Doctor Jekyll: Eddie Izzard to play Nina Jekyll in new Robert Louis Stevenson adaptation

Last Updated on February 8, 2022

Gender fluid comedian/actor Eddie Izzard (The Lost Symbol) prefers the pronouns she/her in her personal life, but has said she still goes back and forth between “boy mode” and “girl mode”, as she puts it, for acting roles, and sounds like she’ll be performing in girl mode for her latest project, Doctor Jekyll.

Variety reports that Izzard has been cast as Doctor Nina Jekyll in the film, which is described as “a modern interpretation” of Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1886 novella The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde. Director Joe Stephenson developed the project with first-time writer Dan Kelly-Mulhern during the U.K. lockdown. The story they crafted follows

the reclusive Nina Jekyll finding friendship with her newly hired help, Rob. They must work together to prevent Hyde from destroying her life.

Rob is set to be played by Scott Chambers, who previously worked with Stephenson on the film Chicken.

Izzard had this to say about Doctor Jekyll:

I am very excited to be playing the role of Nina Jekyll in this new feature film and it’s wonderful to be able to reimagine this classic story in a modern way.”

Stephenson added:

I’m thrilled that Eddie is joining us as my Nina Jekyll. With her being the extraordinary and versatile actress she is, playing against Scott’s natural talent to make us believe in the good in people, I can’t wait to bring this suspenseful take on the iconic classic to life.”

Doctor Jekyll begins filming in the U.K. this week. The movie is coming to us from B Good Picture Company, in association with Fluidity Films. Stephenson is producing it alongside Guy de Beaujeu. Liam Coutts is an associate producer, and Christian Angermayer serves as executive producer.

Eddie Izzard performances are always fun to watch, and it will be very interesting to see her play Doctor Jekyll and Hyde.