The inaugural Vanity Fair Screening Room opened its doors at LACMA on Friday, November 13, 2026, showcasing El sinore, a film that intertwines levity with the heartbreaking story of Scottish actor Ian Charleson. The event gathered a mix of actors, writers and journalists, all eager to see how the production translates a historic stage triumph into a cinematic experience.
Vanity Fair Screening reveals the film’s tone
During the post-screening panel, lead actor Andrew Scott emphasized that humor is the film’s most distinctive element. “The most singular thing about our film I think is the humor in it,” he said, noting that the tragedy mirrors Hamlet itself but would feel incomplete without the jokes that defined Charleson’s personality. Scott added that Charleson was “wickedly funny, flirtatious, always looking towards the light, and possessed a certain degree of courage.”
Vanity Fair’s West Coast Editor John Ross warned the audience, “first you’re going to laugh, then you’re going to cry,” a sentiment echoed by Scott, who described Charleson as “insanely courageous” and highlighted the ensemble’s shared sense of humor. The panel, moderated by Rebecca Ford, also featured co-star Billie Piper and screenwriter Stephen Beresford.
Billie Piper, portraying Charleson’s close friend Patsy, spoke about her preparation. She consulted the script, spoke with relatives and friends of Charleson, and “cherry-picked” anecdotes that resonated with her own early-career memories. Piper noted that while the story is “very moving,” the comedic moments arise from “a place of despair,” adding depth to the character.
Ian Charleson’s 1989 Hamlet legacy
In 1989, a terminally ill Charleson took the title role of Hamlet at London’s National Theatre, delivering a performance that critics later called “the greatest Hamlet they’d ever seen.” The production began after Daniel Day-Lewis exited during Act 1 Scene 5, leaving the part vacant. Director Richard Eyre approached Charleson, who had previously played Hamlet in Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead and a 1974 touring version, but felt this would be his last chance.
Charleson, diagnosed HIV-positive in 1986, was battling advanced AIDS during rehearsals. Close friend and director Sean Mathias expressed concern, describing the role as “the biggest a male actor can play” and worrying that the physical demands might aggravate the illness. Nevertheless, Charleson chose to be honest with the company about his condition, prompting a wave of support from fellow actors, including Paul Jesson, who portrayed Horatio.
His first performance on October 9, 1989 was marked by visible swelling and a concealed health narrative: publicly described as recovery from a sinus operation. Over the next weeks, Charleson completed 24 performances, with the final show on Monday, November 13, 1989 ending in a standing ovation. Director Eyre later wrote that Charleson seemed as if he had rehearsed Hamlet his whole life. The following evening, Ian McKellen accepted an Evening Standard award for best actor and publicly praised Charleson as the more deserving recipient.
Charleson died on 6 January 1990 at age 40. His agent, Michael Whitehall, confirmed that the cause was AIDS, making it one of the first high-profile celebrity deaths in the UK openly linked to the disease and helping raise public awareness.
From stage to screen: how El sinore was crafted
Screenwriter Stephen Beresford, a friend of Scott for 25 years, explained that the idea to dramatize Charleson’s story arrived from a producer who asked, “What about writing about Ian Charleson, and what about Andrew playing Ian Charleson?” Beresford admitted he hadn’t considered the concept himself earlier, but once he researched the history, he found the details “incredible and moving.”
To capture the duality of humor and pathos, the filmmakers assembled an “extraordinary ensemble” whose “terrific sense of humor” could deliver the screenplay’s tonal shifts. Andrew Scott emphasized that none of the portrayals “wallowed” in tragedy; instead, they highlighted Charleson’s bravery.
During the panel, Scott recited a line from Shakespeare’s original text, penned 400 years ago, that resonated with the AIDS crisis: “I see the imminent death of 20,000 men who for a fantasy, a trick of fame, go to their graves like beds.” He linked the historical reference to the contemporary experience of watching “50 percent of my friends die for no reason and be neglected by governments.” Scott concluded that the “enduring nature of art” allows a 400-year-old play to speak to audiences in 1989 and again in 2026.
Future screenings and audience reach
After the Los Angeles debut, the Vanity Fair Screening Room will travel to New York, with showings scheduled at the Cherry Lane Theatre from December 4–6. The invitation-only events aim to draw guests from film, fashion, culture, politics, media and tech, mirroring the magazine’s eclectic audience.
For those interested in attending future screenings or learning more about the program, additional details are available through the Screening Room’s official schedule.
