Scheming and cunning, Catherine de Medici was one of the most powerful women in the world. After becoming an orphaned teenager from the famous ruling family of Medici and then marrying into the 16th century
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Liv Hill is a rather strange choice for young Catherine
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French court she is expected to bring a hefty dowry and produce many heirs, but Catherine discovers her husband is already in love with another woman and then, her dowry remains unpaid and she learns she is unable to conceive. But with intelligence and determination, she keeps her marriage alive,
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Diane de Poitiers is strangely ugly in the series for some reason
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mastering the bloodsport of the monarchy and ruling France for 50 years. In
THE SERPENT QUEEN, Catherine tells her story through flashbacks, defending her actions and imparting lessons she's learned to her new servant, Rahima
(Sennia Nanua). When her uncle Pope Clement (
Charles Dance)
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Mary Queen of Scots and her ladies in waiting
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brokers her marriage and a geopolitical alliance with France, but she learns on her wedding night that her husband is in love with Diane de Poitiers (
Ludivine Sagnier), a stunningly beautiful lady-in-waiting who is twice the king-to-be's age. Catherine is thrust into a world where she must learn quickly who she can trust and seek to outmaneuver anyone who underestimates her.
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Ludivine Sagnier is the strangest choice for Diane de Poitiers
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The rest of the cast includes
Liv Hill as the younger version of Catherine,
Antonia Clarke as Catherine's daughter in law Mary Queen of Scots, whom Catherine sent back to Scotland after her son Francis (
George Jacques) died and she officially became regent in her own right on behalf of her 10-year-old son Charles IX. She then ruled France for three years by herself until Charles
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Liv Hill as the rather unattractive and dull young Catherine
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reached his maturity. After Charles died in 1574, Catherine also played a key role in the reign of her third son, Henry III. He outlived her by just seven months. She was generally despised in history seen as enemy by both Catholics and Hugenots and scary to common folks who were afraid of her love for all things occult - her pet astrologer was famous Nostradamus.
