An anticipated American period drama television program, The Serpent Queen, will center on Catherine de’ Medici’s life.
The eight episodes of the historical drama will be released. Jewish American director Stacie Passon, who wrote and directed the 2018 mystery We Have Always Lived in the Castle and most recently oversaw four episodes of Dickinson in 2019, is in charge of the pilot episode and a few more.
This is a summary of everything we know about the upcoming series, including the well-known cast and the historical incidents that served as inspiration.
Serpent Queen
Where Was The Serpent Queen Filmed?
The Serpent Queen” was filmed in Amboise, Marseille, Chambord, Villandry, Chenonceaux, and Castel Gandolfo in France and Italy. Principal photography for the first season of the historical series reportedly began in April 2021 and wrapped up in September of the same year.
In a September 2022 interview with Cinemablend, showrunner Erwin Stoff said that even though Season 1 was shot during the Covid-19 pandemic, the studio benefited from it.
Even the filming of the lens required a stop at Castel Gandolfo, a town in the Lazio area of Italy. On the grounds of the Papal Palace Castel Gandolfo in Piazza della Libertà, they frequently shot Italian scenes. Liv Hill, who played Catherine, talked about what it was like to film in the actual locations where her character had resided for the majority of the shootings.
The “The Serpent Queen” crew reportedly camped out in Marseille, France’s second-largest city, to shoot several scenes for the show. The French city of Marseille, which is surrounded by the Rhône River and the Gulf of Lion, stands out from the rest of France due to its unique culture. There are many historical and maritime museums there, and it is considered as a regional center for culture and recreation.
More About The Other Places In France
The central French city of Amboise, famous for housing the fabled Leonardo da Vinci at the Clos Lucé estate in the Indre-et-Loire department, is the setting for several significant passages in “The Serpent Queen.” Additionally, a well-known fountain created by Max Ernst in the 20th century is located right in front of the marketplace and attracts lots of tourists.
The cast and crew of “The Serpent Queen” portray the massive fortresses typical of the 16th century by using real historical castles in various locations throughout France.
In and around the communes of Chenonceaux and Chambord, which are the locations of the Château de Chenonceau and Château de Chambord, respectively, a number of key scenes were shot on site. The Serpent Queen series also uses the Château de Villandry, located at 3 Rue Principale in Villandry, as an essential production location.
True Story Behind The Serpent Queen
In The Serpent Queen, a distinct type of revisionist history is presented. Based on Frieda’s nonfiction biography of the monarch, the television series that will bring history to life will portray the fabled life and rule of Catherine de’ Medici. It is also clear that the program will deviate from the norm in order to explore unusual aesthetic viewpoints.
According to Wikipedia, Catherine wed Henry, the second child of the French king Francis I and Queen Claude, in 1533 when she was fourteen. Pope Clement VII, Catherine’s uncle, arranged for their union.
Henry preferred his major mistress, Diane de Poitiers, who had tremendous influence over him, and did not allow Catherine to participate in matters pertaining to administration.
As the mother of the frail 15-year-old King Francis II, Catherine was pushed into the political forefront after Henry’s demise in 1559. After Francis II’s death in 1560, she was given a wide range of authority and took on the role of regent on behalf of her 10-year-old son, King Charles IX.
Catherine was crucial to the reign of Henry III, her third son, after Charles passed away in 1574. Only in her latter months he stopped adhering to her advise, and he lived seven months longer than she did.
Rise To Power
Catherine’s three sons ruled at a period of almost constant political and religious strife in France. The monarchy dealt with challenging problems. However, Catherine maintained at least a basic level of organization in the governmental institutions, including the monarchy.
Catherine initially reached out to the rebellious Calvinist Protestants, or Huguenots as they were later known, and made concessions and compromises with them. However, she was not entirely aware of the theological issues driving their movement. Later, driven by fury and frustration, she started enforcing stringent rules against them.
In return, she was made to answer for the persecutions carried out under her sons’ direction, particularly the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre of 1572, which saw the deaths of numerous Huguenots in Paris and the rest of France.
Even though some historians have absolved Catherine of blame for the harshest royal decisions, her letters serve as additional evidence of how harsh she was. In actuality, the legacy of the civil wars had always imposed constraints on her authority. It is unlikely that her sons would have retained power without Catherine.
Meet The Cast Of The Serpent Queen
Samanta Morton As Catherine De’Medici
Catherine de’Medici is portrayed by English actress Samantha Morton, a BAFTA and Golden Globe winner. Morton had established himself as a major player in the independent film industry by the early 2000s.
She appeared in the movies In America (2003), for which she received a second Academy Award nomination for Best Actress, and Morvern Callar (2002), for which she won the BIFA Award for Best Actress.
Morton began her career in British television in 1991 as a member of the Central Junior Television Workshop in her hometown of Nottingham.
She had guest appearances in two Cracker episodes, four Soldier Soldier episodes, and one Peak Practice episode in 1994. She appeared in twelve episodes of the ITV series Band of Gold and had a more substantial role in it (1995–1996).
Liv Hill as Young Catherine
Having two actors play the exact part is pretty challenging. The main thing to emphasize when retelling Catherine’s story is how young she was when she was yanked from her life, thrown in this court, and forced to consummate her marriage in front of a sizable crowd of strangers.
To understand what she accomplished to survive, you must first understand how small she was when she was initially given this assignment. Apparently, after attending an audition, Liv was the one who stuck out as the greatest.
She is well-known for her roles as Sarah in the 2017 BBC drama Three Girls and the 2017 British film Jellyfish.
Amrita Acharia As Aabis
Actress Amrita Acharia, a Norwegian, English, and Ukrainian, is Aabis. Aabis was picked to travel to France with Catherine de Medici when she married Henri and was part of her company.
Aabis possessed a beauty that frequently stirred the desire of powerful men, making her everything Catherine was not. Once in the French court, Aabis made Catherine jealous. Initially, she was grateful that Catherine had saved her from the predatory Pope Clement.
Acharia started his acting career in 2010 with bit roles in television programs and short films. She played Irri, the Dothraki servant of Emilia Clarke’s Daenerys Targaryen, in the 2011 season of Game of Thrones.
Lee Ingleby As Prince Henry
Prince Henry is played by Lee Ingleby. Henri seemed to be the ideal prince that every young woman dreamed of. Henri was troubled from a young age by the knowledge that his father had taken him and his brother, the Dauphin Francois, hostage in Spain and used them as political pawns.
Lee is well known for his appearances as Detective Sergeant and Detective Inspector John Bacchus in the BBC series Inspector George Gently. He also performed the role of Stan Shunpike in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. In the BBC drama The A Word, he played Paul Hughes, the father of Joe, an autistic youngster.
Enzo Cilenti as Ruggieri
Enzo Cilenti plays Cosimo Ruggeri, an Italian occultist and astrologer who counsels Catherine de’Medici. In 1998, Cilenti made his debut as Antonio Bellini in the television series Trial & Retribution.
He portrayed Carlo Franceschini, a supporting role, in the BBC spy drama MI-5, and Lenny, a supporting role, in the 2001 comedy Late Night Shopping.
Cilenti has also appeared in various movies and television programs, including The Theory of Everything, Supercollider, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Prisoners’ Wives.
Charles Dance as Pope Clement
Pope Clement VII, a two-time SAGA champion, is Catherine’s uncle and the one who plans her wedding, as portrayed by English actor Charles Dance.
He was chosen to lead the Catholic Church not because of any strong religious beliefs but rather because the Medicis realized that in order to reign successfully, they would need to choose a member of their own family to that post.
In his function as Catherine’s guardian, he set up her marriage to the French prince. He paid little regard to his deceitful promises, such as the offer of a hefty dowry, leaving Catherine to endure the repercussions of his conduct.
Dance has built a remarkable career since making his screen debut in 1974. One of his first significant roles came in the drama The Jewel in the Crown in 1984, where he played Guy Perron. He played Dr. Jonathan Clemens, a pivotal role in the 1992 movie Alien 3.
George Jaques As Francis II & Kiruna Stamell as Mathilde
Francis II, the firstborn of Catherine de’Medici and monarch from 1559 till 1560, is George Jaques. Jaques recently made an appearance as a German soldier in the Agatha Christie suspense film from 2022. In addition to filming the television series A Town Called Malice, he is also finishing up post-production on his next movie, Surprised by Oxford, and his upcoming film.
At the monastery where Catherine de Medici was nurtured, Mathilde, a diminutive role played by actress Kiruna Stamell, was hired as a servant. Because she accompanied Catherine when she entered the French court, Mathilde owed Catherine her freedom.
Given Catherine’s inherent moral irrationality, Mathilde was the perfect match for her. Moulin Rouge is well-known in Kiruna. (2001), The Best Offer (2013), and EastEnders (1985). (1985).
The Serpent Queen was mainly filmed in Italy and France
Colm Meaney as King Francis
Because of his inflated ego, voracious appetite, and prior military skill, Colm Meaney portrays King Francis as being violent, arrogant, and easily in charge of power.
The actor, who portrayed Thomas Durant in the film Hell on Wheels, has also made cameo appearances on shows including Law & Order and The Simpsons (2011–2016).
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