HEDDA on Prime Video is a reimagining of Henrik Ibsen’s stage play. Now full of LGBTQ key characters portrayed by a wonderfully diverse cast. Not least, Tessa Thompson as the title character. A bold and powerful character study. Read our full Hedda movie review here!
HEDDA is a new Prime Video movie with a lot of female power. Both in front of and behind the camera. Yes, despite being based on a play originally written by a man. Of course, even that stage play featured fascinating female characters. In this movie adaptation, aptly called a “reimagining”, Tessa Thompson is Hedda. She is a force in this role.
Be sure to check this out on Prime Video and enjoy both the character-driven story, the selfish actions of various characters, and the gorgeous setting. Including a very diverse character gallery and ditto cast.
Continue reading our Hedda movie review below. Find it on Prime Video from October 29, 2025.
A bold and powerful character study
When watching Hedda, it’s difficult to truly root for anyone. You may think you’re rooting for someone, but then they turn around and do something despicable to make you question whether they should come out the winner. Of course, it won’t be long before the one scorned will then hurt someone else.
Lesson: Trust no one and watch everyone before passing judgment.
With Hedda, everything plays out during one long evening and night, right into the next morning. A party will escalate in expected and unexpected ways, but pulling the strings, you’ll usually find Hedda Gabler (Tessa Thompson). Or, I should say, Hedda Tesman, as she recently married George Tesman (Tom Bateman).
Of course, her marriage to George is more of a coincidence on her part. A marriage of convenience – or chance, even. She isn’t exactly head over heels in love with him. Mostly because she’s still caught up in her history with Eileen Lovborg (Nina Hoss).
Unfortunately, while Hedda and George were away on their six-month-long honeymoon, Eileen Lovborg had moved on with someone new. Her name is Thea Clifton (Imogen Poots), and she has done what Hedda never would or could: Left her husband and abandoned a safety net for Eileen.
Also, yes, you did read that right: Their honeymoon lasted for 6 months, which should tell you that these are upper-class people. Not necessarily wealthy, but perceived as such.
Tessa is a marvelous Hedda
I found Tessa Thompson (Passing, Thor: Ragnarok, Annihilation) to be absolutely marvelous in this reimagining of Hedda Gabler. She is the one person at this party who keeps her head cool. As such, she is able to control most other people attending. Or, maybe not control, but certainly nudge or even push in the direction she wants.
As the two men currently fighting for her attention, we have Tom Bateman (Based on a True Story) portraying her husband, and Nicholas Pinnock (Long Bright River) as Judge Roland Brack, who wants to have her. However, Hedda will let no man control her.
A woman might be able to. Particularly the woman portrayed by Nina Hoss, whom you might recognize as Cate Blanchett‘s wife in Tár (2022). In Hedda, she plays Eileen Lovborg (a gender-swap of Eilert Lövborg in Ibsen’s play), who has moved on with Thea, portrayed by Imogen Poots (Outer Range). It is a wonderful cast all around.
Watch Hedda on Prime Video now!
Nia DaCosta (Candyman, The Marvels) is the writer and director of Hedda, which is very much based on Henrik Ibsen’s stage play “Hedda Gabler”. If you’re familiar with the play, then you should recognize plenty of the elements in this adaptation as well.
Fortunately, Nia DaCosta has changed more than just genders and ethnicity. Or should I say, she changed a certain element about the ending of this movie to avoid a particularly nasty trope.
You know, the “bury your gays” or “dead lesbian syndrome” kind of trope that resulted in an uproar when suddenly all lesbians in TV series were killed off in the great lesbian character culling of 2016. This is also why we here at Womentainment have made a list of lesbian movies with “happy endings“. It has far from been the norm.
I recognize this is a bit of a spoiler, but I’m not saying no one will die. Nor am I saying anyone will go unscathed. What I am saying is simply that with Nia DaCosta, I was very pleasantly surprised that killing off queer characters wasn’t a default.
Womentainment recommendation: Hedda is absolutely worth checking out!
This reimagining of a classic play is a wonderful character study… and in this version, it’s also deliciously queer! Two reasons to check it out on Prime Video, but far from the only reasons.
I should mention that, along with the LGBTQ element, there is also a focus on the limitations that come with someone being female or not white. And then there’s the added layer of social status, which tends to be something you’re born with. Or without, as it’s often the case.
Hedda is out on Prime Video globally from October 29, 2025.
Director: Nia DaCosta
Writer: Nia DaCosta (based on Henrik Ibsen’s play)
Cast: Tessa Thompson, Nina Hoss, Imogen Poots, Nicholas Pinnock, Tom Bateman, Kathryn Hunter
Official plot:
Henrik Ibsen’s renowned stage drama from 1891 is reimagined in an epic and emotional way.
