Andrew Scott is stepping into the life of Ian Charleson in Elsinore, a new film about the celebrated Scottish actor’s final months and the performance that became a defining part of his legacy.
Charleson was known for his work onstage and in films including Chariots of Fire. In 1989, while seriously ill with AIDS, he played Hamlet at London’s National Theatre. It became his final stage role.
Credit: Anthony Dickenson / © 2026 FOCUS FEATURES LLC
Charleson died eight weeks later, on Jan. 6, 1990. He was 40. He had asked for AIDS to be named as the cause of his death, making a deeply personal decision public at a time when stigma still kept many people silent. That choice helped raise awareness of HIV and AIDS.
“I won’t be a victim.”
For Charleson’s friend Ian McKellen, the performance was memorable for far more than the circumstances surrounding it. Writing after Charleson’s death, McKellen recalled his onstage wit, the warmth he brought to Hamlet, and the way he made the theater feel intimate. Charleson’s illness was part of what he was living through, but his artistry was what the audience saw.
Credit: Anthony Dickenson / © 2026 FOCUS FEATURES LLC
That distinction gives Elsinore a compelling story to tell. The film follows a gay actor whose work brought him joy and recognition during a time when an AIDS diagnosis carried profound stigma. Scott, who also produced the film, plays Charleson, alongside Olivia Colman, Billie Piper, Johnny Flynn, Joe Locke, Luke Thompson and David Dawson in the ensemble.
“When it comes to life, it’s quality that I want. It’s glory. It’s joy. “
Simon Stone directs from a screenplay by Stephen Beresford, who wrote Pride. Focus Features describes the film as the story of Charleson meeting his greatest challenge with honesty, wit and grace, and finding a way to move the people around him through his performance.
Elsinore premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival earlier this month. It opens in select theaters Nov. 20 before expanding over Thanksgiving and throughout December.
