doesn’t know where she’d be without the filmmaker’s influence.

The actor known for their role in Chernobyl is eager to continue working with the director, explaining that their connection stems from a desire to explore difficult, hidden parts of themselves and others. They believe the creative process should bring these suppressed feelings to light, allowing for growth, even though it can be deeply uncomfortable. Their experience working with the director on ‘The Lost Daughter’ felt essential and restorative, like a fundamental need being met – a necessary process of confronting and processing challenging emotions.

She described the creative process behind ‘The Bride’ as incredibly open-ended, like a vast playground. The team was tasked with building a huge, impressive world, which meant endless options and choices. They weren’t just meant to execute ideas; they had to be bold, make active artistic decisions, and confidently pursue what felt genuinely true, even when facing uncertainty.

The Bride

Inspired by Mary Shelley’s classic novel Frankenstein and the 1935 film Bride of Frankenstein, the story follows a solitary creature, Frank, who asks Dr. Euphronious (Annette Bening) to build him a companion. They bring a woman back to life, creating The Bride, and their union leads to a life filled with both turmoil and surprising love.

The film, set to release globally on March 6, 2026, also stars Peter Sarsgaard, Annette Bening, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Penélope Cruz.

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2026-02-27 16:37