“I had heard things about King James being gay, or, you know, sleeping with men, because gay is not a term that they would have used [at the time],” said D.C. Moore (Killing Eve, Temple) about the genesis of Starz’s lavish historical drama, Mary & George. However, the creator of the limited series never fully grasped the full scale of the king’s interactions until he was handed author Benjamin Woolley’s compelling book, The King’s Assassin. The tone so perfectly captured the mood of the early 16th century and how the eccentric king engaged in many a folly while also trying to maintain peace and his political status.
D.C. Moore’s version of this true story is a rapturous, slick, sharply executed historical drama for Starz with Julianne Moore (May December) at the helm. Moore stars as Mary Villiers, who, hoping to rise above her station, convinces her attractive son, George (Nicholas Galitzine of Red, White and Royal Blue and The Idea of You), to seduce King James I (played by Tony Curran), and become his main lover. The ensemble cast features Nicola Walker, Niamh Algar, Trine Dyrholm, Samuel Blenkin, and Sean Gilder. D.C. Moore opened up about the series, the intricacies of filming love scenes, and so much more in this MovieWeb interview, and you can watch the video above.
King James’ Queer Love Affairs Were Ignored by History
Mary & George
- Release Date
- April 5, 2024
- Cast
- Julianne Moore , Nicholas Galitzine , Tony Curran , Mark O’Halloran , Niamh Algar
- Seasons
- 1
- Writers
- D. C. Moore
- Streaming Service(s)
- Starz
The King’s Assassin was a passionate literary deep dive into King James I and a fascinating time in history known as the 23-year Jacobean period. It wasn’t as well known as the Victorian, Edwardian, or Elizabethan era or that of the Tudors, but D.C. Moore was intrigued by the subject material nonetheless.
“The fact that [King James I] had these big love affairs, and he would give young, attractive men all the power and sort of keys to the kingdom, essentially, and the fact that it was basically an open secret in English society,” he said. “All the sort of power interests in England would push forward hot young men in front of James in order to try and manipulate him. It happens time and time again.”
3:34
Tony Curran Unpacks Intimate On-Screen Moments with Costar Nicholas Galitzine in Mary & George
The Daredevil star opens up about the queerness of King James and approaching love scenes with a sense of ‘fun’.
As the reality of the full story emerged, the creator also became intrigued by the mother (Mary) and son (George) dynamic who are at the heart of the story, appreciating how the duo rose from being commoners to becoming two of the most powerful people in Europe. “That’s an extraordinary story,” Moore said, adding that he felt that it and other queer aspects of history had been whitewashed:
“The resistance to telling the story of change is caught by historians and by artists… We tend to look at the Tudors, we tend to look at Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, or it’s the Second World War. English history doesn’t really focus on this era and it’s such a foundational period and such a foundational time, and
it feels like because of James’s love for men, it has been deliberately ignored. It’s a rich brilliant love story that hasn’t been told, and it hasn’t been told for the wrong reasons.”
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The Love Scenes in Mary & George Are Tricky
Surely, a great deal of “choreography” is used in the series’ love scenes. Intimacy coordinators often come on set to effectively and safely capture the mood and look of an intimate scene. When asked about how he initiated the many love scenes in Mary & George, D.C. Moore said:
We knew that we couldn’t have a sort of Victorian buttoned-up view of sexuality. This is an indulgent period led by a king who indulged his vices, if you like. We knew that we couldn’t be apologetic about the sex. Sex is at the center of this court. Attraction is at the center of this court.
“We had to show it to be true to the spirit of the age,” added Moore, “but we also had to do so carefully, because what we’re tracking through the sex scenes is transactions of power, but also transactions of intimacy and moments where transactional relationships actually become loving relationships.”
That’s a tricky nuance to capture. Bottom line: through the sex featured in the series and through other moments of intimacy, the creator tracked how and where these characters were on their individual journeys to acquire power — how they used their bodies or how they were being used by somebody else’s body. However, note that Tony Curran’s King James I isn’t the only significant character in the series featured in same-sex love scenes or relationships. Surprises await.
3:34
Tony Curran Unpacks Intimate On-Screen Moments with Costar Nicholas Galitzine in Mary & George
The Daredevil star opens up about the queerness of King James and approaching love scenes with a sense of ‘fun’.
“It felt like we couldn’t shy away from it, but we had to do it carefully,” Moore added. “And we did do it carefully. There were intimacy coordinators, all our performers and directors have thought about how we represent it… we don’t want this to be a sort of cheap, lascivious show… ultimately, we wanted it to be underscored with a courting sense of investigating a love story.”
The Power of Julianne Moore in Mary & George
Julianne Moore shines as Mary Villiers in Mary & George. From Carol and Still Alice to A Single Man and May December, the performer continues to remind us she is one of the finest actors of her generation.
“Her extraordinary body of work speaks for itself. When she attaches herself to a project, it raises everyone’s game. More people want to be involved, you get a better caliber of actor; everyone on the cast and crew, they want to work on a Julianne Moore project because she’s so good.”
Moore continued, discussing the difference the actress makes while on set. “The key thing that she does is she makes everyone work harder. So, on a set, you’re acting opposite her, you have to bring your best game. And then also, with me and with the script, she was not afraid to say moments or lines where she thought maybe there was a better way to do it.”
He went on to say that he was open to those conversations, noting that Julianne Moore handled them in a way that was respectful to him in the writing. “But occasionally,” he added, “if she thought something wasn’t very good, she would tell me, and I think that’s the best way to work. We wouldn’t have made the show without her. We couldn’t have made the show without her, and I think she’s created something extraordinary in how she’s brought Mary to life.” Catch Mary & George on Fridays at 9 p.m. (ET) on Starz. Watch the trailer below.
