Mary Elizabeth Winstead was in Toronto on Monday, March 25, for the Canadian premiere of her new Paramount+ series A Gentleman in Moscow.
The new limited series, in which Winstead co-stars with her real-life husband, Ewan McGregor, is an adaptation of Amor Towles best-selling novel of the same name. A Gentleman in Moscow follows Count Alexander Rostov (McGregor), who, in the aftermath of the Russian Revolution, finds himself spared from death and place on house arrest in the attic of a lavish hotel.
Acknowledging that what the show may be asking of the audience is a bit tricky, to sympathize with a Count, who is in the top 1%, Winstead believes that the audience will be able to root for Rostov, who after losing everything, can triumph in the sense of finding purpose in his life through connecting with others.
“It’ about the connection of people in the smallest of ways where you really go into the microcosm on what these people go through in their day-to-day lives,” shares the actress during a Q&A with The Globe and Mail’s Johanna Schneller following the screening of the first two episodes at Toronto’s Paradise Theatre.
“I do think that people are searching for connection right now,” continues Winstead. “There is a feeling of isolation for a lot of people, and I think that the show does speak to that. We’re in a world where we’ve come out of a pandemic, and we’re watching a man who is isolated in his own way, who has to learn to find connection again with humanity and closeness. I hope that people come away feeling hopeful and that it makes them feel a certain warmth towards their loved ones, neighbours, and people who are within their direct orbit.
While A Gentleman in Moscow, “is sort of dark story in a lot of ways, it’s really hopeful,” she adds. “I hope that’s what people come away with.”
A Gentleman in Moscow begins streaming this Friday, March 29 on Paramount+. For more info about the series, cast, and photos, click here.
