Alden Ehrenreich on Reviving Ripley

Alden Ehrenreich discusses making *A Talent for Murder*, a film in which he plays both a young editor and Tom Ripley, the fictional con artist created by Patricia Highsmith. The project’s collapse and eventual revival reflect the uncertainty of film production, while its unusual blend of a conversation with Highsmith and a reimagining of Ripley’s story gives Ehrenreich two roles within the same drama.

The film, adapted from a play, stars Helen Mirren as Highsmith and is due to open the SCAD Savannah Film Festival on 24 October. Ehrenreich says the production was delayed for more than a year by financing and scheduling problems, leaving him, Mirren and director Anton Corbijn just one day to recover their rehearsal notes and blocking. To shape his Ripley, he revisited Alain Delon’s performance in *Purple Noon* and avoided watching Andrew Scott’s portrayal.