Kaitlyn Dever puts a new spin on Romeo and Juliet's story in 'Rosaline'

The "Booksmart" actress plays Romeo's jilted ex in this romantic comedy.

Kaitlyn Dever puts a new spin on Romeo and Juliet's story in 'Rosaline'
20th Century Studios/Hulu
October 14, 2022, 4:10 AM

If you've ever wondered what would happen if things turned out differently for Romeo and Juliet in Shakespeare's classic play, actress Kaitlyn Dever has some of those answers -- sort of.

"Rosaline," a new romantic comedy based on the popular young adult novel "When You Were Mine" by author Rebecca Serle, retells Shakespeare's classic love story from the point of view of Rosaline, Romeo's jilted ex.

In the film, arriving on Hulu Friday, Dever plays Rosaline, a character she says she excitedly embraced.

"What's so great about this movie is that we're switching the perspective on a very classic story that we know and love on a person that's really intelligent and driven and sarcastic and funny," Dever told "Good Morning America."

Scene from "Rosaline."
20th Century Studios/Hulu

Unlike Shakespeare's play, where audiences only briefly hear of Rosaline, this new Karen Maine-directed comedy hones in on this young, hilarious and eccentric Rosaline and shows why her relationship with Romeo didn't work out -- and imagines what ended up happening to her.

Dever said she found it "exciting" while playing the role to imagine what kind of woman Rosaline would have been.

"We don't really know a lot about [Rosaline] from the original story at all," Dever said. "She is mentioned, but there is so much there to discover."

"And I think that was one of the many things that was so exciting about taking on this role is that, you could really do anything and everything with her really," she continued.

Scene from "Rosaline."
20th Century Studios/Hulu

In bringing Rosaline to life, Dever also said she took inspiration from her mother.

"I got to be sort of like outrageous at times and when she gets really stressed, it's really funny," she said. "All of the little elements were so much fun to play."

Minnie Driver, Bradley Whitford and Christopher McDonald also star in "Rosaline."

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