Monarchs have always ignited our imagination but there’s very little we get to see of their lives, except on the big or small screen. Here are some of the larger-than-life figures as written, directed and acted by the best in the film industry
Empress Wu (1963)
The Queen: Wu Zetian
(624 - 705 AD)
Played by: Li Hua Li
The glamourous actor and a gifted actress, Li (who played Wu), possessed a soft allure but also an indomitable streak. She had qualities that enlivened a range of roles – whether historical or contemporary. Li was the first Chinese actress to star in a Hollywood movie, the 1958 war romance ‘China Doll’, directed by Oscar winner Frank Borzage. With ‘Empress Wu’, she was the first Chinese actress to set foot on the Cannes red carpet. “Li played the demonisation of Empress Wu with such conviction that she needed 60 days to detach herself from the role,” said the director.
The Young Victoria (2009)
The Queen: Victoria (1819 - 1901)
Played by: Emily Blunt
The film is a visually arresting and engrossing film about the courtship of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. The ‘Young Victoria’ sends its viewers so gracefully into the habits and language of another era that they don’t realise how much information they are absorbing.
Emily Blunt deserves kudos for dispelling the common image of Victoria as a plump matronly widow and presenting viewers with a beguiling young woman with good looks and an equally impecable wit. “It was Blunt all the way,” said director Jean-Marc Vallee.
The crown (tv SERIES)
The Queen: Elizabeth II (1926)
Played by: Claire Foy
Created and written by Peter Morgan (who also wrote 2006's ‘The Queen’), this critically-acclaimed, award-winning biographical TV series depicts the life and times of Queen Elizabeth II. English actress Claire Foy has earned numerous awards, including the Golden Globe. “I am happy because the Queen herself is a fan of this show,” she said.
The Rise of Catherine the Great (1934)
The Queen: Catherine II (1729 - 1796)
Played by: Elisabeth Bergner
Critics were excessively effusive in describing Bergner in this role. The New York Times, said Bergner’s face is doll-like, her hair fair and curly, very much a la mode of 1934. Miss Bergner gives a clever portrayal.
The Queen (2006)
The Queen: Elizabeth II (1926)
Played by: Helen Mirren
Mirren confessed that she had to pay attention to getting certain aspects of Queen Elizabeth II right.“I studied a great deal of film just to watch her,” the actor said.
MArie Antionette (2006)
The Queen: Marie Antoinette (1793)
Played by: Kirsten Dunst
Kirsten Dunst is pitch-perfect in the title role, as a 14-year-old Austrian princess.
Elizabeth (1998)
The Queen: Elizabeth I (1533)
Played by: Cate Blanchett
What the film got right is the performance by Cate Blanchett, who had an uncanny resemblance to the great monarch. “As the queen personified, she’s heart-stoppingly good,” said director Shekhar Kapur.
A Royal Affair (2012)
The Queen: Caroline Matilda (1751)
Played by: Alicia Vikander
Vikander who already had an Academy Award to her name brings her youthfulness to the film and utilises it to the fullest. “I felt like a queen after the last show was taken. It was just so inspiring,” the actor said.
Cleopatra (1963)
The Queen: Cleopatra VII (69 - 30 BC)
Played by: Elizabeth Taylor
Reel story: The controversial film is known for its monstrous budget, initial box office flop, and unending conflicts. Joan Collins, Audrey Hepburn, and Susan Hayward were at first considered to play Cleopatra but after various issues, producer Walter Wanger called Taylor on the set of her film, ‘Suddenly, Last Summer’ to offer her the role. Jokingly, Taylor replied “Sure, tell him I’ll do it for a million dollars.” While such an offer was unheard of at the time, they made an exception for Taylor who went on to become the first Hollywood actor to receive $1 million for a single movie.