Jude Law revealed during the Cannes Film Festival on Monday (May 22nd) that he stunk up the set of the historical thriller Firebrand to better get into character. The Closer actor shared that he wore a perfume made from “blood, fecal matter and sweat” to portray Henry VIII.
“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 said. The former King of England suffered from swollen ankles and leg ulcers in the final years of his life. “I thought it would have a great impact if I smelt awful,” the Sherlock Holmes actor said.
Law found a perfumer who, as he relayed, “makes wonderful scents, and she also makes awful scents. She somehow came up with this extraordinary variety of blood, fecal matter and sweat.”
The director of the film, Karim Aïnouz, added, “When Jude walked in on set, it was just horrible.”
