CITAZIONE
On approaching a character who lived 500 years ago:
"When I read the scripts, even from the start of the audition process, I felt like I knew her. I think it was the adolescence in her that I totally related to. I guess you must sense something about yourself in the characters you read. The more daunting prospect for me was that the story was set over a seven-year period. It's a long time, so it was more [about] showing the growth of her and how she ages. We didn't go crazy with changing hair color or fine lines or anything like that; it was more shown through the way she's developed. I wanted the audience to pick up that she's grown and is a result of the experiences that she's faced throughout the season.
"I did a little bit of research, but there's just not an awful lot written about the women of that time, so I used that to my advantage. It allowed me so much freedom to make her my own and think about what she likes and dislikes, her characteristics, her mannerisms. No one lived to tell a tale of that about her. I found out as well that even when these people would get their portraits painted, they would alter their hairline further back or they would be painted with a bit more weight, because that showed more wealth. It's like Photoshop! You could get three paintings of Elizabeth and they could all look completely different. [So] you still have that freedom. You haven't got footage to go and watch of someone and really analyze how they sit or hold themselves."
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On how Lizzie's outward appearance reflects the changes her character undergoes:
"The costume and makeup were very clever about the way they aged Lizzie. As she gets older, her costumes evolve with her. At the beginning of the series, it's all pastel colors and everything is quite shaped and voluptuous. Then, as the series goes on, everything gets a lot more restricted. She has buckles, which are kind of like armor, like she's facing this turmoil. I felt like her costumes were holding her together, in a way. The hair at the beginning is loose and romantic, and towards the end everything is so contained. I love the last couple of episodes, which are my favorite. After Episode 4, there is a big energy shift. "
On working with Jacob Collins-Levy on the dynamic between their characters:
"We definitely had some chats. It was interesting to see where he was coming from as Henry and me as Lizzie, because when you're an actor or actress, you have to find reasons to sympathize with your character. You defend them so much. Everyone is so defensive of their own person, but I think what was lovely about Henry and Lizzie's relationship developing was so was mine and Jacob's. At the start of the series, we didn't know each other—I met him the week before filming—so that worked in play with the storyline. As we worked more and more together, we got a lot closer, and you feel more comfortable around someone, and I think that played in well with what was going on with the story. [Henry VII and Elizabeth of York] were known in history for being a king and queen who had a very loving, happy relationship, so that was one of the most important things to show in the series. They go through so many trials and they get so much thrown their way, so you go through the emotions with them."
