Thea Sharrock understands that she can’t make everyone laugh in Ladies First, a new Netflix movie starring Sacha Baron Cohen and Rosamund Pike. Sharrock’s rationale makes perfect sense: Everyone’s humor is different. That’s why the timing and delivery of the jokes are of the utmost importance. If you’re off by even a minute, the comedy doesn’t work.
Thankfully for Sharrock, Cohen and Pike form an unlikely duo who thrive playing off one another in this satirical comedy. Damien Sachs (Cohen) is a misogynistic corporate executive who believes in three things: money, power, and “hook-up culture.” The idea of a woman in the boardroom, let alone running the company, had never crossed Damien’s mind.
One day, Damien accidentally runs into a pole and knocks himself out. When he wakes up, Damien’s worst nightmare is the new reality. In this “flipped world,” the gender roles are reversed, as women control Damien’s company, with Alex Fox (Pike) as their leader. Women are now the dominant force in society, while men are left to work as secretaries and take care of the kids. Even the branding has changed for iconic pop culture references — Victoria’s Secret is Victor’s Secret, Harry Potter is Harriet Potter, etc.
Ahead, Sharrock explains how most of her actors approached playing characters with two distinct personalities — one in reality and one in the flipped world. The Ladies First director also chooses her favorite brand change and explains why the pairing of Cohen and Pike works so well.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Ladies First features two distinct worlds
The actors have two different versions of their characters
HTG: I love the twist on the titles and the brands you put in the movie — Harriet Potter, The Lady of the Rings. Was wondering if you were in that flipped world, what’s the first brand you’re going to explore?
SHARROCK: Oh, good question. I mean, probably Victor’s Secret, let’s be honest. Harry Potter would be the first book that I would read for sure.
I’m going with Lady of the Rings. I got to see what the female Frodo is up to.
SHARROCK: Actually, Donna Quixote would be a good one, too. Whoever she is, I like her already.
You’re essentially directing two movies — one in reality and one in this flipped world. Each character is essentially giving two separate performances. I was wondering what your conversations were like with the actors on how to approach characters with two distinct personalities.
SHARROCK: Honestly, that was one of the most exciting parts of putting the movie together, and I think it was absolutely one of the reasons why we got such a great cast. With the exceptions of Richard E. Grant and Wilfred Tennant, who plays Charlie Fox, everybody else had such fun finding the differences within their one character played in two different worlds.
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But from every detail, from hair and makeup to costume, the way they walked, the way they sat, and the way they interpreted their status, whether it was going from high to low or low to high — those conversations were so fulfilling in terms of how we helped to create the world. We also did it together, so it was very much a community conversation because we needed to do it all so that everybody was doing it the same way, if that makes sense.
Everybody had to speak to each other. Whether it was the way they looked or the way, as I say, they behaved within the office world, again, we did it as a community.
Why Sacha Baron Cohen and Rosamund Pike work as a comedic duo
Sharrock can pinpoint the moment it all clicked
Credit: Rob Youngson/Netflix
You obviously have Sacha, who’s been making us laugh for decades, and Rosamund, who honestly was a revelation to me in how hilarious she was in her own right. Was there a moment on set where you knew they would work well as a comedic duo?
SHARROCK: Before we got on set, for sure. Our first meeting was, of course, on Zoom. She was in Prague, I think at the time. Sacha and I were both in London, but I was at the studio, and he was at home. I could tell from the minute she pinned him down on what was his favorite part in the script, what did he think the most important moment was between the two of them, and the way he responded to her questions that I knew this was going to be a winning couple.
Quiz
8 Questions · Test Your Knowledge
Blockbuster movies on Netflix
Trivia challenge
From indie romance to post-apocalyptic horror and rock ‘n’ roll history — how well do you know these Netflix hits?
DramaHorrorMusicDirectorsCasting
Begin
Which director is behind the quirky 2012 coming-of-age film Moonrise Kingdom?
ASofia CoppolaBSpike JonzeCWes AndersonDMichel Gondry
Correct! Wes Anderson directed Moonrise Kingdom, bringing his signature symmetrical framing and deadpan humor to a story of young love set in 1965 New England. The film was his seventh feature and earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay.
Not quite — Moonrise Kingdom was directed by Wes Anderson, the auteur known for his meticulously composed visual style. While Sofia Coppola, Spike Jonze, and Michel Gondry are all acclaimed indie filmmakers, this whimsical tale of runaway children belongs to Anderson’s distinctly quirky cinematic universe.
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Which veteran actor plays the eccentric Scout Master Ward in Moonrise Kingdom?
ABill MurrayBEdward NortonCBruce WillisDJeff Goldblum
Correct! Edward Norton plays the well-meaning but hapless Scout Master Ward, delivering a wonderfully earnest performance. Norton was part of an ensemble that also included Bruce Willis, Bill Murray, and Frances McDormand, making Moonrise Kingdom one of the most star-studded indie films of its era.
Not quite — Scout Master Ward was played by Edward Norton, who gave the role a wonderfully sincere, slightly bumbling quality. Bill Murray and Bruce Willis were also in the film but in different roles, and Jeff Goldblum, while a Wes Anderson regular, did not appear in this particular picture.
Continue
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is a sequel in a long-running horror franchise. What infected the population in the original 28 Days Later?
AA mutated strain of rabiesBA government-engineered plagueCA virus called RageDA parasitic fungus
Correct! The original 28 Days Later introduced the terrifying Rage virus, which was accidentally released when animal rights activists broke into a research lab and freed infected chimpanzees. Unlike traditional zombie lore, the infected in this franchise are alive and driven by uncontrollable aggression.
Not quite — the culprit in the original 28 Days Later was a virus called Rage, unleashed after activists freed infected chimpanzees from a laboratory. The franchise is notably distinct from zombie films because its victims are not undead; they are living humans overwhelmed by violent, uncontrollable rage.
Continue
Who directed 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, continuing the franchise Danny Boyle originally launched?
AAlex GarlandBJuan Carlos FresnadilloCNia DaCostaDGareth Edwards
Correct! Nia DaCosta, known for her acclaimed work on Candyman (2021), directed The Bone Temple. Her involvement brought fresh creative energy to the long-dormant franchise, with Danny Boyle returning to direct the first film in the trilogy and handing off the second chapter to DaCosta.
Not quite — The Bone Temple was directed by Nia DaCosta, who previously helmed the 2021 Candyman. Alex Garland wrote the screenplay for the original 28 Days Later, while Juan Carlos Fresnadillo directed the 2007 sequel 28 Weeks Later, making all the wrong options plausible names attached to this franchise’s history.
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In Moonrise Kingdom, what is the name of the young girl who runs away with Sam Shakusky?
AMargotBSuzy BishopCClementineDAgatha
Correct! Suzy Bishop, played by Kara Hayward in her feature film debut, runs away with fellow misfit Sam Shakusky across the fictional New England island of New Penzance. The name Margot is a nod to Wes Anderson’s earlier film The Royal Tenenbaums, making it a clever red herring.
Not quite — the young heroine is Suzy Bishop, brought to life by first-time actress Kara Hayward. Margot is actually the name of a character from Anderson’s earlier film The Royal Tenenbaums, while Clementine and Agatha appear in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and The Grand Budapest Hotel respectively.
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The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother, Hillel focuses on a founding member of the band. What instrument did Hillel Slovak play?
ABass guitarBDrumsCLead guitarDKeyboards
Correct! Hillel Slovak was the original lead guitarist of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and his soulful, eclectic playing style helped define the band’s early sound. His tragic death from a heroin overdose in 1988 profoundly impacted his bandmates, particularly Anthony Kiedis, and shaped much of the band’s later music.
Not quite — Hillel Slovak was the lead guitarist of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, not the bassist or drummer. Flea held down the bass, while Chad Smith would later take over on drums. Slovak’s distinctive guitar work was central to the band’s identity in their formative years before his untimely death in 1988.
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Which Red Hot Chili Peppers member is most prominently featured alongside Hillel Slovak in the documentary Our Brother, Hillel, given their lifelong friendship?
AFleaBChad SmithCJohn FruscianteDAnthony Kiedis
Correct! Anthony Kiedis and Hillel Slovak were childhood best friends long before forming the Red Hot Chili Peppers, making their bond central to the documentary’s emotional core. Kiedis wrote extensively about Slovak’s death in his memoir Scar Tissue, describing it as one of the most devastating moments of his life.
Not quite — Anthony Kiedis is the central figure in exploring Hillel Slovak’s legacy, as the two were childhood friends who grew up together in Los Angeles before co-founding the band. While Flea was also a close friend, it is the Kiedis-Slovak relationship that forms the emotional backbone of the documentary.
Continue
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is the second film in a planned trilogy. Who wrote the screenplay for the project, as they did for the original 28 Days Later?
ADanny BoyleBAlex GarlandCCillian MurphyDAndrew Macdonald
Correct! Alex Garland, who wrote the screenplay for the original 28 Days Later, returned to pen the scripts for the new trilogy. Garland has since become a celebrated director in his own right with films like Ex Machina and 28 Days Later spiritual successor Men, cementing his place as one of modern horror and sci-fi’s most important voices.
Not quite — Alex Garland is the screenwriter behind the 28 Days Later franchise, including the new trilogy. Danny Boyle directed the original film rather than writing it, Cillian Murphy was its star, and Andrew Macdonald served as producer. Garland’s return to this world was a major draw for fans of the original film.
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She’s [Rosamund] so talented. Every time I see her, even in the Now You See Me movie, I’m like, you’re the best part of this thing.
SHARROCK: She’s amazing. The hidden secret really is she’s absolutely hilarious. She has the best sense of humor. She’s like really quite naughty with her sense of humor, and I think she absolutely loved being in a comedy.
Rosamund Pike appeared in the third movie of the Now You See Me franchise, Now You See Me: Now You Don’t.
Comedy can be tough but rewarding
It’s all about trust
Credit: Rob Youngson/Netflix
Speaking of comedy, I saw a quote you gave about how it’s the hardest genre to work in, but it’s the most rewarding. Why is that?
SHARROCK: I think it’s just the hardest to get right. It’s not easy to make everybody laugh. It’s not easy to make lots of people laugh even. Everybody’s humor is different for that. It’s all about timing and delivery, and the minute you’re slightly off, it just doesn’t work. You often also have to go again and again and again to try and get it right. Some people have comedy bones and some people just simply don’t.
It’s also about trust, which is a really important part of finding comedy. The most important thing is, when you get it right, you make people feel good because to laugh is a fantastic feeling.
Do you ever approach it as a drama and then put jokes in? I’ve seen a lot of comedic people talk about how the best comedies always start as dramas and put in jokes along the way.
SHARROCK: I wouldn’t describe it exactly like that, but what I would say is that all of us — and Sacha was very big on this, the king of comedy that he is — ground [the jokes] in reality. And that was something that all three of us knew right from the get-go: That was how this film was going to work.
He [Sacha] particularly has to really feel everything that he’s going through as if it’s really happening, not in a slightly overblown comedic fashion, at which point it loses some of its value. He was a great guide for us on that.
Ladies First
Release Date
May 22, 2026
Runtime
90 minutes
Director
Thea Sharrock
What does it mean to be a film fanatic?
You either have it or you don’t
Credit: Getty Images for Netflix
SHARROCK: Are you a film fanatic?
That’s a loaded question. I’d like to think so.
SHARROCK: I don’t mean it as aggressively as my body language was saying. I just meant it as, do you really, really love film?
You know, I’d like to think I do, and then I’ll discover films I don’t know. I’m like, maybe I’m a little fraud right now. So I think each day, I try to become more of a fanatic.
SHARROCK: Yeah, that’s OK, but the fanatic is the feeling that you either have or you don’t.
I do.
SHARROCK: Then you have it. That’s great.
What about you?
SHARROCK: Yeah, for sure. And by the way, there are millions of movies that I have not seen, and that’s OK.
Credit: Rob Youngson/Netflix
I like to sit down, and my favorite thing is to find a new movie. I know you always like the classics and whatnot, but if I can really, like, once a week sit down and watch something new, that’s my favorite.
SHARROCK: But what about that moment when you rewatch something?
It’s special, but I like experiencing something for the first time because you only have it once.
SHARROCK: I hear you, but I feel like I need to share that on Friday night, and this was just an impulsive moment. I sat with my youngest son, and we watched — I say youngest; he’s 18 — Truly, Madly, Deeply.
Never seen it.
SHARROCK: OK, so he has never seen it. I realized I had not watched it since he was born. I haven’t seen it since Alan Rickman died. He was a very close family friend of ours. I knew literally every word. I knew every lyric to every song. I knew the score. I was kind of blown away by that feeling when a movie lives in you to that degree. It was an amazing rewatch.
Well, now I have a movie to add to my list and watch for the first time.
SHARROCK: There you go.
Ladies First begins streaming on May 22 on Netflix.
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