Tessa Thompson Stars in Nia DaCosta’s 'Hedda' Adaptation Released on Prime Video

Nia DaCosta's 2025 film "Hedda," a modern reimagining of Henrik Ibsen's 1890 play "Hedda Gabler," transports the story to 1950s England and features Tessa Thompson in a career-defining role as the complex and manipulative Hedda. The film explores themes of love, power, identity, and the constraints faced by women in that era, with a notable gender swap of the character Eilert Lövborg to Eileen Lövborg, played by Nina Hoss, highlighting queer relationships and struggles. Set during a debaucherous party, the narrative centers on Hedda's efforts to secure her husband's promotion while contending with her former lover Eileen's success, culminating in an ambiguous ending that diverges from the original play's conclusion. Thompson described the final scene, where Hedda hesitates before a potential suicide and breaks into a mysterious smile, as embodying both darkness and possibility, inviting audience interpretation. DaCosta aimed to give voice to silenced women of the 1950s, drawing from her own heritage to contextualize the story's relevance to contemporary issues of female agency and identity. The film's lush cinematography and intense performances create a vibrant, provocative adaptation that stands on its own while honoring its literary roots.