Game of Thrones’ Michelle Fairley and Thirteen’s Jodie Comer have signed on to Starz’s The White Princess – the sequel to the network’s highly-successful The White Queen.
Fairley will play Margaret Beaufort, while Comer will take on the role of Princess Elizabeth of York.
The White Princess is adapted from Phillips Gregory’s novel of the same name – part of the The Cousins’ War series that tracks the War of the Roses from the perspective of the women.
The series will air on Starz in 2017. follow the jump for further details.
MICHELLE FAIRLEY CAST AS MARGARET BEAUFORT IN “THE WHITE PRINCESS” FROM STARZ
JODIE COMER CAST AS PRINCESS ELIZABETH OF YORK IN THE ADAPTATION FROM PHILIPPA GREGORY’S HISTORICAL NOVEL
Beverly Hills, Calif. – May 10, 2016 – Starz announced today that Michelle Fairley (“Game of Thrones,” “Rebellion”) will play the role of Margaret Beaufort in “The White Princess,” the follow-up to the critically-acclaimed STARZ Original Miniseries event “The White Queen,” from Company Pictures. Up-and-coming actress, Jodie Comer (“Doctor Foster,” My Mad Fat Diary”) also joins the cast as Princess Elizabeth of York. Adapted from Philippa Gregory’s best-selling novel of the same name and part of The Cousins’ War book series, “The White Princess” tells the story of England’s War of the Roses from the perspective of the women. The 8-episode limited series drama will begin shooting on location in Bristol, England later this year.
Margaret Beaufort, Henry Tudor’s mother and mastermind behind his ascent to the Throne of England, was a philanthropist, a benefactor for the Church, and a murderer. Margaret knows that getting the throne and keeping it safe for the Tudor line are two different things, especially as York rivals continue to plot against them with increasing success.
Princess Elizabeth of York (Lizzie) is forced into marriage to unite the Houses of York and Tudor, realizing that she has no choice but to do her duty for England and marry the new King, Henry VII. The union brings Lizzie in direct conflict with Henry’s strong-willed mother. As Margaret’s influence over her son begins to wane and Lizzie’s star rises, Margaret beings to unravel as the sins of the past and present weigh heavily on her conscience and her relations with Henry are at risk of potentially imploding.
Award winning actress Michelle Fairley’s acting career richly spans across theater, film and television. Fairley is perhaps most internationally known for her staunch portrayal of Catelyn Stark in HBO’s acclaimed “Game of Thrones” in its first three seasons. She can be currently seen in SundanceTV’s Irish historical drama miniseries, “Rebellion,” as Dolly Butler and will also be appearing in the upcoming Season Two of Pivot’s first original scripted series, “Fortitude,” a dramatic thriller set amidst a tight-knit Arctic community. Her previous reoccurring television credits include ABC’s drama “Resurrection” alongside Frances Fisher and Kurtwood Smith, Fox’s event series, “24: Live Another Day” with Kiefer Sutherland, and USA Network’s acclaimed legal drama “Suits.” She last appeared on stage in the 2015 revival of BAFTA award-winning writer Abi Morgan’s play “Splendour” at London’s Donmar Warehouse, and she has also claimed roles in Jean Paul Sartre’s existentialist work “Huis Clos” as Ines, in “Othello” as Emilia, directed by Michael Grandage and also starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Ewan McGregor, and in “The Weir” directed by Ian Rickson that played in London and on Broadway, amongst others. On the big screen, Fairley has recently appeared in Ron Howard’s In the Heart of the Sea with Chris Hemsworth, Stephen Frears’ Philomena with Judi Dench and Steve Coogan, and Ralph Fiennes’ The Invisible Woman.
Rising U.K. actress Jodie Comer, originally from Liverpool, garnered attention from her breakout role in E4’s BAFTA and International Emmy Award nominated British comedy-drama, “My Mad Fat Diary” adapted from the novel by Rae Earl. Comer went onto star in BBC One’s supernatural drama mini-series “Remember Me” opposite Michael Palin. Comer also starred in BBC One’s “Lady Chatterley’s Lover” with Richard Madden and Holliday Grainger adapted from D.H. Lawrence’s tale. Following this, Comer starred in BBC One’s BAFTA nominated ratings phenomenon “Doctor Foster.” The mini-series was written by award-winning writer Mike Bartlett and directed by Tom Vaughan. Later this year, Comer will reprise her role in the highly anticipated second series of “Doctor Foster.” Comer recently received rave reviews for her leading performance in BBC Three/BBC America’s “Thirteen,” a five-part psychological drama about a young woman working her way back into society after being abducted. Comer played Ivy Moxam, who escaped from a cellar that had been her prison for the last thirteen years. She is currently filming BBC One’s “Rillington Place” a gripping three-part drama based on the real-life murders undertaken in Notting Hill in the 1940s and 50s by John Christie, played by Tim Roth. Comer will make her big screen debut in the Mark Gill-directed biopic of iconic British singer Morrissey, “Steven.”
Fairley is represented by Peter Brooks at Creative Artists Management and Chris Schmidt at Paradigm. Comer is represented by Independent Talent Group in the UK and ICM Partners in the U.S.
“The White Princess” concludes the story of England’s War of the Roses and charts the rise of the House of Tudor through the tortuous marriage between Princess Elizabeth of York and King Henry Tudor. The year is 1485 and Princess Elizabeth, daughter of “The White Queen,” has been pledged in marriage to the newly anointed King Henry Tudor in hopes that it will bring peace to a war-torn country. England is united, but their marriage is soon divided, as rumors circulate that Elizabeth’s long-lost brother Prince Richard is alive and planning to take the throne. Now she must choose between Tudor wife and York princess, between her new husband and the boy who claims to be her own blood and the true heir to the crown.
It was previously announced that acclaimed writer Emma Frost (“The White Queen,” “The Man in the High Castle,” “Shameless”) will return to serve as Showrunner and Executive Producer with Gregory serving as Executive Producer for “The White Princess.” Lachlan MacKinnon (“Burton and Taylor”) will serve as Producer for the series. Playground’s Colin Callender (“The White Queen,” “The Dresser,” “The Missing,” “Wolf Hall”) will serve as Executive Producer with Company Pictures’ Michele Buck (“Parades End,” “Sex Traffic,” “Hornblower”).
About “The White Princess”
The year is 1485 and Henry Tudor is king, having snatched the crown from Richard III in a surprise victory at the Battle of Bosworth. Elizabeth of York, “The White Princess,” is faced with marrying Henry, the man who has just killed her lover. While Elizabeth’s mother Dowager Queen Elizabeth “The White Queen” encourages her to marry to preserve the York claim of title and ensure her family’s safety, Henry’s mother Margaret Beaufort detests the idea, but knows it is the only way for her son to stay on the throne and unify a country divided by war.
In the court of Burgundy, the Duchess rules over a new enemy stronghold for disenfranchised Yorkists and all of Henry Tudor’s enemies. It is from here that a Pretender is mustering an army. He claims to be brother to the Queen, and the true heir to the throne. But is he the missing prince from the tower sent by his mother, the White Queen? Or a counterfeit prince – a low-born enemy to Henry Tudor and his York princess wife?
Princess Elizabeth must choose between Tudor wife and York princess – between her new husband and baby son, and the boy who claims to be her beloved lost brother. Has the rose of York come home at last and at what cost to her?
“The White Princess” tells the story of one of the most fascinating periods of British history, spanning the winter court of Henry Tudor – uniquely from the women’s point of view. The most ruthless players in history will stop at nothing to support their own causes and those of the ones they love.
“The White Princess” will film on location in Bristol, UK and will air on STARZ in 2017. Starz will retain all network pay TV and SVOD rights to the project.
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