We brought you the first look at Saoirse Ronan as the title character in Mary Queen Of Scots a few days ago, along with some fresh cast additions. One more name has been put on the list, with Gemma Chan stepping aboard.
Mary's tale is, of course, one of those endlessly re-examined stories: the tragic/hapless Scottish queen lived a life marred by death, high drama and international intrigue. As a baby she was engaged to the heir to the French throne, who she later married – but he died young and she returned to Scotland to be the centre of conspiracies both romantic and political. Cue failed marriages, disastrously bad decisions, possible murders, imprisonment and a serious falling out with her cousin Elizabeth I (Margot Robbie).
Chan is playing Bess of Hardwick, who was Elizabeth's friend and confidante and, with her husband, the Earl of Shrewsbury, eventually ended up becoming one of Mary's captors for 15 years. David Tennant, Brendan Coyle, Guy Pearce and Jack Lowden are all aboard the film, which theatre director Josie Rourke has just started shooting.