In an interview for Daily Bulletin, Claire Foy and director Will Sharpe talked about The Electrical Life of Louis Wain. While Claire explained how hesitant she was to take the role of Emily Richardson, Sharpe shared his thoughts about what it was like working with Benedict:
“I was unbelievably excited to be working with him,” he says. “And, you know, I think in many ways there are parts of him that cross over a little bit with Louis’ personality.
“I know he felt a really deep connection with this character and kind of is still carrying Louis with him in some way,” Sharpe says. “He compares it a little bit to how he felt when he was playing Alan Turing (in “The Imitation Game,” a role that earned Cumberbatch a best actor Oscar nomination). These people really existed and they just get under your skin.”
Sharpe and Cumberbatch had bits and pieces of historical documents to help them learn about the real Wain.
“Benedict wanted to nail down different drawing techniques, how to draw with two hands at once — which was something Louis Wain was well-known for — and how his art evolved through the decades,” Sharpe says. “We also took little fragments of texts, little clues from our research of how Louis Wain might have moved.
The interview also brought 12 new production stills from the movie, which you can see on our photo gallery:
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