Fans of the cinematic romantic comedy and the novel Red, White, and Royal Blue were thrilled when a sequel was announced last year. The film, released on Amazon Prime in 2023, followed the star-crossed love story of Alex Claremont-Diaz (Taylor Zakhar Perez), son of the President of the United States, and England’s Prince Henry (Nicholas Galitzine). However, while details have been slow to trickle out, Uma Thurman has confirmed her character’s return.
Not long ago, it was announced that director Matthew López is confirmed will return to direct, and he is writing the script with the novel’s author, Casey McQuiston. McQuiston's involvement feels like a positive step because there is no existing novel to use as source material for the sequel. Plus, Perez and Galitzine are set to return, so it was already clear that the sequel is on the right track.
However, Uma Thurman recently gave us another exciting update. She has confirmed that she will return to play Ellen Claremont, Alex’s mother and the President of the United States. Thurman’s performance stood out due to her strong, no-nonsense attitude in Claremont’s presidential duties. However, it was her portrayal of a mother’s loving acceptance of her son’s sexuality that brought the character to life. Now, Thurman plans to return to the sequel to reprise the beloved character.
"When it’s ready, I will do it. We don’t know what Ellen will be up to, but she’ll be up to something!" Letterboxd received the exclusive in their interview with Thurman.
She also discussed why she enjoyed playing President Claremont and is eager to return to the role. She highlighted the film's tone and explained, "I like playing fun characters. I loved Ellen; [she] was great. To watch and even imagine that today - it's such an alternative, better world."
Thurman may be referring in part to the reality of the film that the United States elected a female president, which has yet to be the case in the real world. However, she may also be referring to the general reception of the film, which emphasizes an appreciation for an uplifting queer romance. Many fans and critics appreciate that the film presents an aspirational world for its audience, inspiring hope rather than despair.
Hopefully, eager fans get more good news as we await an update to Alex and Henry’s love story.
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