Netflix today revealed first look photos from the upcoming limited series, Vladimir based on the novel by Julia May Jonas. Premiering on March 5, the series stars Rachel Weisz (The Lobster, The Constant Gardener), Leo Woodall (One Day, The White Lotus), and John Slattery (The Rainmaker, Mad Men).
The synopsis reads, “When a passionate but reckless professor’s world begins to unravel, she finds herself dangerously fixated on her magnetic new colleague. Seduction and obsession collide in Vladimir—a provocative limited series brimming with forbidden desires, razor-sharp wit, and charismatic, unpredictable characters. As boundaries blur and secrets simmer, she’ll risk everything to bring her most scandalous fantasies to life.”
The cast also includes Ellen Robertson (Mickey 17, Black Mirror), Jessica Henwick (The Royal Hotel, Iron Fist), Matt Walsh (Veep, Ted), Kayli Carter (Mrs. America, Let Him Go), Miriam Silverman (Landman, Your Friends & Neighbors), Mallori Johnson (Kindred, Genius), Tattiawna Jones (Murderbot, Wayward), and Louise Lambert (Doc, Murdoch Mysteries).
“It explores what women feel like they’re allowed to desire, and how they’re allowed to desire […] She’s relatable because of her insecurities about aging […] and her fears that as you grow into an older woman, you’re asked to want less, take up less space, be more of service,” author Julia May Jonas tells Tudum.
“The series explores themes related to desire, obsession, sexuality, lust. It also delves into the world of campus gender politics and cancel culture. […] There’s definitely comedy and drama. It’s mischievous and a good tonal cocktail for exploring some very serious subjects and issues. Her fantasy is about the power of desire — the invigorating, stimulating, inspiring, and revivifying feeling that she gets from her obsession with Vlad. What it’s about is coming back to life in a certain way [after lying] dormant for some time,” Rachel Weisz adds.
Tudum also notes that the story is told in a specific manner: “To capture the specific tone of the book’s narrator, Weisz speaks directly to the camera, granting access to the protagonist’s innermost thoughts. But this mode just as often reveals what she’s not saying, or the tension between her perception, fogged up by her fantasy, and the reality.”
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