WATCH: Ben Mendelsohn plays paedophile in new thriller

Alicia Vrajlal
Updated

He's the star of Netflix series Bloodline and appears in the Rogue One: A Star Wars Story film, but Ben Mendelsohn's latest project shows a deeper side to the actor as he delves into a darker character.

The 48-year-old Australian actor plays a paedophile in Una, starring in the local flick opposite Rooney Mara, 32.

As one would guess, Rooney plays Una, a young woman who was the target of sexual advances in her childhood years, by Ben's character, Ray.

Ben Mendelsohn plays a paedophile in his latest film Una. Source: Madman Films
Ben Mendelsohn plays a paedophile in his latest film Una. Source: Madman Films

Their characters come face-to-face years after the abuse, and even a sneak peek at the trailer is enough to set your spine tingling.

Ben recently returned to home soil for the film's premiere at the Sydney Film Festival, and it was the serious subject matter that drew him to the film, based on the play titled Blackbird.

Rooney Mara stars in the flick, playing a young woman who was the target of sexual advances in her childhood years, by Ben's character, Ray. Source: Madman Films
Rooney Mara stars in the flick, playing a young woman who was the target of sexual advances in her childhood years, by Ben's character, Ray. Source: Madman Films
Their characters come face-to-face years after the abuse, and even a sneak peek at the trailer is enough to set your spine tingling. Source: Madman Films
Their characters come face-to-face years after the abuse, and even a sneak peek at the trailer is enough to set your spine tingling. Source: Madman Films

"You don't have to look terribly far in my body of work to realise that playing loveable guys is not the first order of choice," he told AAP.

RELATED: Netflix's JonBenet doco cites paedophile involvement

"I can remember reading that [the script], and it's a pretty intense psychological thriller first and foremost. The subject matter is really intense and it's one of the reasons that it kind of can leave you so breathless."

Watch the trailer above.

Ben recently returned to home soil for the film's premiere at the Sydney Film Festival, and it was the serious subject matter that drew him to the film, based on the play titled Blackbird. Source: Madman Films
Ben recently returned to home soil for the film's premiere at the Sydney Film Festival, and it was the serious subject matter that drew him to the film, based on the play titled Blackbird. Source: Madman Films

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