Jodie Turner-Smith will portray the controversial Queen Anne Boleyn in a three-part series coming to AMC+ this December.
One of the ill-fated wives of the notorious Henry the VIII Boleyn usurped Queen Catherine of Aragon with assistance and guidance from powerful men in her family.
She promised the king a son and when she failed to deliver a famous French swordsman was instructed to separate her head and her shoulders.
Boleyn’s tragic tale has inspired countless works of art. Her story was fictionalized in the Showtime series The Tudors and the historical novel The Other Boleyn Girl and its film adaptation. This is the first time a production featuring a Black actress in the role has had major distribution.
The acclaimed actress and spokesperson whose previous credits include Without Remorse and Queen and Slim will be depicting Boleyn from a different perspective than previously shown. The series will focus on the final months of Boleyn’s life and the ways she maneuvered to establish future options for her child as the powerful men in the court turned against her.
The first images from the set feature Turner-Smith in the French cut Tudor era gowns Boleyn popularized in an emerald green and deep royal blue. She is seen sporting a forlorn expression walking through the halls of a royal residence, and staring down the camera flanked by a somber veil before a set of stained glass windows in a chapel.
In other snaps she is seen with a swollen belly carrying the child she hopes will steady her kingdom and possibly save her throne.
The signature ‘B’ necklace Boleyn wore in one of the most famous portraits depicting her and other fine jewels are clasped around her doomed neck.
Anne’s loving husband turned menacing sovereign is played by Mark Stanley. Her brother George Boleyn is played by BAFTA Award nominated actor Paapa Essiedu (I May Destroy You).
He is seen in the images on set wearing a regal jacket adorned with fur, that reflects his rise in station since becoming brother to the Queen.
Anne Boleyn will premiere on AMC+ on December 9.