Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche Had a 'Joyful' Reunion on New Film 28 Years AfterThe English Patient

Mar. 15, 2025

Juliette Binoche and Ralph Fiennes on Oct. 22, 2016.Photo:Stefania D’Alessandro/Getty

Stefania D’Alessandro/Getty

Ralph FiennesandJuliette Binocheare making a grand return.

Almost 30 years after the release of their filmThe English Patient, 1997’s Best Picture Oscar winner, the costars' new movieThe Returnhad its world premiere at the 2024Toronto International Film Festivalon Saturday, Sept. 7.

“When Odysseus finally enters the fray, Penelope puts forth an iconic and instantly recognizable test for her weakened king to prove himself true among a viper’s nest of men lusting for power,” reads a synopsis from TIFF.

Fiennes and Binoche spoke toThe Hollywood Reporterabout their reunion and third big-screen collaboration ahead of TIFF, with the French actress saying, “We remained friends, throughout all those years, sinceThe English Patient.”

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Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche in “The Return”.Courtesy of TIFF

Courtesy of TIFF

She went on to say that “it was just joyful to be able to reconnect onscreen” with Fiennes again, before comparing their roles to those they played in their previous collaboration.

“Ralph is not lying down this time, but I think Penelope is a kind of nurse, for being so patient of this ‘new patient’ who comes back to Ithaca,” explained Binoche, who also won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role inThe English Patient.

“Juliette is like a compass for me: She has such an extraordinary, intuitive depth and understanding about what it is to act on film,” explained theHarry Potteralum.

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Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche in “The English Patient” (1996).Alamy

Alamy

The English Patient, a romantic drama set during WWII, was up for 12 Academy Awards in 1997 and won nine. Fiennes andKristin Scott Thomaswere nominated for their leading performances.

Aside from Best Picture and Best Supporting Actress, the movie also nabbed a win in the category of Best Director for the lateAnthony Minghella, plus Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Original Score and Best Sound.

Before his breakout film roles inThe English PatientandSchindler’s List(1993), Fiennes costarred with Binoche in the book-to-screen adaptationEmily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights. In his feature-film debut, Fiennes played Heathcliff to Binoche’s Catherine.

source: people.com