The first season of becomes Elizabeth It ended after an intense finale. King Edward’s time is rapidly running out, the powers of the court still underestimate Elizabeth, and Mary’s status as the next in line after Henry VIII is far from certain due to her Catholic faith in a Protestant kingdom. History guarantees that Elizabeth will eventually become the famous Queen Elizabeth I, but time hasn’t been so kind with the legacy of the real Mary Tudor. Actress Romola Garai, creator / writer / executive producer Anya Reiss and executive producer George Ormond discussed the woman popularly known as “Bloody Mary” and her terrible position.
The cast and executive producers of becomes Elizabeth spoke to Gossipify about the series and its historical roots prior to its premiere. Mary Tudor’s eight-episode journey throws her in a different light than any viewer who knew her as “Bloody Mary” might have expected. Romola Garai, who played Mary in the Starz series, shared how her character defies her expectations:
I think there has been a new interest in her as a historical figure for several years. Partly because her legacy suffered so much from her attempt to bring Catholicism back to England, and then obviously for 500 years of history that they tried to characterize that attempt as a kind of bloody massacre. I think she was a very interesting woman. I think she was by no means the kind of terrible leader we were led to believe. There was violence during her reign, but neither more nor less than that of Henry VIII or Elizabeth herself, really, one might say. I think the creation of Anya as a character is based on a lot of really interesting historical research and a kind of growth and interest in exploring her as a historical figure and her realm in general.
The Starz show can be called becomes Elizabeth Yes with Alicia von Rittberg as the future monarch , but Season 1 spent a lot of screen time establishing who Romola Garai’s version of Maria is, what England means to her, and what she’s willing to put up with for her faith. The story remembers the real Mary Tudor as the first reigning queen of England and the monarch who was willing to shed blood to restore Catholicism. As Garai pointed out, violence ran in the Tudor family, with Henry VIII before Mary and Elizabeth after her.
Anya Reiss, who created becomes Elizabeth and wrote most of the eight episodes of the first season, he told the story of this generation of Tudors in a very different way than what has been done before for television. She shared his approach to bringing Mary to the small screen without portraying her as a bully against a heroic Elizabeth. Reis said:
He appears to be an extremely under-explored character in the media and is still written as the villain who preceded Elizabeth. And I think no one has ever addressed her as her person and her kingdom, her life experience and part of our history. She has always been a foil. So I think it wasn’t a conscious decision to say, “Oh, we’re going to do the opposite of what has always been shown.” It was a conscious decision to treat her like a real person with her story to tell.
becomes Elizabeth It certainly hasn’t broken the historical record of going from the death of Henry VIII to the coronation of Queen Elizabeth I in just eight episodes, and Mary still needs another turn on the throne before Elizabeth ascends. The first season made her believe that she would become queen after Edward’s death (who seems to be fast approaching), although history buffs of her know that she won’t be as straightforward as her dying brother and older sister take. the crown. If there is a second season, it seems safe to say that the show will continue to explore Mary as more than Elizabeth’s foil.
At the same time, becomes ElizabethMary Tudor found herself in an even more precarious situation than her half-sister due to her refusal to renounce her Catholic faith and convert. Executive producer George Ormond summed up Mary’s situation perfectly at the start of the series, explaining:
He’s in a terrible position, isn’t he? I think the amazing thing about what Anya has done with the show is that they are all human. They are all faulty. Elizabeth, Mary and Edward are all top-notch characters who don’t have the power they think they need to be able to do what they want to do in their world. Maria is therefore an adult, Catholic, who, when her younger brother becomes king, at the age of nine, is a Protestant fanatic. And she begins to tell her that she must convert to Protestantism, which puts her in an impossible position. And I think Anya dramatizes her story and her humanity of hers, as she tries to be close to her brother and keep her sibling relationship alive and walk that path by keeping her faith.
Will viewers see more Romola Garai as Mary Tudor to ascend the throne and become Queen Mary I? Unfortunately, becomes Elizabeth It has yet to be officially renewed for a second season. stars (opens in a new tab) has hosted a few other series about British royalty that only lasted one season, with The White Queen Yes the white princess .
the Spanish princess about Mary Tudor’s unhappy mother lasted two seasons, so I hope becomes Elizabeth it also ends up as a multi-season series. After all, even if it’s not an exact retelling of the story (though certainly closer than Starz’s best known). historical drama in progress a foreign ), the plot will continue to thicken only after King Edward’s death with only women of royal blood as possible successors. (actress Bella Ramsey spoke of the importance of the female point of view for the show .)
For now you can review becomes Elizabeth (and many other options) streaming with a Starz subscription . For more viewing options while we wait for news of a Season 2, check out ours Program of the first TV 2022 !
Source: Cinemablend
Benjamin Smith is a fashion journalist and author at Gossipify, known for his coverage of the latest fashion trends and industry insights. He writes about clothing, shoes, accessories, and runway shows, providing in-depth analysis and unique perspectives. He’s respected for his ability to spot emerging designers and trends, and for providing practical fashion advice to readers.
