For a role as immense as that of Mary Villiers, you need a talent the level of Academy Award®-winning actress Julianne Moore. Known for her unforgettable performances in Boogie Nights, The Big Lebowski, Magnolia and for taking on the iconic role of Clarisse Starling in The Silence of the Lambs’ sequel Hannibal, it was her role in 2014’s Still Alice that saw her win her first Oscar®.

Julianne will be stepping into the shoes of the ambitious Mary Villers, Countess of Buckingham – the woman who would rise to great prominence through her son’s relationship with King James I. Was she an upwardly mobile master strategist, or a devious manipulator interested in only her and her son’s influence over the court?

Playing the royal favorite George Villiers is Nicholas Galitzine. You may have seen Nicholas before in the 2022 Netflix musical romance Purple Hearts, and will star opposite Anne Hathaway in the upcoming romantic comedy The Idea of You. Fitting for the role, Nicholas is himself of royal stock, being descended from the princely House of Golitsyn family.

George Villiers became the favorite of King James I after his mother groomed him in the courtly skills of the time, and their relationship was one of great speculation. His rise through the ranks of nobility was nothing short of meteoric as titles were lavished upon him by the King, which gained him many enemies as his influence grew.

Nicola Walker is a British actress and podcaster perhaps best known for her role in spy drama Spooks as Ruth Evershed, and for her supporting part in the brilliant detective drama Unforgotten as DCI Cassie Stuart.

In Mary & George, Nicola will take on the role of Elizabeth Hatton, the lady-in-waiting for the Queen consort Anne of Denmark, wife to King James I. Hot tempered, but articulate, it was said that she held the Queen’s affection and trust throughout her life, and she held considerable sway in her eyes.

With credits going back to the 1980s, Scottish actor Tony Curran is a veteran film and television actor, with credits in Outlaw King, Mary, Queen of Scots, Secret Invasion and Your Honor.

Tony will portray King James I – King of England from 1603 to 1625. Son of Mary, Queen of Scots, James took the Scottish throne (as James VI) at the age of just thirteen months, before succeeding Elizabeth I as King of England – an event known as the Union of the Crowns. The crown is a heavy burden for James, who is happiest when cavorting, hunting, or in the company of beautiful people. While he has a shrewd political acumen, he lacks the self-awareness that would protect him from being exploited by the company he chooses.

Laurie Davidson is no stranger to Elizabethan and Jacobean historical drama, having portrayed William Shakespeare in the 2017 series Will. He’s also well known for his roles in The Sandman, The Good Liar, and as Mr Mistoffelees in the 2019 adaptation of Cats.

Laurie plays Robert Carr, 1st Earl of Somerset. Carr was another of the King’s favorites and lovers. Like the King, he believes in leading a hedonistic lifestyle. However, he is aware how precarious his position is and how easily he might be replaced. His worst fears become manifest when young George Villiers arrives at the court with his mother. Somerset has no qualm with plotting to remove this young upstart and retain his prized place at the King’s side.

Niamh Algar is an Irish actress who was named amongst the 2019 BAFTAs breakthrough Brits. She is known for her award-winning role in Shane Meadow’s The Virtues, starring alongside Stephen Graham, and also for her starring role in the HBO sci-fi series Raised by Wolves.

Niamh plays Sandie. An original character created for the series, Sandie has a very pragmatic, cold-eyed view of life: as a sex worker, everything in life is transactional. Until she meets Mary. Sandie represents a thrilling, reckless journey of sexual discovery for Mary. And for Sandie, Mary represents adventure and another way to live, but the cost of this may be too great for Sandie to stomach.

Trine Dyrholm is a Danish actress, singer and songwriter who will be playing the part of Queen Anne of Denmark. Mary & George presents a rare appearance for Trine in a non-Danish production, although she did recently star opposite Rebel Wilson and Charlotte Gainsborough in the 2022 drama The Almond & The Seahorse.

Anne of Denmark was Queen consort to James I from 1603 to 1619. As was common practice at the time, the marriage was politically orchestrated, and the relationship between James and the independent minded Anna was somewhat fractious, fighting over a number of issues in their marriage and both keeping a number of lovers.