And that position was in serious danger. This video is currently unavailable. Catherine was very smart, ruthless, and manipulative in her attempt to keep control of France. Catherine was given many nicknames over the course of her lifetime. It was an unsettled but amazingly not an entirely unhappy childhood and one that probably went a long way toward preparing her for her future, which, to the shock of many, included marriage to Henry Valois, the Duke of Orleans, and decades spent as the queen consort and then regent of France. Related: All Hail the Queen! Francis, a softy, couldn't stand to see a woman in tears and vowed that she would be allowed to stay on as Henry's rightful wife. The episode shows that her father died of syphilis with her mother committing suicide shortly thereafter. True Story of Catherine de Medici - Town & Country Magazine Why did Starz turn away from the British Tudors and to the world of French Queen Catherine de Medici for their new series The Serpent Queen? The new monarch,Charles, was only 9-years-old. He also did come to trust Catherine very heavily. On the surface, Henri was the prince every girl dreams of. When Henri dies, said Goldstone, The Guises [a prominent French noble family] theyre going to come in and take over. This is a game of survival and we really were looking at the times they were living in: civil war and the wars that were happening and the people that were dying. So, my feeling was respect what was absurd about the day, but at the same time to really honor what were the pressures on these people. The Serpent Queen is a story working on two levels. It was not, according to "Queens of Infamy: The Reign of Catherine de Medici," Catherine's proudest moment. Through her mother, Madeleine de La Tour dAuvergne, Catherine was related to the Bourbons of France and other families of the French nobility. The Serpent Queen Season 2 News, Cast, Premiere Date We see them kind of as rivals in the present and Mary is kind of a pawn in one scene or so. And at the same time, you wonder how far theyll go and what will be left of their soul at the end of it.. Catherine was not overjoyed at the fact that she had to share her husband's scattered attentions with another woman, but she also seemed to have understood the futility of trying to put an end to the affair, which Henry conducted in public without any pretense of shame. The Untold Truth Of Catherine De Medici - Grunge At truly horrible and tragic cost. It wasnt grooming, it was more on his side looking for his dead mother.. So that helped define the tone, because the tone then suddenly becomes one that is very contemporary. I think thats an interesting question. SAMANTHA MORTON: I dont think there was an aha moment. 'Black Mirrors "Beyond the Sea" Ending Explained: Did David Murder Cliffs Family? After a lot of plotting and bloodshed, in the final episode, Catherine finally makes a move to establish herself as the ruler of France. At the time of her wedding, though, Marguerite was in love with Henri, Duke of Guise, a member of a family Catherine openly loathed. She then went on to give Henry a total of 10 children, seven of whom survived into adulthood. "Queens of Infamy: The Rise of Catherine de Medici"says their plans for young Catherine included killing her, stripping her naked, and chaining her up to the Florence city walls. Why Did Henry Cavill Leave 'The Witcher'? Erwin Stoff: They both have working class backgrounds. At 14, the young, orphaned Catherine (Liv Hill, Three Girls, Jellyfish) marries into the 16th-century French court. Queen Catherine summons a servant girl, Rahima, and begins to recount the story of her young life as an orphan before being rescued by her uncle, Pope Clement, who has negotiated her marriage to Prince Henri, second in line to the French throne. But then, interestingly, you have this mother-in-law and this daughter-in-law and their relationship, but also, you know, Mary, Queen of Scots was like a daughter to Catherine because she grew up in her court. As AllThat's Interestingexplains,the women drifted in and out of court in silk and gold robes, alternately spying on and sleeping with Catherine's political enemies and sometimes even her friends. His seeming acceptance and championing of governing by guile gave rise to the term "Machiavellian," shorthand for the moral bankruptcy of the powerful. Season 5, Part 2 Return Date Info, 'Jeopardy!' Aabis was everything that Catherine was not, with a beauty that regularly invoked the desire of powerful men. She also won a host of enemies when, as Maria Esquivel explains in her chronicling of the so-called St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre, Catherine authorized a wholesale slaughter of the Huguenots in 1572. Can you explain why she never gives up on the hope that he could love her back? And that was the 1500s. But at the same time, if historys our guide, history is only populated by white noble people. Why Isn't 'The View' on Today? Erwin: Look, something that I said earlier is I got into this business in the early '80s, and it was a very different world than insofar as there were no women in the entertainment business that had the greenlight power. . Because of that, she wasnt on the same level as her husband but was still a worthy choice for the second son of the King of France to marry. We return to the past as Rahima and Catherine [read more]. Catherine then talked d'Albret back into her good graces by promising that, should her son, Henry, King of Navarre, marry Marguerite, he could remain a Protestant. And it shows the unique tone that the series takes, which is explained by Stoff and Haythe. Catherine was orphaned only a few months after her birth and was sent to live with members of the de Medici family, where Italian nuns educated her. The idea of some of it feels absurd but long ago her sole purpose was to produce an heir. Her most influential contribution to ballet was, according to Ballet in Western Culture, bringing famous Italian dance masters to the French court. You know Ive played Mary myself and it was very interesting. This confused the court, especially King Francis who took it upon himself to observe the young couple's wedding night shenanigans and, as reported by"The Machiavellian Matriarch Who Shadow-Ruled France Through Her Husband, Sons, and a Squadron of Spies," declared that "each had shown valour in the joust.". Samantha Morton plays Catherine de' Medici, the Queen of France, in the Starz series. Catherine de . So, theres no meritocracy, theres no being smart enough, good enough to succeed, its all about the whims of the people who are in power and through no necessary skill of their own but who their parents were. 750, This story has been shared 697 times. As Catherine, Morton is almost playing two characters, the imposing tyrant and underdog heroine. Did Catherines court include little people and people of color? But because of the world she lived in, at what cost? Well, heres why I did what I did, series creator/executive producer Justin Haythe tells Parade in this exclusive interview. Morton stars as Catherine alongside Charles Dance as Pope Clement, Liv Hill as the younger version of Catherine, Antonia Clarke as Mary Queen of Scots, and Ludivine Sagnier as Diane de Poitiers . *contains affiliate links* *spoilers* Episode eight will be the final episode of this season, and it has already been announced that there will be a second season. Pope Clement wouldn't be able to arrange an advantageous union for her because her maidenhead would obviously be long lost. Inconceivable. Sometimes its because somebodys so bad that they really make a dent in history, Nancy Goldstone, author of The Rival Queens, a biography on de Medici, said. Catherine invited these masters to put on lavish performances at court festivals, which, as "Catherine de Medici: Patron of the Arts and Follower of the Occult"puts it,she planned and sponsored in order to show off France's cultural and financial wealth. Still others referred to her as the Maggot from Italy's Tomb, which is so metal. 875, This story has been shared 819 times. Not interested? This person is imprisoned because they were caught trying to find proof of something else. What was the official certification given to The Serpent Queen (2022) in Spain? So I think that Catherine never gives up because she knows that he is being psychologically manipulated and controlled by somebody who doesnt want to lose their power. In order to understand the things she does to survive, you have to understand how young she was when she was first sent into this challenge. The problem is he is bewitched by his long-time mistress Diane de Poitier (Ludivine Sagnier). 2023 The Arena Media Brands, LLC PARADE is a registered trademark of Athlon Sports Communications, Inc. Alicia von Rittberg on the Politics and Sexual Intrigue in the Young Queen's Life in, All Hail the Queen! Catherine pulls Rahima to her side supposedly to teach her how to battle her bullies, regaling her with tales of her rise from penniless orphan to the mother of European royalty as an example. I really didn't know what to expect from this show. But, as is the case with many strong female leaders, much of the criticism laid at Catherine de Medici's door was down to sexist notions about a woman's place in the world. When Catherine's cousin and benefactor,Pope Clement VII, went about trying to arrange a match for her, he knew he was going to have a tough time attracting the kind of mate that would help restore the Medici name. STARZ has not yet renewed The Serpent Queen for a second season. Mathilde 8 episodes, 2022 Ludivine Sagnier Mary knows all too well that it was Catherine who sent Rahima to her rooms. Episode 1 was really perfect. The second storyline is Catherines own biography in her own words, as it is being presented to a credulous Rahima. Samantha Morton and Liv Hill did an excellent job playing Catherine. Justin Haythe:Look, all that stuff is real, and thats the absurdity of it. The new Starz drama is bold and wickedly fun, but is it an accurate telling of Catherine de Medici? Eight-part series based on Leonie Frieda's book "Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France. And Catherine understood Henrys devotion to Diane so would feign being nice to her. Royal marriage was all about babies and cash transactions. Women sometimes suffered bodily harm while wearing platforms and were even know to miscarry after especially bad falls. When Catherine finally does produce heirs, she is surrounded by duplicitous nobles vying for her childrens crowns and foreign powers plotting against France. 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In the series premiere, aptly titled "Medici Bitch," we will follow Catherine through flashbacks as she recounts her life thus far to her new servant Rahima ( Sennia Nanua ). Catherine clearly thought so, too, and, according to an article in The History of Urology,she took a number of drastic steps to try to up her fecundity, includingdrinking mule urine and dousing certain private areas of her body with bizarre things like cow dung and ground stags' antlers. The Serpent Queen - Wikipedia Stream It Or Skip It: Run Rabbit Run on Netflix, in Which Sarah Snook is Stuck Among a Litany of Creepy-Kid Horror Cliches, The Grimace Shake Trend Explained: TikTok Is Obsessed With Making Horror Movies Out Of A McDonald's Milkshake, 'Run Rabbit Run' Ending Explained: What That Ambiguous Ending Means. And how do you know that God picked me? But hes in a very strange relationship with an abuser. The STARZ historical drama tells the story of Catherine de Medici from her point of view. As Rahima takes Catherine's breakfast tray to her chamber, she is still harassed by lounging guards . There was talk of divorce, both because of Catherine's apparent infertility and because her opulent dowry had recently been reduced to nothing. Its based on the book Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France by Leonie Frieda and hails from writer and executive producer Justin Haythe (Revolutionary Road, Red Sparrow, The Lone Ranger). So without giving away any spoilers, its very important that Catherine takes Rahima under her wing. On linear, it will debut on STARZ at 8 p.m. ET/PT in the U.S. and Canada. Catherine fell for him almost at first sight, though he remained enamored with the beautiful, though much older, Diane de Poitiers, throughout his life. The Serpent Queen premiered on September 11, 2022, and stars Samantha Morton, Liv Hill, Ludivine Sagnier, and Sennia Nanua. During her turbulent childhood, she would go from nunnery to nunnery, miserable at some, happy at others, and, according toCatherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France,always in flux. DECIDER: Was there anything in your research that was kind of an aha moment to help you understand why Catherine was the way she was? Samantha Morton previously played Mary Queen of Scots in Elizabeth the Golden Age and now she plays her mother in law. Catherine De Medicis story is the perfect complement to our female-forward slate, and Samantha Mortons brilliant portrayal of this ruthless, charming and savvy queen anchors the whole production. 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Morton also mused about what it was like watching another actress tackle Mary, Queen of Scots as Morton played the royal opposite Cate Blanchett in Elizabeth: The Golden Age why she wanted to remain coy about Catherines ever-evolving relationship with Rahima. 1 as 'The Flash' Collapses by 73% and Jennifer Lawrence's 'No Hard Feelings' Opens to $15 Million, 'Superman: Legacy' Finds Leads With David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan, Ivanka Trump's Separation From Donald Trump May Be Complete Now That She's Dismissed From This Family Event, Cardi B Screams In Excitement As Offset, Quavo Put Feud To Bed For Takeoff Tribute, In Itsaso Aranas Directorial Debut Girls Are Alright, Actresses Take Over the Film, Taylor Swift Delivers Surprise Songs Evermore and Im Only Me When Im With You in Cincinnati, Boy Meets World Fired Young Actress For Not Being Pretty Enough, She Claims, Screen Actors Guild Extends Negotiation Deadline With AMPTP, Staving Off Strike, McIlroy, Spieth Ride Along as Troon Acquires Inviteds ManagementBiz, How to Pitch Stories and Articles to IndieWire. Because he does! Mary, Queen of Scots, was the wife of King Francis II, [read more], *contains affiliate links* *spoilers* We return to France with the third episode of The Serpent Queen. Mathilde, a little person, was conscripted as a servant in the monastery where Catherine de Medici was raised. And also, this is a world that were portraying where theres almost no consent. When Haythe was searching for his villain, he wasnt looking for a story about royals, or even a period piece, he was searching for an antihero. Written by Justin Haythe, it focuses on the rule of Catherine de Medici, while also tracing her journey to becoming one of the most powerful women of her time. There are eight episodes in The Serpent Queens first season. Francis Lawrence (The Hunger Games franchise) and Erwin Stoff (The Matrix, 13 Hours, Edge of Tomorrow) serve as executive producers. It's a psychological juxtaposition, to be sure. I think that we got incredibly fortunate, or part of the reason it worked so well, and Erwin can speak to this, Samantha we knew and admired greatly. The Serpent Queen (TV Series 2022) - Full Cast & Crew - IMDb The Serpent Queen airs Sundays on Starz. When Francis died only a year after his ascension, Catherine was given the title governor of France and a host of new powers. When Will 'The Super Mario Bros. Movie' Be On Peacock? Its the clothes that are different and its the lavish lifestyle and wealth that was different, but thats it. Erwin Stoff: There was never a day that we came to set and would say, Oh, well, they wouldnt act like that in that period. These were people, they didnt know they were in that period. Justin Haythe: To pick up on what Erwin said, he used the word game. And when you read the history of this time, theres an absurdity to it. Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription. We live in an age now where people talk about a glass ceiling for women. Although there are a lot of historical inaccuracies in the series (for the sake of the story), for the most part, it is a pretty good telling of the queens life. (See Louis XIV.). Related: Alicia von Rittberg on the Politics and Sexual Intrigue in the Young Queen's Life in Becoming Elizabeth. It wasnt rivalry, I hated her. September 11, 2022 Starz's ' The Serpent Queen ' is a period drama that is set in the court of France in the sixteenth century. Goldstone noted Catherine de Medici was also a proponent of Nostradamus, the infamous astrologer who claimed to predict all manner of future events. If anyone is a villain of the piece, I say it is Diane de Poitiers. 4,582, This story has been shared 1,507 times. While Henry was on his death bed, ironically because of a jousting injury, Catherine refused to let Diane see him, and then she kicked her rival out of court and out of the chateau. Not only is she derided as plain, common, and infertile, her husband spends his nights with the beautiful - and much older - Diane de Poitiers, a woman with whom he will be obsessed for the rest of his life. We return to [read more], *contains affiliate links* *spoilers* Episode four begins with Rahima enjoying her cosy surroundings, but she is soon summoned to Catherines side. The other thing that made Liv great for it is she has a tremendous innate intelligence that she obviously projects, and she has a certain vulnerability. A year later, though, Pope Clement died, and new pope, Paul III, refused to pay the rest of Catherine's dowry to the French court. Starz's ' The Serpent Queen ' follows the story of the rise of Catherine de Medici. Catherine de' Medici Archives - History of Royal Women Prior to Catherine's donning them for her marriage to Henry Valois, high heels were an accessory worn only by men who strapped them on to prod on horses. Queen Catherine is recounting her life story to Rahima to distract herself from planning her son's wedding to another famous monarch, Mary Queen of Scots. Rahima (Sennia Nanua) is the very lowest in the servants' pecking order, and she's been chosen by the kitchen staff to serve the Queen because they're all terrified of her. IndieWire is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Catherine, of course, has selected Rahima for a reason and was intent on showing how a good, God-fearing girl could also be corrupted to commit bad deeds if pushed around enough. Related: Here Are Some of the Best Historical TV Shows of All Time. How did you read that relationship and what was it like working with Ludivine? Another relationship that I thought was really fascinating was Catherine and Mary, Queen of Scots. The Serpent Queen (TV Series 2022) - IMDb Obviously the most complex relationship is between Diane and Catherine. However, they eventually became lovers and Henri fell under her spell, securing her position and power within the court. Mary. Carissa Pavlica at October 7, 2022 2:00 pm. To Catherine, who had dedicated her adult life to preserving her family's power and its divine right to the throne, Marguerite's behavior was unforgivable. She seemed destined for a life of ease and luxury. Catherine was not able to exert as much of her influence over Henry, but, prior to her death in 1589, she had left an indelible mark on the French monarchy, so much so that the decades she spent consolidating power became known as the Age of Catherine de Medici. The Many Myths of Catherine de' Medici - Smithsonian Magazine Young Mary, Queen of Scots (Antonia Clarke) is. ", See production, box office & company info, Bear McCreary feat. 'And Just Like That' Season 2 Episode 3 Recap: COVID? The latter, according to an ABC Radio Perth report, comes from Catherine's insistence on wearing the Renaissance equivalent of stilettos at her wedding to make her appear taller. Catherine married Prince Henri, the second son of King Francis, when they were both 14 years old. It turns out to be a dream or nightmare, if you will. Without giving away spoilers, it's really hard to give a full review. Season 1 will consist of eight episodes and is produced for Starz by Lionsgate Television and 3 Arts Entertainment. Oh the joys of 16th century reproductive medicine. Considering Catherines parents, the series perpetuating that she was a lowly commoner isnt accurate. And now you're like, wow, I know the exact person for this job the one who was bad at it. The series presents it as two women in a power struggle. 91 Photos Drama Eight-part series based on Leonie Frieda's book "Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France." Creator Justin Haythe Stars Samantha Morton Amrita Acharia Enzo Cilenti See production, box office & company info Watch on STARZ S1 with Prime Video Channels More watch options Add to Watchlist Added by 24.3K users 33 User reviews
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