The BBC and CBS Studios have announced further casting for the new eight-part period drama, King & Conqueror, written by Michael Robert Johnson (Sherlock Holmes) and based on the iconic 11th century figures Harold of Wessex and William of Normandy. As previously announced, the series stars James Norton (Happy Valley, Bob Marley: One Love) as Harold, Earl of Wessex, and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Game of Thrones) as William, Duke of Normandy.
Emily Beecham (1899, Little Joe) will play Edith Swan Neck, the wife of Harold Godwinson (James Norton), and Clémence Poésy (In Bruges, The Tunnel) will play Matilda, the wife of William of Normandy (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau). Further cast announced today include Eddie Marsan (The Power, Ray Donovan) as King Edward, Juliet Stevenson (Truly, Madly, Deeply, Riviera) as Lady Emma, Jean-Marc Barr (The Big Blue, American Translation) as King Henry, Luther Ford (The Crown) as Tostig, Joseph Mawle (Game of Thrones, The Rings of Power) as Fitzosbern, Geoff Bell (Absentia, Top Boy) as Godwin, Elliot Cowan (Black Cake, Foundation) as Sweyn, Bo Bragason (Renegade Nell, The Jetty) as Queen Gunhild, Bjarne Henriksen (The Hunt, Borgen) as Earl Siward, Clare Holman (Inspector Morse, Lewis) as Gytha and Oliver Mascucci (Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, Look Who’s Back) as Baldwin.
Filming has begun in Iceland and is produced by The Development Partnership, Rabbit Track Pictures, Shepherd Content, RVK Studios and CBS Studios, in association with the BBC.
King & Conqueror is the story of a clash that defined the future of a country – and a continent – for a thousand years, the roots of which stretch back decades and extend out through a pair of interconnected family dynasties, struggling for power across two countries and a raging sea. Harold of Wessex and William of Normandy were two men destined to meet at the Battle of Hastings in 1066; two allies with no design on the British throne, who found themselves forced by circumstance and personal obsession into a war for possession of its crown.
The series is created and executive produced by Michael Robert Johnson. Also serving as executive producers are James Norton and Kitty Kaletsky for Rabbit Track Pictures, Baltasar Kormákur (Everest, 2 Guns, Trapped) for RVK Studios, Robert Taylor for The Development Partnership, Dave Clarke and Richard Halliwell for Shepherd Content, Ed Clarke, Robert Jones, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, who is also directing episode five, and Lindsey Martin for CBS Studios. Baltasar Kormákur will direct the first episode as well as overseeing creative for the series. RVK Studios are also providing production services in Iceland. The BBC has acquired broadcasting rights for the series on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK. The series will be distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution outside of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.
MF3