Laura Carmichaelhas a knack for playing put-upon women.
#PoorEdith, now its going to be #PoorLadyPole, she jokes.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: This is the latest series inspired by the novels of Philippa Gregory.
Credit: Nick Briggs/Starz
I hadnt read the books.
Id known the series.
[Id] known of her, of course, because shes prolific.
Is there something you particularly enjoy about that work?
Why do you think its a good fit for you?Ive always loved it.
Even when I was a kid, its the stuff that I loved.
It feels like a very romantic world to be in.
In that way, it did feel like something I had always dreamt of doing.
It was a very romantic idea of the world of acting.
Were you familiar at all with Maggie Pole before, whether through Shakespeare, history class, etc.?
I didnt know what was going to happen in her life.
Shes a fascinating woman because she had such a varied experience of being in the royal family.
She was a Plantagenet.
But she really loves her husband and having this wonderful family, and that becomes the most important thing.
It comes from the experience of watching all of her family be murdered.
How much is there out there on Margaret Pole letters, writings, etc.
She was in her 70s when he had her executed.
The internets this wonderful thing now in terms of pulling up articles to read and timelines of her life.
I went to the Tower, which is where she was executed.
Being in the actual places is so exciting.
When you went to the Tower did you get a private tour?Do you know I didnt?
I just walked around.
Its really worth a visit.
Its terrifying to imagine.
Its based on a lot of pain.
Is that something that was really important to you in terms of honoring these characters?I guess so.
I dont really think of them in that way.
You filmed in many real historical locations.
Did you have a favorite or a particular eerie or historical anecdote?We had so many locations.
Ive never done a job with so many on-site locations.
Every day we were going somewhere new.
The one I remember the best and loved so much was Wells Cathedral.
Because its so beautiful, really stunning on the inside.
[We took] the pews out [too be historically accurate].
That just changes the feel of it, because it does certainly feel familiar but different.
What about the costumes?
You have these ornate sleeves and hoods.
Did you enjoy them?They were very heavy.
I couldnt believe the traveling coats and things when theyd be on a horse.
There was just so much material; it sort of covered the tail of the horse.
I cant figure out how its practical.
I guess its warm and it keeps you dry, but its like wearing a tent.
If you had to pick, would you choose yourDownton Abbeyclothes?I probably would, yeah.
Because the others are so impractical.
I had a great history teacher, and she really got me excited me about learning peoples stories.
Isnt that wonderful that they want to know more and be specific?
But it was a very hot time to be a Tudor.
I kept saying, Its too hot to be a Tudor today.
There was no alternative to many layers.
One of Britains chief exports is this history.
Where do you fall on that spectrum?I can definitely flip between.
I sometimes feel weve exported a very ancient image of ourselves, which is not that great.
Its not a groovy history.
We were really horrendous.
But theres also a lot to be proud of and a lot that weve maintained that is amazing.
Its very interesting what people associate with being an Anglophile….
I dont think the British take themselves very seriously now.
Whether its Monty Python or Dame Judi Dench or Maggie Smith giggling, which they do.
