Julia Roberts, Andrew Garfield and Ayo Edebiri discuss Luca Guadagnino’s 'After the Hunt'

Julia Roberts, Andrew Garfield and Ayo Edebiri reflect on Luca Guadagnino’s 'After the Hunt' after Venice premiere.

Julia Roberts, Andrew Garfield and Ayo Edebiri have spoken about their experiences working on Luca Guadagnino’s new film After the Hunt, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival on August 29 and will be released in UK cinemas on October 10 by Amazon MGM.

In the film, Roberts plays Yale philosophy professor Alma Olsson, who becomes entangled in a scandal when her student Maggie, played by Edebiri, accuses fellow professor Hank, portrayed by Garfield, of sexual assault. The storyline explores shifting loyalties and personal consequences for the characters as the case unfolds.

Roberts compared her collaboration with Guadagnino to her past work with the late director Mike Nichols, noting: “I think all the things that drive Luca are things that Mike really would appreciate. It would just be really meaningful.” She described Alma as a challenging character, distant and unsympathetic, contrasting with her past roles such as in Mona Lisa Smile.

Edebiri described working with Guadagnino as “really freeing,” saying the director encouraged her to explore her instincts fully. Garfield reflected on portraying Hank with intentional ambiguity, explaining: “He was hiding from himself, and he was obfuscating his own motivations. He finds pleasure in rocking everyone’s boat.”

The film has already sparked debate. At its Venice press conference, a journalist suggested it could be interpreted as “anti-feminist,” to which Roberts responded directly, while Guadagnino called the label “a lazy question.” Edebiri added that the cast approached their characters with intelligence and agency.

The cast, which also includes Michael Stuhlbarg and Chloë Sevigny, filmed largely in London, with recreated sets standing in for Yale locations. Guadagnino confirmed the shoot lasted 28 days, emphasising his preference for one or two takes per scene.

After the Hunt will also screen at the New York Film Festival before its theatrical release.