Eddie Redmayne and Lashana Lynch were in London last night for the UK premiere of The Day of the Jackal. The ten-part series is a reimagining of the film of the same name from 1973, a cult classic, which was adapted from Frederick Forsyth’s novel, a cat-and-mouse story about an elite assassin being pursued by a British intelligence operative. Eddie is the assassin, the Jackal, and Lashana is the operative and they are INCREDIBLE in these roles.
The junket for The Day of the Jackal was today and this was my assignment for ETALK. I got the screeners yesterday and, typically, when I’m on assignment, I’ll watch one episode because I normally don’t have more time than that. For context, this week I have two series and a film to junket so the schedule can get pretty tight. With The Day of the Jackal, however, suddenly I looked up and I was three episodes in. It’s SO good – stylish and moody and intense and Eddie and Lashana are perfect in their roles; but this is all I can say because comprehensive reviews are embargoed. Just know that this is an excellent series, and the suspense will probably kill you because it’s killing me.
Which is why, in my opinion, it should be an awards contender for limited series. This is terrific work across the board, from the direction and writing to the costumes to the editing and the performances. The only question will be if it finds an audience. Because it will stream starting November 7 on SKY in the UK and Peacock in the US. Peacock has been steadily building its library, and they’ve had some hits – like Love Island USA this past summer and also Poker Face and The Traitors – but they’re still lagging behind in the pack. It’ll be interesting to see whether or not Jackal generates enough buzz to bring in more viewers. The quality, though, is certainly there.
Here's Eddie with his wife Hannah who looks stunning in this simple copper slip dress. She has the hairstyle that I fantasise about but could never pull off – the bangs and the layers look so good on her. In fact, she always looks good, her style is impeccable, a low-key fashion girl. But she doesn’t seem to thirst for the spotlight. She could totally have it, in her own right, if she wanted it. And yet for all the years that they’ve been together, she’s never sought out celebrity for herself.
As for Lashana, she just confirmed her pregnancy last week at the series premiere in New York City; it was also apparently news to Eddie too. I love her in this midnight blue look with the leather wrap on top over that beautiful flowing skirt. Her makeup is also flawless – that’s suuuuch a good lip colour.
But as great as Eddie and Lashana are in The Day of the Jackal, Úrsula Corberó almost steals the show from them. She plays the Jackal’s wife, and usually in stories like this, the partners of the villains aren’t given much to do. That’s not the case here because her character shapes the story too. Can’t go into more detail but she’s a major reason for why I love this series so much. Once you see it, you’ll understand. Oh and the music? Chef’s kiss. Radiohead’s “Everything in Its Right Place” is a perfect choice to set the stage.
