The Last Duel star Nathaniel Parker has praised Jodie Comer for bringing “such pain straight to the screen” in her starring role.
Comer plays a 14th century French noblewoman in Sir Ridley Scott’s historical epic, who alleges she was raped by her husband’s best friend, while Parker plays her manipulative father Sir Robert de Thibouville.
Her husband, the knight Jean de Carrouges played by Matt Damon, challenges the alleged attacker played by Adam Driver to what was the last legally sanctioned duel in France.
Speaking at the UK premiere in London, Parker, 59, told the PA news agency: “It is an incredibly important story. And some of the scenes shocked the hell out of me.
“I have seen some pretty graphic stuff – I have seen a lot of films. But Jodie being raped was horrifying.
“And that was from Adam’s point of view, when he didn’t think he was. So then you see it from her (point of view) and I could barely look.
“I thought she was magnificent actually, I have to say. It brought such pain straight to the screen.
“And you saw the dilemma. You saw the modern dilemma that is still there, still happening all over the world and it was happening in the 1350s.”
He also quipped it was flattering to be cast as 28-year-old Comer’s father.
He said: “It was a privilege to play her dad for a start. The idea that, even with the long beard that I had, I could really be Jodie’s father, it was flattering to me I thought.
“She is a very concentrated actress. She doesn’t waver.”
The Last Duel is released on October 15.