‘The Uprising,’ written and directed by ‘Jason Bourne’ director Paul Greengrass, releases in theaters on Sept. 11
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Andrew Garfield stars as a grieving farmer leading a rebellion in Paul Greengrass’ historical drama The Uprising
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The film is inspired by the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381 and explores themes of discontent and societal change
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Greengrass praises Garfield’s ability to balance emotional depth and action in the role
Saying Andrew Garfield isn’t afraid to get a bit muddy for his latest project is an understatement.
The After the Hunt star, 42, stars in the first trailer for director Paul Greengrass‘ The Uprising as Ploughman, a farmer grieving his wife and children’s deaths from the bubonic plague seven years earlier. When unfair taxes are put on the working class members of his village, he somewhat unintentionally steps up to lead a rebellion against the tyrannical rule of King Richard II.
The story, written by Jason Bourne‘s Greengrass, 70, is based on the true events of the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381, a rebellion in which various groups of farmers, priests and working people across the country gathered together to storm London and overthrow the corrupt council advising the 10-year-old king.
Credit: Betina La Plante/Focus Features
The idea came to Greengrass during the pandemic, he tells PEOPLE, as he was searching for a story to tell about his home country, England. The Peasants’ Revolt stuck with him for its universality and how relevant it remains centuries later.
“What was interesting to me about its universality was that it was sort of the first moment in our history when, if you like, the common person, the common man and woman took center stage and history was no longer going to be about kings and queens and the rich and powerful,” he says. “It was going to be about what ordinary folk wanted and their grievances and their dreams and hopes.”
As for the movie’s contemporary themes, Greengrass says that as he was writing, he could feel how it would resonate in today’s world as people feel increasingly “angry” and “disenfranchised.”
Credit: Betina La Plante/Focus Features
“I’m not making a party political point. It’s not about that,” he explains. “It’s just a general feeling we all understand that people, our lands, whether it’s yours or mine or Europe, all across the world, there’s this sort of roiling rage, I suppose you’d call it. Discontent. And I think it’s to do with something struggling to be born, I suppose I’d put it like that.”
Joining Garfield in the cast are Jamie Bell, Stephen Dillane, Tom Hollander, Cosmo Jarvis, Thomasin McKenzie, Jonny Lee Miller, Woody Norman and Katherine Waterston. Garfield, however, stood out to Greengrass as his leading man for his strength and vulnerability.
Drawing comparisons to other icons he’s worked with, including Matt Damon, Matthew McConaughey and Tom Hanks, Greengrass says all the men share the ability to “place their heroism in their ordinariness.”
Credit: Focus Features
“I think that’s something that Andrew does in this film. He’s just an ordinary farmer. There’s nothing extraordinary about him,” he says. “He doesn’t have superhero skills. He’s just a guy who’s a farmer who can’t read or write, but goes on the journey and yet you follow him and see his eyes opened and go on the whole journey as he changes.”
Greengrass adds that in addition to being a “super joyful, easy, lovely person to work with,” Garfield was able to channel being an action hero while also maintaining the emotional aspect of his character.
His character goes through a number of trials — both physical and emotional — over the course of the film, serving as the heart of the story.
“The action bit, the emotional bit, the storytelling bit, inhabiting a distant world and making it seem believable, but also making it feel very natural and contemporary,” Greengrass says of what Garfield managed to accomplish. “I think that’s a really big skill set, and I think it really shows him to be the fantastic actor and movie star that he is.”
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The Uprising releases in theaters on Sept. 11.
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