Notes on Characters and Actors
The performances – Portman, Hurt, Stephen Fry and especially Stephen Rea – are unusually delicate for a
comic-book fantasy… – William Arnold, Seattle PI
Evey (Natalie Portman)
the character

in the original graphic novel, she is very young (16), blonde, a bit of a cipher; the film-makers decided it
would be better to make her older, more intelligent, have more smarts, and not be such a pawn of V.

a PA at BTN, she is initially quiet, pleasant, friendly, not assertive, though with an air of tough
vulnerability

she tells V she lives in fear – having lost her parents in one of Creedy's night raids, and having spent
five years in a "Reclamation" home. Yet she is not afraid to go out after curfew – probably what she is
most afraid of is being afraid.

is appalled by V's activities but is gradually politicised through Gordon's fate and Valerie's letter; develops an awareness that personal
integrity is more important than anything else

the transformation that she undergoes enables her to be worthy of the revolutionary events set in motion by V. He justifies his
imprisoning and torturing Evey as setting her free from her fear.

After her jail experience, she moves with more confidence, with more dignity and maturity; without her hair she somehow seems
bigger, taller – not diminished.

she learns to love V but is still unable to stay with him
Portman: "She's very afraid – she lives through her fear, which is common in this society. The film comments on the sort of fear-based
politicking that goes on today – that you should be afraid of everything. Initially she is passive, and tries to stay under the radar, to stay
safe, because of her background. She goes from being a normal girl to being a revolutionary. She's had a very personal experience with
political activism – one that resulted in her parents' death and left her alone – so she's just trying to live her life under the radar and stay
safe. She lives through her fear. Through her imprisonment she learns to face her fear, and overcoming that fear is important for her own
integrity
Portman was intrigued by the ideas in the story and by Evey's transformation from an anonymous office worker to a brave and politicised
heroine. "The script has really strong political and ideological overtones. And it looks at the kind of choices that must be made in order to
be a political person, and how those choices affect an individual's private life."
the performance
Stephen Fry: [Most of Stephen Fry's scenes in the film are opposite Portman.] "I'm immensely impressed by Natalie. I mean, what is she
– 12 and a half years old or something? She's a barely divided embryo and yet she speaks multiple languages, is immensely accomplished
and a natural film actress. She's very bright and good natured. She's quite something. She's going to be around at the top of her
profession for a long time."
Director James McTeigue: "She's completely professional, and looks luminous. But more than anything, her fearlessness and
intelligence were perfect for the role."
the critics...
Portman's English accent goes in and out, but not her performance, which becomes the heart and soul of the movie. Scratch the lousy
Star Wars films and Portman, from The Professional to Closer, is one of the best actresses of her generation. Here she's dynamite,
especially when Evey finds a letter written by a lesbian victim of torture and begins to understand V's true mission. – Peter Travers
The movie is enriched beyond the call of genre by the performances of Natalie Portman …
– Kurt Loder, Village Voice
V for Vendetta is ultimately worth seeing, if only for its adamant refusal to play it safe and the passionate commitment that Weaving and
Portman bring to their roles. … As for Portman, her staggering beauty alone commands your attention, but she's also developed into a
vivid and graceful actress.
– Tim Knight
Natalie Portman gives her strongest performance yet as Evey… Even after Evey's hair is shaved off by torturers, Portman keeps you
focused on her words and actions instead of her bald head. – Ruthe Stein, San Francisco Chronicle
V (Hugo Weaving)
the character

fights passionately for dignity and freedom within this fascist state

has cunning and guile, bravado, a certain fearlessness, a capacity for extremism and a touch of
madness

the experiments done on him at Larkhill gave him improved reflexes, agility and motor skills and a
reduced sensitivity to pain: he is strong, quick, brilliant reflexes, observant

his bitter personal vendetta taints his political idealism; Evey calls him "a monster" and he agrees

initially ruthless, he softens under Evey's influence and backs away from the final decision, leaving it to her

very literate, very cultured, with a genuine appreciation of art – though clearly not of architecture

has beautiful manners – he shares this with Gordon – and a strong sense of chivalry

V's use of the Guy Fawkes mask and persona functions on both practical and symbolic levels. He wears the mask to hide his physical
scars, and in obscuring his identity, becomes more than just a man with a revolutionary idea – he becomes the idea itself. Though he
– like Guy Fawkes – might be defeated, ideas of freedom and justice can endure and retain their power.

V's mask also provides contrast to the metaphorical 'masks' worn by his fellow citizens, who have surrendered their individual
identities and beliefs.

he is invincible because you can kill a man, but not an idea; V represents truth, resistance and individualism.
Weaving: "He's a very complex and ambiguous man. He's been imprisoned and tortured, mentally and physically abused. And that has
created this vengeful angel, if you like. He's an assassin, but also a very cultured and educated man who believes strongly in individual
freedom. Because he falls in love with Evey, and that falling in love redeems him, there's an extraordinary kiss at the end. And there's
that wonderful look on Natalie's face when she realises she can't, because he actually isn't a human being, in a way. He is an idea, and
that's what she falls in love with – his mind."
Portman: One of the reasons he is so invincible is because you can kill a man, but an idea can't be killed. So V represents truth,
resistance and individualism. But his vengeance taints his political idealism.
Is V blind? Dr Stanton says in her journal that the man emerging from the fire "had no eyes". Earlier, she wrote, "The mutations seem to
have triggered the abnormal development of basic kinaesthesia and reflexes."
Kinaesthesia is that sense that allows us to determine the physical positions of our extremities in relation to ourselves (for example, it allows
us to touch our nose with our eyes closed). Perhaps V is able to comprehend his position, and the position of other objects, in the physical
universe despite his lack of eyes, somewhat like Marvel's Daredevil.
the performance
An astonishing performance by Hugo Weaving. Without the actor's greatest tool – his face – he nevertheless creates a real character of
the man behind the mask. What he can achieve by the slight movement of his head, the tilt of his mask, the smallest gesture, and above
all his capacity for stillness and silence is nothing short of miraculous. His bearing is convincingly elegant; his movements graceful and his
voice resonant and beautifully pitched.
Weaving: "I loved doing mask work at drama school a long time ago, and making V's mask work onscreen was a great acting challenge.
You need to convey a lot through voice, but there are also small, fluid movements you can use that help give the mask a life it might not
otherwise have had. It was also a question of trying to work out what the mask says in different light and with various shadings."
McTeigue: "From the moment Hugo put the mask on, we knew it would work. He has a theatre background, which is important to the
character. He also has a great physicality and a fantastic voice. He was able to make peace with the mask's claustrophobic restraints and
convey emotion through his voice and movement."
the critics...
Hugo Weaving's rich voice personifies V, and the best decision made by the filmmakers, is that we never see the man behind the mask.
We don't need to. This way, we get a much better sense of the essence of the man burdened by his vendetta, inviting our imagination to
play with the richness of the information at hand.
– Louise Keller, Urban Cinefile
… playing the character with both his hands tied behind his acting back: we never see his face, yet we feel his emotions, at least in broad
strokes.
– Andrew L Urban, Urban Cinefile
However, V for Vendetta is ultimately worth seeing, if only for its adamant refusal to play it safe and the passionate commitment that
Weaving and Portman bring to their roles. Weaving, aka Agent Smith from The Matrix, uses his marvellous, stage-trained voice to great
effect as V.
– Tim Knight, Reel.com
Weaving uses physical agility to compensate for facial expression as the scarred, tormented V. The character is clearly an intellectual. But
he's also a madman, and this boldly stylish movie lets the audience disapprove of him even as it's drawn to him, an unusual twist for a
story that offers Philosophy Lite along with some stellar action.
– Jami Bernard, New York Daily News
In what is one of the screen's great masked performances, Hugo Weaving is more than just the star, he's the dark, galvanising soul of the
film. It takes a certain calibre of actor to project delicate emotion through a perpetual porcelain smirk, and Weaving makes us believe in
both the power of his betrayal and his quest.
– Luke Goodsell, Empire
In reality it's hard to buy into V as a romantic freedom fighter because of the way he's presented. The Guy Fawkes guise is a striking
image, but it's better on a comic book page. There's a breakdown between Weaving's theatrical body movements and his pretentious
voice-over. The words supposedly come from behind the rigid mask, but it's a jarring effect.
– Daily Record, UK
The movie is enriched beyond the call of genre by the performances of … especially by Hugo Weaving, who gives what must be the most
expressive man-in-a-mask performance in screen history – we never see his face, but thanks to Weaving's subtle mastery of vocal and
physical inflections, we're never in doubt about what he feels.
– Kurt Loder, Village Voice
Chief Inspector Finch (Stephen Rea)
Leading the state's investigation into the murders of several prominent figures, Finch is determined at the
outset to catch the 'terrorist' and his seeming accomplice, Evey. However, as Finch unearths details of V's
history, he discovers shocking state secrets concealed by the government he serves and his sympathies begin
to shift. He starts to question things he has accepted for far too long. The investigation thrusts reality and
truth in his path, waking him from his acceptance of the state's oppressive stranglehold on the rights and
freedoms of its people. Finch guides the audience through the film's detective story as he slowly begins to
uncover evidence that suggests that the government he is part of may have something unspeakably criminal to
hide.

honest, decent, though one of the inner circle of the regime, he has no idea of the appalling crime the party's success is founded on.
(The implication is that it is only Sutler and Creedy of this inner circle who know.)

is dogged, determined; as a cop, needs to know the answers; he is pleasant, low key, courteous;

the opposite of Creedy, he is not a bully – he just wants to talk to Evey "before she disappears into one of Creedy's black bags"

gradually shifts his allegiance from his government and party to what he sees as right; allows Evey to send the train full of explosives

like V, like Evey, like Gordon, he is alone in the world – and lonely in his burden (though he has Dominic to share his fears and
concerns with)

he should actually be referred to as Detective Chief Inspector, since he is not in uniform – although the old ranks may not exist under
this new regime.
Rea: "There's an intriguing element of the hunter becoming very interested in his prey. The politics of it are what gives it its dimension
and momentum, and of course I was interested in the politics. Why wouldn’t I be? I don’t think it would be very interesting if it was just
comic-book stuff.
And special mention has to go to Stephen Rea, whose complicated turn as a split-allegiance law enforcer shades in the moral grey areas
with a human dimension.
– Luke Goodsell, Empire
Gordon Deitrich (Stephen Fry)
Deitrich, a suave television personality who fronts a daily variety show, becomes Evey's trusted friend and
confidant. But Gordon is a closeted gay who, being forced to deny his nature by the regime, has "lost his
appetite" over the years.
How believable is his confidence that he can get away with ridiculing the chancellor? Media people today
think they are above the law, but after 20 years of Sutler's regime, you would think he would be a little more
circumspect.

warm, kind, affable, big-hearted, generous of spirit; has no hesitation on taking Evey in, even though her presence would endanger him

is already doubtful, and V's address stirs something in him

has beautiful manners – one of the several thing he shares with V
Fry: "Deitrich must be dragged out of his moral torpor and make a stand." Asked what he liked about the role, he said: "Being beaten
up! I hadn't been beaten up in a movie before and I was very excited by the idea of being clubbed to death."
Only Stephen Fry, in a smallish role as Evey's temporary protector, Deitrich, gives the movie any real emotional resonance. Fry is a beefy
bear-hug of a fellow, and that, as well as his open-hearted affability, makes us understand how deeply out of place Deitrich is in this dark,
pinched world. Even as V intones his tiresome slogans, the only time you really feel there's anything at stake in V for Vendetta is when
Fry is on-screen. His Deitrich represents joyous individuality in a world of fascist conformity. But there's too little of him…
– Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com
Parallels between Gordon and V
Connections and parallels between them illustrate that the two men are similar in their respective situations: V was sent away to a detention
camp, Gordon would be sent away if his identity as a gay man were publicly known. Both are forced to hide their 'true faces' in order to
survive. Both have beautiful manners, are cultured, suave, appreciate fine things, are gentlemen. Both have hidden art collections.
Dominic (Rupert Graves)

Finch's assistant – no rank ever given but in the present police force he is likely to be an inspector (or
possibly sergeant) to Finch's Chief Inspector.

his first loyalty is to Finch rather that to the country, which makes him a reliable confidant for Finch
Graves: "He undergoes a bit of an epiphany during the film. He's not a man of great imagination. He's
always put his head down and believed in the state, but he and Finch begin to realise that their government
isn't as good as they had thought."
Chancellor Adam Sutler (John Hurt)
A former Conservative MP and Under-Secretary for Defence, Sutler was the founder of Norsefire and is
the de facto dictator of Britain. He is revealed as a man who keeps control by bullying – he gets
increasingly angry as public order diminishes and his only solution seems to be to abuse his inner circle.
He has no sense of humour – Gordon's show results in his arrest – and one assumes the arrest of all
others involved in making it.
'Rookwood' states that “He's a deeply religious man and a member of the Conservative Party. He is
completely single-minded and has no regard for the political process”.
Hurt: "Sutler represents a society that believes that a fascist government is the best way to run a country. Don't ask questions, let the
Party get on with it and above all, don't criticise our authority."
Hurt acted a contrary role in another dystopian film: that of Winston Smith, a victim of the state, in the 1984 film adaptation of Nineteen
Eighty-Four.
Creedy (Tim Piggot-Smith)
Both Norsefire's party leader and the head of Britain's secret police, the Finger. While Sutler is the Chancellor,
the real power of the regime lies with Creedy. From being a relatively minor character in the graphic novel – a
coarse, petty opportunist – he is revealed to have been the brains behind the bio-terror attack that Norsefire
used as an excuse to seize power. He is an icy sociopath.

… along comes a spider. He is a man seemingly without a conscience; for whom the ends always justify
the means

He is shown arresting Gordon personally, and hitting him viciously. He makes no effort to hide his anger at
Sutler's attacks on him, suggesting a man who knows his strength. He is a bully – he threatens Finch.

Facing V, he says he does not fear death, and although he is astonished by V's apparent imperviousness to bullets, he does not weep
or grovel.
Prothero (Roger Allam)
Former army officer and then commandant at Larkhill, he is now a media personality, the mouthpiece for the
Sutler government. Immensely rich from the profits. Shown to be vain and self-centred, cruel and a
blowhard.
Has been viewed by critics and commentators as a parody of American right-wing pundits such as Bill
O'Reilly and Rush Limbaugh and, with his rhetoric about God, gays and Muslims, is likely also a caricature of religious right-wing
commentators like Pat Robertson.
Roger Allam makes a splash as the self-obsessed vitriolic television host; the scene of him taking a shower in a vast bathroom surrounded
by plasma screens, each bulging with tight close ups of himself in full vitriolic flight, is unforgettable.
– Louise Keller
Delia Surridge (Sinéad Cusack)
Delia Surridge is the city coroner, haunted by her horrific past; as Dr Stanton, she was the head physician at the
Larkhill detention centre. V says to her that the torture and death at Larkhill were possible only because of her
research. Surridge, unlike the other victims of V, proves to have a conscience and feels guilty about the crimes she
committed.
Knowing she is next in the list of V's victims, she faces her death with courage and dignity. She could have
disappeared again but she chooses to stay. She takes her journal out of the safe so it is there for V – or the police
– to find. She expresses her regret at what was done.
Cusack: "I never imagined that I'd be playing a vile human being. I always thought I was rather soft and sweet and Irish! Instead I'm
this vicious killer and for that reason it was a departure for me. This film is really a very interesting psychological study, set in a world that
we hope we'll never have to inhabit."
The movie is enriched beyond the call of genre by the performances of … Sinéad Cusack (as a doctor with a hideous secret in her past) …
– Kurt Loder, Village Voice
Bishop Lilliman (John Standing)
Lilliman is a corrupt paedophile bishop at Westminster Abbey, installed into this position by Sutler.
Standing: "I thoroughly enjoyed playing Lilliman because he's slightly comic and utterly atrocious. Lovely to do."
Valerie Page (Natasha Wightman and Imogen Poots [Valerie as a girl])
Valerie is one of the 'social-undesirables' imprisoned by the Norsefire government. The course of V's life, and
then of Evey's, is affected by her story – it turns both of them into revolutionaries. Her story represents the
thousands of those who were tortured and killed by the government's persecution of those it deemed unfit –
and also suggests that a small shred of hope can ignite a revolution.
Film critic Michael Jensen praised the extraordinary power of Valerie's scene "not just because it is beautifully
acted and well-written, but because it is so utterly unexpected [in a Hollywood film]."