“You wouldn’t expect me to do a turn as Lady Capulet” — Rebel Wilson speaks about playing a mother on screen for the first time

Actress Rebel Wilson opens up about playing a mother on screen for the first time in her upcoming film Juliet & Romeo. In an interview with the New York Post, published on Wednesday, May 7, Wilson detailed why she agreed to the role of Lady Capulet.

The film is a reimagining of Shakespeare's iconic tragedy, Romeo and Juliet. Wilson stars as Lady Capulet, Juliet's mother, with Clara Rugaard and Jamie Ward playing the namesake star-crossed protagonists. Jason Isaacs stars as Lord Montague, father to Romeo.

 

 

 

 

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Talking about her role, Wilson acknowledged that it must have been surprising, telling the outlet:

"Seeing me in these Hollywood glossy comedies, you wouldn’t expect me to do a turn as Lady Capulet."

However, she added:

"Sometimes as an actor, you just want to do something a little bit different."

"I tried to give it a little bit more empathy"—Rebel Wilson about her interpretation of Lady Capulet

In her interview with the NY Post, Rebel Wilson elaborated on her reasoning. The Pitch Perfect star explained that she was a new mother when offered the role, stating:

"I was a new mother when I got offered this role, and Lady Capulet’s like an iconic Shakespearean mother — normally played quite villainously, although I tried to give it a little bit more empathy."

The actress and her then-partner Ramona Agruma welcomed daughter Royce Lillian via surrogacy in November 2022. The couple tied the knot in September 2024. Wilson told the outlet she might not have accepted the role had she not been a mother.

 

 

 

 

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Elsewhere in the interview, Wilson revealed she had auditioned to play the role of mother in the 2022 film Elvis, which starred Austin Butler as the titular singer. She explained that the crew "flew her in" and even did the "aging prosthetics" on her face but felt that she looked too young to play Elvis’ mother.

Wanting to do something different as an actor, she agreed to play Lady Capulet. The Australian actress noted that it completely went against the "type." Notably, Rebel Wilson is known for playing the "wacky" side character in movies, including the 2011 hit Bridesmaids.

Wilson also pointed out she was being offered more diverse roles since she lost weight in 2020. She told the NY Post:

"When I lost weight in 2020, that weirdly made me more versatile as an actress Even though I had the same skills… I think people see you differently and can imagine you more easily in different roles."

It is worth noting that Rebel Wilson went on her weight loss journey because she wanted to be a mother. In a May 2022 conversation with People magazine, the actress explained that a fertility doctor told her she'd have a better chance of harvesting and freezing her eggs if she lost weight. While initially "taken aback," it inspired her to be "healthier."

 

 

 

 

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In a Zoom interview with the Boston Herald, Rebel Wilson explained that what she loved about Juliet & Romeo was its "pop musical interpretation" of the classic play. She revealed that for her it was coming back to her "very early acting roots."

Wilson elaborated that she began her career as a stage actress, playing a variety of characters, including those in Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe plays. However, she added:

"I feel like if I was a producer, I don’t know whether I’d cast me as Lady Capulet. But then the opportunity came along."

Echoing her sentiments about the musical angle, Rebel Wilson told Nerd Reactor (May 7) she wanted to hear "music" before recording her bits. She explained that if the score wasn't good, then it wouldn't be "a very good movie," especially considering the story has been adapted countless times. After listening to the songs, she found they were "well-constructed pop songs" that portrayed the "right emotions to tell the story."

Juliet & Romeo is set to hit theaters on May 9.