King Lear world of Asian manufacturing and music in England. The 2006 Chinese film "Curse of the Golden Flower" is loosely based on King Lear, but, the plot is set in Tang Dynasty China instead of Medieval Europe. Carl Bessai wrote and directed a modern adaptation of "King Lear" titled "The Lears". Released in 2017, the film starred Bruce Dern, Anthony Michael Hall and Sean Astin. On 28 May 2018, BBC Two broadcast "King Lear" starring Anthony Hopkins in the title role and Emma Thompson as Goneril. Directed by Richard Eyre, the play featured a 21st-century setting. Hopkins, at the age of
King Lear roles in the play; most commonly the Fool, who has been played (among others) by Judy Davis, Emma Thompson and Robyn Nevin. Lear himself has been played by Marianne Hoppe in 1990, by Janet Wright in 1995, by Kathryn Hunter in 1996–97, and by Glenda Jackson in 2016. Shakespeare wrote the role of Lear for his company's chief tragedian, Richard Burbage, for whom Shakespeare was writing incrementally older characters as their careers progressed. It has been speculated either that the role of the Fool was written for the company's clown Robert Armin, or that it was written for performance by