Muddy Stilettos

Director: Nia DaCosta



Stars: Tessa Thompson, Nina Hoss, Imogen Poots, Tom Bateman, Nicholas Pinnock



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="76" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Screenshot-2024-01-14-at-15.48.55-1000x76.png" alt="" class="wp-image-85763" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Screenshot-2024-01-14-at-15.48.55-1000x76.png 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Screenshot-2024-01-14-at-15.48.55-600x46.png 600w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Screenshot-2024-01-14-at-15.48.55-1536x117.png 1536w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Screenshot-2024-01-14-at-15.48.55-900x68.png 900w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Screenshot-2024-01-14-at-15.48.55.png 1974w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/hedda-HEDD_2024_UT_240118_TOWMAT_01455RC_rgb.jpg" alt="Tessa Thompson stars as Hedda Gabler in Hedda" class="wp-image-122230" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/hedda-HEDD_2024_UT_240118_TOWMAT_01455RC_rgb.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/hedda-HEDD_2024_UT_240118_TOWMAT_01455RC_rgb-600x400.jpg 600w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/hedda-HEDD_2024_UT_240118_TOWMAT_01455RC_rgb-1000x667.jpg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Tessa Thompson stars as Hedda Gabler in Hedda</figcaption></figure>



Throw out your copy of Hedda Gabler, because this ain’t it. Nia DaCosta (yes, she of Little Woods fame) has given Ibsen’s classic a chandelier-smashing, sapphic, Saltburn-esque makeover – and it is an absolute riot.



For those who don&#8217;t know the play (or need a refresher), Ibsen’s original follows Hedda, a brilliant but bored woman trapped in a stifling marriage, who toys with the lives of those around her, with tragic consequences.



Her version – simply titled Hedda – is a high-gloss psychological drama dripping in velvet, resentment and vermouth, with Tessa Thompson (DaCosta’s long-time collaborator) in the title role. It’s unhinged, unpredictable, and completely captivating.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/hedda-HEDD_2024_UT_240124_TAGPAR_03071RC_rgb.jpg" alt="Tessa Thompson, Nina Hoss and Imogen Poots in Hedda" class="wp-image-122231" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/hedda-HEDD_2024_UT_240124_TAGPAR_03071RC_rgb.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/hedda-HEDD_2024_UT_240124_TAGPAR_03071RC_rgb-600x400.jpg 600w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/hedda-HEDD_2024_UT_240124_TAGPAR_03071RC_rgb-1000x667.jpg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Tessa Thompson, Nina Hoss and Imogen Poots</figcaption></figure>



Speaking to Muddy about honouring Ibsen’s iconic anti-heroine in her radical reimagining, DaCosta said: “I follow my instinct. I follow my love and admiration for the play, and that’s how I tackle moving things along.”



And move things along she has – replacing Hedda’s former flame, Eilert Lovborg, with Nina Hoss’ commanding, no-nonsense Eileen Lovborg, and casting Imogen Poots as Thea, Eileen’s meek and mild new girlfriend. The gender flip adds a whole new layer to Hedda’s frustration and desire, intensifying her sense of being trapped in a life that isn’t hers. DaCosta doubles down by moving the story to the Fifties and setting it over the course of 24 hours, during a decadent party at Hedda’s new country pile.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="627" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/hedda-HEDD_2025_FG_00005012_Still001RC_rgb.jpg" alt="Tessa Thomson as Hedda" class="wp-image-122232" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/hedda-HEDD_2025_FG_00005012_Still001RC_rgb.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/hedda-HEDD_2025_FG_00005012_Still001RC_rgb-600x251.jpg 600w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/hedda-HEDD_2025_FG_00005012_Still001RC_rgb-1000x418.jpg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



The film opens with a dishevelled-looking Hedda, mascara running down her face, being asked by police to run them through the events of the night before. From there, we flash back to 24 hours earlier, as Hedda and her new husband, George (a suitably stiff Tom Bateman) welcome a crowd of beautiful, unbearable people to their sprawling country estate for a housewarming that quickly descends into chaos.



Among the guests are Nicholas Pinnock’s Judge Roland Brack – a sharp-suited troublemaker and long-time admirer of Hedda – along with a smattering of smug, self-important professors from the university where her husband George is desperately hoping to land a job.&nbsp;But it’s the unexpected arrival of Thea, ahead of her formidable partner Eileen, that really lights the fuse – and sets Hedda’s games in motion. There’s a clear spark still lingering between Hedda and Eileen, and Thea’s presence stirs something primal: jealousy, longing, maybe even regret. It&#8217;s not just resentment that drives Hedda’s manipulations, it&#8217;s heartbreak, too.



Thompson is transfixing in the role, gliding between charm and cruelty as the party spirals out of control. From toying with Thea&#8217;s insecurities and letting her borrow an ill-fitting dress, to goading a now sober Eileen into drinking like they did in the good ole days, Hedda plays all her guests like pieces on a chessboard. By the time we loop back to that opening scene, the house (and Hedda) is in ruins – and we finally understand why.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="418" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/hedda-HEDD_2025_FG_00171205_Still166RC_rgb-1000x418.jpg" alt="George Tessman (Tom Bateman), Hedda Gabler (Tessa Thompson) and Judge Roland Brack (Nicholas Pinnock) in HEDDA." class="wp-image-122262" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/hedda-HEDD_2025_FG_00171205_Still166RC_rgb-1000x418.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/hedda-HEDD_2025_FG_00171205_Still166RC_rgb-600x251.jpg 600w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/hedda-HEDD_2025_FG_00171205_Still166RC_rgb.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Tom Bateman, Tessa Thompson and Nicholas Pinnock</figcaption></figure>



Speaking to Muddy about what drew her to such an iconic, tragic, and complicated woman, Thompson said: “There are many things, but what I wrestled with the most (and I think most humans do) is the life you find yourself in. Is it a life you really chose? And why? That’s what really resonated with me.” She described Hedda as “delicious,” adding that the appeal lay in her contradictions. 



When asked whether Hedda is a victim or a villain, both Thompson and DaCosta agreed the answer isn’t clear-cut. Thompson reflected: “I don&#8217;t think Hedda sees herself as a victim or a villain… I just see her as human. It&#8217;s important not to define her in static terms, but to let her be as mercurial and flowing as she is in the play.” DaCosta added that Hedda’s shifting identity is central to the story: “She’s action, movement, planning &#8211; but how far in advance? Hedda resists being pinned down by any label.”



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="627" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/hedda-HEDD_2025_FG_00282100_Still277RC_rgb.jpg" alt="Tessa Thompson in Hedda" class="wp-image-122267" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/hedda-HEDD_2025_FG_00282100_Still277RC_rgb.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/hedda-HEDD_2025_FG_00282100_Still277RC_rgb-600x251.jpg 600w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/hedda-HEDD_2025_FG_00282100_Still277RC_rgb-1000x418.jpg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



The entire film is a complete feast for the senses. It oozes with vintage glamour perfectly capturing the stifling yet seductive 1950s setting. The costumes are *chef&#8217;s kiss* setting the mood while also telling us exactly who these people are. Hedda floats through the house in satin robes and structured dresses that look like armour, while her guests teeter between bohemian freedom and academic pomp. It’s all elegance on the surface, with something much darker bubbling underneath.



The soundtrack deserves a special shout-out too, adding layers of tension and unease, pulsing with an unsettling energy. At times it feels like a breath held just a little too long. It builds and recedes with Hedda&#8217;s moods, pulling you into her headspace as you try to figure out what she’s scheming next, or what damage she’s already done. It’s unsettling, immersive, and the perfect match for the film’s slow, stylish unravelling.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/hedda-HEDD_2024_UT_240125_TAGPAR_03217R_CropC_rgb.jpg" alt="Tom Bateman (George Tessman) and Tessa Thompson (Hedda Gabler) in HEDDA." class="wp-image-122553" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/hedda-HEDD_2024_UT_240125_TAGPAR_03217R_CropC_rgb.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/hedda-HEDD_2024_UT_240125_TAGPAR_03217R_CropC_rgb-600x400.jpg 600w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/hedda-HEDD_2024_UT_240125_TAGPAR_03217R_CropC_rgb-1000x667.jpg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



DaCosta’s Hedda doesn’t ask for permission – it kicks the doors in. With its gender flips, time crunch, and velvet-wrapped chaos, this is a bold, sensory punch of a film. Thompson shines as the maddening, mesmerising Hedda, backed by a cast who know exactly when to lean in and when to let loose. 



It’s not one for the Ibsen purists – but that’s exactly the point. As DaCosta told Muddy: “One of my favourite adaptations is 10 Things I Hate About You. Another is Clueless. There’s a real love for the original in those films, but they also bring something fresh. There are so many Heddas out there &#8211; if you want one that stays close to the original, you can find it. But if you want to keep exploring what Hedda could be, then you have ours.”



The result? A deliciously dark, unflinchingly modernised take on a woman coming undone in real time (and in under 2 hrs!). You’ll leave disoriented, dazzled, and desperate to debrief over a very strong drink.



<ul>
<li>Hedda is out in cinemas from Fri 24 Oct and lands on Prime Video from Wed 29 Oct.</li>
</ul>



Interview and review by Claire Hool



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-in-the-mood-for-more">IN THE MOOD FOR MORE?</h2>



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FILM REVIEW: Hedda is giving serious Saltburn vibes (and we’re here for it)

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