Jodie Turner-Smith stuns in first official pictures as Anne Boleyn in gripping thriller
Jodie Turner-Smith has transformed into Anne Boleyn in an official first look picture for the ground-breaking new thriller.
The star, 34, has been cast as the first black actress to play Henry VIII’s second wife in a bid to “challenge conventions”.
The snap shows the Queen & Slim actress pose in her traditional Tudor gown and headpiece ahead of the three-part psychological drama by Fable Pictures, Channel 5 and Sony Pictures Television.
The series is told from the queen’s point of view and focuses on her final months before she was beheaded by Henry in 1536 for failing to produce a male heir.
The mother-of-one – who welcomed a daughter with actor husband Joshua Jackson last year – looked sensational in the official image as she displayed a serious exterior as Anne.
Written by Eve Hedderwick Turner and directed by Lynsey Miller, the series aims to challenge “all the conventions of who we think Anne Boleyn was and shines a feminist light on her story”.
“We’re absolutely thrilled to have the magnetic Jodie Turner-Smith on board to encapsulate Anne’s determination to be an equal among men and to pave a path for her daughter,” Fable Pictures added.
“We feel that history has side-lined the voice of this ambitious Queen in favour of the men who brought her down, and that Lynsey Miller’s beautiful, intimate vision will put Anne’s gaze at the heart of the piece.”
Ben Frow, director of programs at ViacomCBS, added: “This project re-frames her story as a propulsive psychological thriller, told from a new perspective, with top talent like Jodie Turner-Smith attached.
“It was simply too irresistible to say no to and I’m very excited to see the finished product.”
Director Lynsey previously defended the decision to cast a black actress for the role – as Anne was a white woman.
Lynsey previously sparked accusations of “blackwashing”, forcing her to speak out.
“‘I feel very strongly that we have the best actress for the role so I am happy to stand by it. I’m very proud of what we have created together, so let them talk,” she said.
“There are going to be a lot of people who don’t like it, but I feel like there has to be space for that and there are going to be a lot of people who love it. I’m one of them.”
On landing the lead role as the mother of the future Queen Elizabeth I, Jodie said in a statement: “I am so excited to join these exciting filmmakers in bringing the story of one of history’s most controversial queens to the screen.
“Delving deeper into Anne Boleyn’s immense strengths while examining her fatal weaknesses and vulnerabilities, [writer Eve Hedderwick Turner’s] scripts immediately captured my imagination.
“In the hands of Lynsey Miller, the legend of this formidable queen and fierce mother will be seen as a deeply human story that is still so relevant for today. I look forward to bringing my heart and spirit into this daring retelling of the fall of this iconic woman.”
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