In one of Netflix’ contenders this Oscar season, Timothée Chalamet plays a king who never wanted to be one.

On Monday, the David Michod film made its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival where Chalamet took a panel to talk about the themes explored in the feature.

“Even to this day, there are people born in royal families and wealth or something,” Chalamet discussed at the movie’s press conference held in Venice. “And the struggle of that is less in status and more in humanity,” the young actor added.

The film is written by Michod and Joel Edgerton who also plays a lead role. It is loosely based on a number of Shakespeare’s works. Chalamet addressed that features based on the bard’s works haven’t been welcoming to young talents.

“…in the Shakespeare productions of the last century or something…there was a real aversion to using young actors for these roles,” Chalamet said. “There’s something haunting or disturbed about young people wielding so much power.”

The Academy Award-nominated actor takes on the role of Hal, in the medieval drama “The King”. The film follows Hal as he makes his succession to the English throne after his tyrannical father suddenly dies and leaves a raging war on his hands. He is crowned King Henry V much to his reluctance as he wanted nothing to do with the title. But as he is forced to navigate his way around royalty, he must come to terms with the hefty weight
on his shoulders.