How Producer Pippa Harris Overcame the Challenges of Making “Hamnet” — And How She Launched Her Film Career

Hamnet is an historical drama adapted from Maggie O’Farrell’s bestselling novel, exploring the tender and tragic story behind the death of William Shakespeare’s only son and the ways grief reshaped a family. The film centers on his wife Agnes — portrayed by Academy Award–winner Jessie Buckley, while Paul Mescal delivers a restrained, affecting turn as her husband William. Film producer Pippa Harris explains the major obstacles in getting the film made as well as a foray into her early days with Sam Mendes.

Harris recalls Paul Mescal approaching her when she was at the Telluride Film Festival wanting to play the role after discovering she had the rights to Hamnet. She describes him as very “savvy.”

The Challenge of Recreating the Globe Theatre

When asked about the biggest challenge she faced during the production of Hamnet, Harris immediately recalled the difficulties surrounding the recreation of the historic Globe Theatre.

As a Brit, Harris initially thought it would be simple to film at the existing Globe Theatre in London. “We just go to the Globe, which exists, and we can film it there.” Along with Liza Marshall, the lead producer, and screenwriter Chloé Zhao, Harris went to check out the location. However, it became clear that the current Globe is a modern recreation and doesn’t capture the same atmosphere as in Shakespeare’s time. It was rebuilt. Chloê immediately just said, ‘This is not right. This has got the wrong atmosphere.’”

Beyond the atmosphere, there were practical obstacles as well. Harris and Marshall had conversations with the team at the Globe about filming, trying to figure out the cost to rent the space for as long as needed. It was astronomical so they built their own version of  it.

Filming at Elstree Studios: More Hurdles

The next challenge was where to build the set. The production was based at Elstree Studios, “which is not the state-of-the-art studio. The back lot is like a piece of rubble. Not ideal.”

Despite these limitations, the team moved forward and constructed their version of the Globe on the Elstree back lot. But the challenges didn’t stop there. After building the set, they discovered that the popular television show Strictly Come Dancing would be filming at the same time, just next door. “If you’ve heard that show, it’s quite a noisy show. So every now and again, you’d get strains of pop music wafting over the Globe, and we all have to stop for a bit,” Pippa recalls.

These interruptions required patience and flexibility from everyone involved. The team had to pause their work whenever the noise became too much, and then quickly resume filming when things quietened down.

Pippa Harris. Photo by Jordan Strauss

How Pippa Harris Got Started in Filmmaking

Pippa Harris’s journey into the film business began in her early years in Oxfordshire. She recalled, “When I was a kid, I remember going into a smelly dark disco floor, and there were two boys on the dance floor, little hats, dancing to The Specials. I was 13, I think, and it was Sam Mendes and a brilliant actor called Toby Jones.”

A friendship formed, and the three became a close-knit group, talking about film and theater. They watched pivotal films like Taxi Driver and The Shining which drove their passion for bold storytelling.

“Sam wanted to be an actor. Sam and I stayed friends through school, went to university together, and started doing plays. We did a lot of theater together, me producing, which maybe meant painting the sets and doing costumes and doing everything that Sam did and what we were doing.”

They formed a company together for the last 25 years, mainly doing his films, but also producing other people’s, Susanne Bier, Chloé Zhao, and other directors. Harris credits Mendes as her “gateway drug” into film.

Building a Supportive Producing Team

In the making of Hamnet, Harris worked closely with lead producer Liza Marshall, who originally secured the rights to the novel. She generously offered, “We can have Mendes and Spielberg come with us on the journey.’” It was a matter of them looking after the less experienced producers like Nicolas Gonda.

by Staff Writer

From our in-house editorial team.