Enola Holmes 2 is almost set for release, and as part of the press tour, star Millie Bobby Brown has discussed how she approached returning to the role. Surprisingly, one of her inspirations was Phoebe Waller-Bridge's celebrated comedy, Fleabag.
Enola Holmes 2 features the return of the titular character, last seen in the original 2020 film. Based on The Enola Holmes Mysteries by Nancy Springer, the character is a much younger sister to Sherlock Holmes (portrayed here by Henry Cavill). Enola Holmes is a character who would much rather investigate crime than learn to waltz, as would be expected of a lady of her era. Her investigative abilities and desire to adventure are stronger than societal expectations, however, and Enola routinely sets out to solve mysteries on her own.
In an interview with Variety, Brown recalled channeling Fleabag for its fourth-wall breaks. Referring to Harry Bradbeer, who directed Enola Holmes and Enola Holmes 2, and who worked on Fleabag, Brown said, “Maybe Harry can agree with me on this but I think in every scene we tried doing, we tried breaking the fourth wall and then he edited the ones that landed the most.” She further went on to praise Bradbeer and Waller-Bridge, saying, “It’s just like the most perfect way to break the fourth wall with her wit, her humor, her timing. It’s so inspirational to me. I know that Harry has worked so closely with Phoebe in the past, so it’s been a blessing to have him guide me on such a great course of how to achieve it.”
With Bobby Brown back on the case in Enola Holmes 2, the story is taking a deeper feminist turn than the first film. As director Bradbeer says, “The Matchgirls’ Strike struck us as being a perfect feminist symbol — it was the first strike for women, by women. That reflected our idea that Enola, to advance, has to work with others and not just be reliant on herself. It’s a story that goes from ‘I’ to ‘we,’ and that is a story of sisterhood.” Bradbeer's comments refer to the Matchgirls' Strike of 1888, where teenage girls working in a match factory went on strike to protest their working conditions. The film is partially based upon this real life event.
The first Enola Holmes 2 photos have certainly promised that this will be a very difficult case for Enola. She will be on the run from enemies unknown, and even captured at some point, but it’s likely that she will solve the case and come out unscathed by her resourcefulness and cleverness.
The character of Enola Holmes has become another of Bobby Brown's well-known roles. Brown seems to be the perfect choice for the character, as she captures her boldness and intelligence to an uncanny degree. And Cavill's return is also a cause for celebration, and though he may be busy with Superman films for the foreseeable future, his turn as Sherlock is a fun change of pace.
Enola Holmes 2 is now playing on Netflix.
Source: Variety