Mary & George: Sky series on Jacobean court intrigue premieres March 5

Mary & George, a seven-episode miniseries based on Benjamin Woolley's book The King's Assassin, dramatizes the true story of Mary Villiers (née Beaumont), Countess of Buckingham, and her son George Villiers. Set during the reign of King James I of England, the series follows Mary's ambitious social climb using her handsome son George to seduce the king. George was sent to France as a child to learn courtly manners and later became the king's favorite, eventually titled Duke of Buckingham. James I described their bond as feeling like both 'father and husband' to George. In the final years of James's reign and the early years of Charles I, George effectively ruled England. His power, described in contemporary chronicles as 'so great that it frightens everyone,' led to enmity with Parliament, which twice failed to remove him. George was assassinated in 1628, three years after James I's death; Mary died in 1632. Both are buried in Westminster Abbey. The cast includes Julianne Moore as Mary Villiers, Nicholas Galitzine as George, and Anthony Curran as King James. South African director Oliver Hermanus helms the series, which features artistic references such as a tableau recreating the Villiers family portrait. The trailer's soundtrack is a remix of The Stooges' I Wanna Be Your Dog, hinting at the erotic content. Mary & George premieres March 5 on Sky and streams on NOW.