One of the most hotly anticipated dramas of 2017, STARZ Original Limited Series The White Princess, will burst onto US TV screens this week.
The follow-up to the STARZ/BBC’s 2013 Golden Globe and Emmy award-nominated The White Queen, the brand new series, made by Company Pictures and Playground, filmed in purpose-built sets at The Bottle Yard Studios and across Bristol in 2016.
Coordinating the entire shoot from production offices at The Bottle Yard Studios, the production team also used additional build space, stores and costume areas on site. Bristol Film Office provided unit bases for filming at locations across the city, facilitating location liaison and organising holding areas at City Hall for around 100 cast extras during a large-scale shoot at Bristol Cathedral.
At the time of filming, Lachlan MacKinnon, Producer said: ‘
[The Bottle Yard Studios] is an ideal production base given its proximity to some of the finest Tudor locations England has to offer. The height and size of the studios were a big draw for us due to the size of our set build, and Fiona and her team couldn’t have been more helpful in facilitating this.’Fiona Francombe, Site Director of The Bottle Yard Studios, said: “Our space lends itself incredibly well to creating entire worlds for period drama shoots – and The White Princess was no exception. The skilled crew created a rich and beautiful Tudor world with their amazing set build, enhanced by a stunning and authentic costume department. We’re seeing a rise in enquiries as word gets out amongst overseas producers considering a UK shoot about the scale of production we can accommodate – and shows like this, made for a worldwide audience, are a great illustration of what can be achieved at The Bottle Yard.”
Natalie Moore, Bristol Film Office said: “Bristol’s global reputation as an ideal destination for world-class film and TV production grows each year. The city’s fantastic period locations, flexible studio space at The Bottle Yard, talented local crew base and free support delivered by the Film Office, means that Bristol can deliver a full package of support. It was very exciting to have Company Pictures and Playground back at Bristol Cathedral where they filmed Wolf Hall in 2014. With such a large-scale historical production like The White Princess taking place in the city centre, we were delighted to provide logistical support to help them achieve a smooth shoot.”
Drawn from the novel of the same name by Philippa Gregory, and part of The Cousins’ War book series, The White Princess sees England ostensibly united by the marriage of Princess Elizabeth of York (Lizzie) and King Henry VII, but their personal and political rift runs deep and the divide between them threatens to tear the kingdom apart once again. Rumors circulate that Lizzie’s long-lost brother Prince Richard is alive and planning to take the throne – forcing Lizzie into an impossible choice between her new Tudor husband and the boy who could be her own blood and the rightful York King. The White Princess is a tale of power, family, love and betrayal, which charts one of the most tumultuous times in British history uniquely from the point of view of the women waging the ongoing battle for the English throne.
The White Princess is helmed by returning Showrunner and Writer Emma Frost (The White Queen, The Man in the High Castle, Shameless), also on board as Executive Producer, alongside Executive Producer and Director Jamie Payne (Legends, Quantico). Lachlan MacKinnon (Burton and Taylor) is Producer for the series, with Playground’s Colin Callender (The White Queen, The Dresser, Wolf Hall) and Scott Huff (The Missing) serving as Executive Producers along with Company Pictures’ Michele Buck (Hornblower).
The White Princess stars Jodie Comer (as Elizabeth of York aka Lizzie), Jacob Collins-Levy (as King Henry VII), Michelle Fairley (as Lady Margaret Beaufort) and Essie Davis (as Dowager Queen Elizabeth Woodville).