Kenneth Branagh has this thing for Shakespeare. It’s not just a casual interest; it’s a career-long obsession that has seen him go from the mud-soaked fields of Henry V to the colorful, sun-drenched vibes of Much Ado About Nothing. But back in 2018, he did something a bit different. He decided to play the man himself. When you look at the All Is True cast, you aren't just looking at a list of actors. You’re looking at a very specific, very deliberate gathering of British acting royalty intended to ground a myth in the dirt of a 17th-century garden.
It’s a quiet movie. Most people missed it because it’s not a "blockbuster." It’s basically a domestic drama about a guy who retires after his theater burns down and has to realize his family actually kind of resents him.
The big names leading the All Is True cast
Kenneth Branagh plays William Shakespeare, but honestly, he’s almost unrecognizable under the prosthetic nose and the receding hairline. He’s leaning into that specific look from the Chandos portrait. You know the one. He looks tired. And he should be—the Globe Theatre just burned to the ground during a performance of Henry VIII (which was originally titled All Is True, hence the movie name).
Then you have Judi Dench. She plays Anne Hathaway, Shakespeare’s wife. Now, here’s where things get a bit "film-logic" heavy. In real life, Anne was about eight years older than Will. In the movie, Dench is about 26 years older than Branagh. It’s a gap. Does it matter? Not really, because Dench is a powerhouse. She plays Anne with this simmering, illiterate brilliance. She’s the one who stayed behind in Stratford-upon-Avon while her husband became the most famous writer in London. She isn't impressed by his sonnets. She’s impressed by the fact that he’s finally home to help with the chores.
And then there’s Ian McKellen. He shows up as the Earl of Southampton. This is arguably the best scene in the whole film. It’s just two legends sitting in a room, reciting Sonnet 29 to each other. McKellen is wearing a massive blonde wig and enough lace to cover a small village. It’s meta. It’s heavy. It’s exactly what Shakespeare nerds want.
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The family dynamic you didn't see in history class
The All Is True cast extends into the Shakespeare household, which is where the real conflict happens. Kathryn Wilder plays Judith, one of Will's twin daughters. She is fantastic. She represents the anger of a daughter who was left behind and who lives in the shadow of her dead twin brother, Hamnet.
Lydia Wilson plays Susanna, the "successful" daughter married to the local doctor, John Hall (played by Hadley Fraser). The movie dives deep into the scandals of the time. There was a real court case where Susanna was accused of adultery. The film uses the cast to show how the "greatest writer in history" was actually just a guy trying to manage a PR disaster in a small town where everyone knew his business.
Why the casting of the daughters matters
- Kathryn Wilder (Judith): She carries the emotional weight. Her performance highlights the literacy gap between men and women of the era.
- Lydia Wilson (Susanna): She plays the "perfect" daughter who is secretly suffocating under the pressure of her father's reputation.
- Hadley Fraser (John Hall): He’s the Puritan son-in-law who represents the changing tide of England—moving away from the theater and toward a more rigid, religious society.
Ben Elton’s influence on the script
It’s worth noting that the script was written by Ben Elton. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because he co-wrote Blackadder. He knows how to write "historical funny," but here he goes for "historical sad." The dialogue isn't iambic pentameter. It’s prose. It feels like real people talking.
When you see the All Is True cast interacting, they aren't quoting the plays constantly. They’re arguing about land deeds and apple trees. It’s a choice that makes the movie feel more like a biopic and less like a filmed play. Branagh and Elton have worked together before, most notably on the sitcom Upstart Crow, which is a much sillier version of this same story. If you’ve seen that, seeing them do a serious take on Shakespeare’s retirement is a wild trip.
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The technical side of the performances
The movie was shot almost entirely with natural light or candlelight. Zak Pashak, the cinematographer, clearly took some cues from Barry Lyndon. This puts a lot of pressure on the actors. When you’re sitting in a dark room with only a single candle, your face has to do all the work.
Branagh’s performance is restrained. He’s usually quite "big" as an actor—think Gilderoy Lockhart in Harry Potter. Here, he’s muted. He spends a lot of time gardening. He’s trying to grow a legacy in the dirt because he couldn't keep his son alive. The death of Hamnet hangs over the entire All Is True cast like a fog.
Realism vs. artistic license in the roles
Honestly, the film takes some liberties. We don't actually know if Shakespeare was a "bad dad." We have his will—the one where he famously left his wife the "second-best bed." People have debated for centuries if that was a snub or a romantic gesture (the best bed was usually for guests, the second-best was the marriage bed). The movie chooses to view it through a lens of complex, long-term grief.
The supporting players who fill the world
Beyond the central family, the movie uses its supporting cast to build out the world of Stratford. You see the townspeople, the local gossips, and the people who actually lived there while Will was off being famous in London.
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- Hadley Fraser as John Hall: He brings a stiff, moralistic energy that clashes perfectly with Will's more "bohemian" theater background.
- Jack Colgrave Hirst as Tom Quiney: He plays the man Judith eventually marries, and he brings the drama. The real Tom Quiney was involved in a massive scandal involving another woman getting pregnant, and the film doesn't shy away from how that wrecked the family's standing.
- Eleanor de Rohan and Sean Foley: They fill out the edges of the town, making Stratford feel like a living, breathing place rather than a museum set.
What most people get wrong about the film
Many people go into this expecting a Shakespeare play. It isn't that. If you’re looking for Hamlet, you’re in the wrong place. This is a movie about a man who is a "has-been" trying to figure out if his life actually meant anything outside of the theater.
The All Is True cast reflects this by being grounded. Even Ian McKellen, who plays a literal Earl, feels like a real person with old regrets. The chemistry between him and Branagh is palpable because they’ve known each other for decades. They aren't just acting; they’re sharing a screen as two titans of the British stage reflecting on their own legacies.
The legacy of the All Is True cast
Since its release, the film has found a second life on streaming. It’s become a bit of a comfort watch for people who love history but hate the "glossy" version of it. It’s muddy. People have bad teeth. It’s cold.
The performances have aged well because they aren't flashy. Dench, in particular, proves why she is still the gold standard. She says more with a look than most actors do with a five-minute monologue. It’s a masterclass in subtlety.
Actionable insights for your next watch
If you’re planning to dive into this movie or research the All Is True cast further, here are a few things to keep in mind to get the most out of the experience:
- Watch Upstart Crow first: If you want to see the comedic version of this cast’s dynamic, Ben Elton’s sitcom provides a hilarious contrast.
- Look up the Sonnets: Specifically Sonnet 29 and Sonnet 147. These are central to the scene between McKellen and Branagh and carry much more weight if you know the context.
- Research the "Second Best Bed": Before watching, read the different theories on Shakespeare's will. It will help you decide if you agree with the movie’s interpretation of Will and Anne’s marriage.
- Check out the filming location: Much of the film was shot at Dorney Court in Buckinghamshire. It’s one of the best-preserved Tudor manor houses in England and really adds to the authenticity of the performances.
This isn't a film about the glory of writing. It’s a film about the cost of it. The cast nails that specific, heavy feeling of a life nearly finished, filled with both immense pride and deep, unshakable regret. For any fan of the actors involved, it’s a rare chance to see them work at a much slower, more intimate pace than their usual blockbuster fare.