Lucas Hedges on doing love scenes in ‘Brokeback Mountain’ play & why he’s trying to “forget” Heath Ledger

I saw it when I was young and thought it was great. Certain moments stuck in my mind but I’m trying to forget those now that I’m doing this play! I’m just seeing it as playing Ennis Del Mar from the book. I can’t compare it to Heath Ledger’s performance. He was just the best actor.

The energy between these two characters is unfathomable to them and we explore that. It’s like anything new. I remember my first kiss was confusing because the sensations were new. I was like: “Woah, so this is what it feels like.” That’s how it is for Ennis and Jack. On some level it takes care of itself when we just commit to it. Obviously we’re not going to do anything the other one’s uncomfortable with, but as it’s been happening it surprises us too.

There’s a choreography to the piece that we have to know or the story won’t get told. This isn’t about me and Mike [Faist] up there. It has nothing to do with us. It’s about Ennis and Jack.

Lucas Hedges speaking to The Guardian about playing Ennis Del Mar in the London stage production of Brokeback Mountain alongside Mike Faist as Jack Twist, and making it unique from the 2005 film.