Kate Winslet returns to HBO after its success in Mare of Easttown with a character seemingly dedicated to serving the people but who, in reality, manipulates his way to political dominance, leaving destruction in his wake for a European regime in decline. He continues reading and discovers everything you need to know about the miniseries The regime.
What is it about The regime?
This dark comedy chronicles life within the walls of a modern authoritarian regime that is beginning to crumble. After not leaving the palace for quite some time, Chancellor Elena Vernham (Kate Winslet) has become increasingly paranoid and unstable as she turns to a volatile soldier, Herbert Zubak (Matthias Schoenaerts), as an unlikely confidant. As Zubak’s influence over the chancellor grows, Elena’s attempts to expand her power end up fracturing both the palace and the country around her.
“It’s an imaginary country, but it feels like it takes place in a geopolitical reality that we would recognize, and that says something about how foreign policy works and how these regimes prosper and operate,” creator Will Tracy said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “At the same time, once inside that palace and inside that kind of dream love story between these two characters, yes, there can be a strange aroma of a Habsburg fairy tale.”
Production team and cast
Created by Will Tracybest known for his work as a screenwriter on the acclaimed series Succession and on the tape The menu (2022), the miniseries was directed by Stephen Frears (The Queen) and Jessica Hobbs (The Crown). Tracy also served as showrunner and headed the writers’ room, which included Seth Reiss (The menu), Sarah DeLappe (Death, death, death), Gary Shteyngart (Succession), Jen Spyra (The Onion Film Standard) and Juli Weiner (Last Week Tonight with John Oliver).
The leading cast is made up of Kate Winslet (Titanic), Matthias Schoenaerts (metal and bone), Guillaume Gallienne (Yves Saint Laurent), Andrea Riseborough (Bad luck, good luck), Martha Plimpton (The goonies), Hugh grant (Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves) and Donald Sage Mackay (The great escape).
Winslet not only stars in the series, but also signs on as executive producer along with Tracy, Frears, Hobbs, Frank Rich and Tracey Seaward. In interview with IndieWire, the Oscar nominee mentions that she was attracted to the mix of satire and comedy with such a complex character. However, she did not take inspiration from any real political figure.
“I didn’t look to any specific figure for inspiration because I didn’t think it would be a sensible choice,” Kate said. “I have never read a script like this. I had never met a character like her. And I knew that as a role for me, I had never played anything like her before and I wanted to do comedy. I loved the fact that, yes, it’s about a dictator, but she’s also a dictator. She is not a male dictator. And she knew the nuances and feminine fragility that she could explore behind that mask.”
When does the series premiere? The regime?
The Serie The regime opens on sunday March 3, 2024 o’clock at 9 pm ET (i.e. 8:00 pm Mexico time) on Max and HBO. A new episode will be broadcast every week until its six chapters are complete.