Rhys Ifans on the ‘Frightening’ Task of Portraying Parkinson’s in ‘Onwards and Sideways’ and Learning to Wear ‘Costume’ of Disease: ‘I Really Did My Homework’

Nov 5, 2026 7:00am PT Rhys Ifans on the ‘Frightening’ Task of Portraying Parkinson’s in ‘Onwards and Sideways’ and Learning to Wear ‘Costume’ of Disease: ‘I Really Did My Homework’

By Alex Ritman

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Alex Ritman

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Less than a year after “I Swear” helped explain the complexities of Tourette’s Syndrome on the big screen, “Onwards and Sideways” is looking to do the same for Parkinson’s Disease.

From director John Madden (“Shakespeare in Love”) and written by Paul Mayhew-Archer (who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2011), the film — released in U.K. cinemas on Friday — stars Welsh screen legend Rhys Ifans as Tony, a much-loved and deeply caring primary school teacher who is calmly told by a doctor he has “five good years” left before Parkinson’s takes over his life. At almost the same time and at the same clinic, musician Emma (Laura Linney) is given the same diagnoses, and the story follows the journey of the pair as they try to manage and come to terms with a disease that, as they’re both painfully aware, is only going to get worse.

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