There is no lack of theatricality in Leo Tolstoy’s dramatic novel Anna Karenina, a fact that wasn’t lost on the makers of the new version starring Keira Knightley and Jude Law (in theaters November 16; watch the trailer below). So, in director Joe Wright’s adaptation, he made one bold change: He set most of the action inside a theater, which meant the sets and costumes were constantly changing and evolving.
To tackle the challenge, Wright once again turned to Academy Award-nominated costume designer Jacqueline Durran (the two previously worked on Atonement and Pride and Prejudice). Much of Durran’s work, of course, went into outfitting the film’s title character, whose elite position in St. Petersberg society must be reflected in her elaborate garments and exquisite jewels. “The image of every scene was already in Joe’s mind, so my job was to find out what it was and to try to fulfill his idea,” she says. “But even though he had pre-thought it all, he still looked forward to using what I gave him.”
