'Boudica' may be Olga Kurylenko's last leading role

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 27 (UPI) -- Since Olga Kurylenko has said she no longer wants to play lead roles in movies, Boudica˙: Queen of War, in theaters and video-on-demand services Friday, may be her last starring role for the foreseeable future.

"I've actually been refusing lead roles," Kurylenko told UPI in a recent Zoom interview. "I only take supporting roles."

Boudica stars Kurylenko, 43, as the queen of the ancient British Iceni tribe. Boudica led her people against the Romans in 60 A.D.

Writer/director Jesse V. Johnson, who first directed Kurylenko in White Elephant, asked her to play Boudica.

"I can't say no to Jesse because he seems to really want to do everything with me," Kurylenko said. "He offered me the part of Boudica and he said he only wanted to do it with me."

Devoting time to motherhood

Kurylenko has set a limit of 10 days for any acting job, which rules out any starring roles. She is scheduled to reprise her Black Widow role of Taskmaster in The Thunderbolts, but that Marvel movie will have a large ensemble cast.

Kurleynko also appeared at the end of Extraction 2, but said she has not heard whether her character returns for Extraction 3. She said she will not be away from her 8-year-old son Alexander in their London home for more than 10 days.

"My child enjoyed much more for me to be with him rather than away," Kurylenko said. "Any lead role would require to shoot more than 10 days, but I say no to everything."

Boudica was only possible because Kurylenko could bring Alexander to the set.

"It fell on the school holidays and that's why I said yes to Jesse, as well," Kurylenko said. "I knew that I could bring him, but I don't leave my son anymore. I can't do it."

Filling in the gaps in 'Boudica'

Boudica filmed for less than a month and was a hectic shoot for Kurylenko. She said she often switched between bloody, muddy battle scenes and earlier peaceful scenes during the same day.

"I would have to wash off and come back to the clean hair and beautiful dress," Kurylenko said.

Kurylenko said she and Johnson had to fill in holes in Boudica's history. The film credits Tacitus with recording Boudica's story, and Kurylenko also was aware of Cassius Dio's account decades after Boudica's death.

"All that we know was apparently told by two Romans," Kurlyenko said. "They were like myths and stories that they told, and this was written down. So there are no hard facts. There are certain things that are unsure."

The film shows Boudica living in peace with her husband, Prasutagus (Clive Standen), and their daughters. When Romans kill Prasutagus and brutalize the women, Boudica prepares for war.

The film portrays Boudica's daughters as surviving and appearing with her throughout battles. However, Kurylenko said their appearance is ambiguous and could be imaginary.

"We are not sure if they're present in reality or if they are in Boudica's head," Kurylenko said. "They're like a vision that is always there."

To Kurylenko, any attack on Boudica's family would be enough to drive her to war. However, she suspects Boudica's daughters perished after being raped, despite a lack of historical confirmation.

"The real character was probably motivated by their death," Kurylenko said. "Otherwise you don't just go and start leading a fight."

Boudica died in 61 AD, also under uncertain circumstances. The Roman army may have defeated her, but some believe Boudica drank poison to avoid capture.

Either way, Kurylenko said she believes Boudica knew she would not survive the war.

"She wants to save the country, but at that point, she doesn't care about being alive," Kurylenko said. "She's lost everything she had to live for so she just keeps fighting."

OIga Kurylenko: Action hero

After starring in many modern action movies with guns like Quantum of Solace, The November Man and Black Widow, Kurylenko learned sword fighting and ancient combat techniques for Boudica.

She said Quantum of Solace led to more action movie roles. However, she said she remains surprised to have made so many.

"I never saw myself as an action hero," Kurylenko said.

Before acting, Kurylenko practiced ballet as a child, which helped her learn fight choreography.

"You show me once and I can do it," Kurylenko said. "The coordination I probably have thanks to the ballet."