Great Britain is one of the few countries in the world in which the monarchy has survived. However, the queens and kings in it have long been a rudiment, which is preserved mainly for the sake of beauty and as an occasion for the pride of every Briton. In this regard, one of the most popular topics for books and films is the history of the British monarchy. The mini-series "The White Queen" (released in 2013) was dedicated to her.
Let's find out what period of the history of the monarchy he talks about, as well as which artists played the main roles in it.
The series "The White Queen" (2013) and its literary basis
This project was first shown on the BBC One channel in August 2013. It consists of 10 episodes, each of which has a duration of 43 minutes.
The White Queen was filmed based on the contents of 3 books by Philippe Gregory from the Cousins War series.
2 versions of the project were shot right away: the more puritanical version for British hire and the version containing more frank sex scenes for broadcasting in the USA.
Plot
The story begins in 1464, when the war of the Scarlet and White Roses is in full swing. Due to constant skirmishes, Elizabeth Woodville lost her husband and was deprived of the lands legally due to her. Despite the fact that her relatives were supporters of the Lancaster, the woman, at the instigation of her mother, is looking for a secret meeting with King Edward of the York Dynasty. The young man is fascinated by the widow and ultimately makes her his wife.
They have children: two sons, Edward and Richard, as well as 7 daughters.
When, it would seem, peace and prosperity came in the country, Edward IV suddenly dies from an unknown disease. His younger brother, Richard Gloucester, decides to take power into his own hands.
The Queen has to go through a lot in order to survive, save her relatives, maintain power.
Actors of the series "The White Queen"
In this project, not only famous artists were involved, but also beginners.
So, the role of King Edward was played by the son of the famous artist Jeremy Irons - Max. The fame for this young actor brought roles in "Dorian Gray", "Little Red Riding Hood", "Guest" and the Canadian movie about the Holodomor on the territory of Ukrainian lands in 1932-1933. - "Harvest the devil."
Richard Gloucester was played by the young Welsh artist Aneyrin Barnard. In addition to the “White Queen”, he managed to appear in such projects as “The Scandalous Lady U”, “Legend”, “Dunkirk”.
Like Max Afrons, Aneyrin played in the "Harvest Devil", however, a small role. In addition, the artist starred in the British television series "War and Peace" in the role of Boris Drubetskoy.
Other young actors on the White Queen series are Ben Lamb, who played the role of Elizabeth Woodville's brother Anthony Rivers.
Of the more famous participants in the project is James Frein, a "veteran" of British historical cinema (Elizabeth, Count of Monte Cristo, and The Tudors). In this project, he got the role of Earl of Kings Earl Richard Warwick.
In addition to the above, such actors starred in the TV series "The White Queen" as David Oaks, Joey Betty, Tom McKay, Michael Marcus, Michael Maloney and others.
Also in this project was played by Rupert Graves, who became famous before thanks to the role of Lestrade in the television series "Sherlock". Many viewers noted that after the weak-willed inspector of Scotland Yard in The White Queen, he managed to create a surprisingly vivid and multifaceted image of a clever politician and intriguer.
R. Ferguson - starring in the project
The Swedish beauty Rebecca Ferguson starred in the role of Elizabeth Woodville in this project.
It is worth noting that it was her participation in the series that allowed her to attract the attention of directors and producers. So after the “White Queen” Rebecca’s career went uphill.
The proof of this is her participation in many promising projects. So, she played Ilsa Faust in the film "Mission Impossible: Tribe of Outcasts." For which she received an award at the Hamptons International Film Festival. This success will allow the actress to get a role in the next part of the franchise - "Mission Impossible 6", which will be released in 2018.
In addition, Rebecca Ferguson starred in such films as “Florence Foster Jenkins”, “Girl on the Train”, “Live”, “The Greatest Showman” and the thriller “Snowman” based on the novel by the famous Norwegian writer J. Nesbe.
Project Actresses
Having dealt with the actors of the series “The White Queen” and the leading woman, it is worthwhile to find out who played the other heroines. Indeed, it is precisely around their struggle for power and the future of their own children that the plot is concentrated.
The red queen Margaret Beaufort in the project was performed by Amanda Hale, and Anna Neville and her sister Isabella - Fay Marsay and Eleanor Tomlinson.
The daughter of the White Queen Elizabeth of York was played by Freya Mayor, and her grandmother - Janet Maktyr.
The role of King Edward's mistress was played by Emily Burrington.
It is worth noting that in 2017 the sequel to the “White Queen” - “The White Princess” was released.
Unfortunately, the creators of the tape decided to completely update the cast of the project. So, the Dowager Queen Elizabeth is now played by Essy Davis, and her rival, the Red Queen, Michelle Fairley. Freyu Mayor as the First Rose of the Tudors was also replaced by another actress - Jody Comer.