âThe Empty Crownâ is a British series based on the historical plays of William Shakespeare. All works were transferred to the screen unchanged, and the main characters were played by the best actors in the UK.
Richard II
The series opens with a story about the English King Richard II. The ruler of the country appears before the audience as a weak but conceited person who is confident that power is given to him from God. He is not interested in running the state; instead, he prefers to think about life, religion, and his own power. The kingdom is ruled by his favorites, who want to cash in on a nearby ruler. As a result of the conflict, Richard expels his cousin Heinrich Bolingbroke from England. But the knight is not going to put up with the verdict, so he leads a rebellion whose purpose is to overthrow the cousin.
In the first part of the series âEmpty Crownâ, the actors perfectly conveyed the characters of their characters. The role of Richard II was played by British actor Ben Wishaw, who had previously starred in the movie Perfumer. The Story of a Killer â, as well as playing in James Bond films. His opponent, Heinrich Bolingbrook, is played by Rory Kinner, a British theater and television actor who also starred in James Bond. Great popularity brought him the role of the Frankenstein monster in the series "Horror on the cheap."
Henry IV
The following story tells of an elderly Bolingbroke, who has long ruled England under the name of Henry IV. The play consists of two parts, therefore, two series were shot. The king of England is old and sick, and his eldest son spends his free time in taverns, leading a rambling lifestyle. The father is trying to guide his son on the true path, to explain to him what kind of burden will fall on the head of the prince after the death of the king. But Prince Hal does not listen to him, continuing to anger his father. In addition, the kingdom is again on the brink of civil war. In Scotland, the heir of the murdered Richard II appeared, who led the rebellion of influential barons.
The series "Empty Crown", the actors of which are selected with historical accuracy, did not fail this time either. The role of an aging Henry IV was played by one of the most famous British actors, an Oscar winner - Jeremy Irons. The actor starred in a huge number of films, and is best known for the role of Humbert in the film adaptation of Nabokov's Lolita. He also played in such cult films as âKingdom of Heavenâ, âDie Hardâ, voiced the main character of the cartoon âThe Lion Kingâ.
Prince Hal, the future King Henry V, was played by Tom Hiddleston. The role of the god Loki in the film adaptation of the Marvel comics brought him popularity.
Henry V
After the death of his father, Prince Hal instantly transformed. From an idle youth, he grows into a real king, whom the whole kingdom respects. Henry V abandons his former friends, drunkards, giving all his strength to control the kingdom. In the TV series âEmpty Crownâ, the actors and roles are chosen so precisely that the viewer has no doubt that they are the true king of the state.
In addition, Henry claims the French throne. Taking advantage of the weakness of royal power in France, he declares war on the country. The king personally leads the army and at first wins the battle. But itâs difficult to wage war on foreign territory, the army runs out of supplies, and the French blocked all approaches to the English castles. Henry decides to break through the larger enemy army and wins. The Battle of Agencourt became one of England's most famous victories, glorifying King Henry for centuries.
In the final part of the first season of the series âThe Empty Crownâ, the actors play their former roles. Tom Hiddleston still plays the role of an adult and matured king. The king of France joined the cast , played by actor Lambert Wilson, who became famous for the role of Merovingen in the Matrix trilogy.
Henry VI
The second season opens with a play telling about the Scarlet and White Rose war in England. Henry VI rules the country from infancy. His father was the famous Henry V, but his son was not at all like him. He cannot make independent decisions, relying on the opinion of advisers. The unfinished military campaign in France crashes, nullifying all the victories of the previous king. The kingâs powerful and unfaithful wife, Margarita of Anjou, is even more indignant at knowing. All this leads to the fact that the cousin of King Edward York begins a war against the ruler.
In the second season of the series âEmpty Crown. Henry 6 "actors are chosen no worse than in the first part. The role of King Henry is performed by aspiring actor Tom Sterridge. The role of his opponent, Edward York, who became King Edward IV, is played by Jeffrey Stretfield.
Richard III
The reign of Edward IV was long and prosperous. However, his sudden death was the reason for a new round of civil war. Bypassing the sons of Edward, his younger brother Richard usurps the throne - a fair man, but grumpy and unpleasant. The sons of Edward disappear, the only son of Richard suddenly dies. The Queen died after him, and Henry Tudor, another contender for the throne of the state, returned to England from the continent.
The main role of King Richard was played by the popular British actor Benedict Cumberbatch. He gained fame by playing a modern version of Sherlock Holmes. He also received an Oscar nomination for his starring role in the movie The Game of Imitation. In the series âThe Empty Crownâ, the actors, whose photos can be found on the Web, look like their historical prototypes. Cumberbatch even had to wear a gypsum hump to fit his look.
In the series âThe Empty Crownâ, the actors brought to life the images of famous English kings. The result was a high-quality British series, which must be watched by all lovers of foreign history and literature. Scriptwriters and directors not only fully preserved Shakespeare's original texts, but also created scenery that allows the viewer to plunge into the medieval world.