The Borgias (2011 TV series)From Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJump to: navigation, search For the French/German television series created by Tom Fontana, see Borgia (TV series).The BorgiasGenreHistorical fictionCreated byNeil JordanStarring
Jeremy Irons
François Arnaud
Holliday Grainger
Joanne Whalley
Lotte Verbeek
David Oakes
Sean Harris
Simon McBurney
Steven Berkoff
Aidan Alexander
Colm Feore
Theme music composerTrevor MorrisCountry of origin
Canada[1]
Hungary[1]
Ireland[1]
Language(s)EnglishNo. of seasons1No. of episodes6 (List of episodes)ProductionExecutive producer(s)
Neil Jordan
Jack Rapke
Darryl Frank
John Weber
Sheila Hockin
James Flynn
Producer(s)
Neil Jordan
Michael Hirst
Location(s)Hungary[1]Running time55 minutesProduction company(s)
Take 5 Productions
CTV
Showtime[1]
BroadcastOriginal channel
Bravo!! (Canada)[1]
Showtime (U.S.)
Picture format16:9Original runApril 3, 2011 (2011-04-03) ��" presentStatusAiringExternal linksWebsiteProduction websiteThe Borgias is a 2011 Canadian-Hungarian-Irish historical-fiction television series created by Neil Jordan.
The series is based on the Borgia family (Borja in Valencian), an Italian dynasty of Spanish origin, and stars Jeremy Irons as Pope Alexander VI and David Oakes, François Arnaud, Holliday Grainger and Aidan Alexander as Juan, Cesare, Lucrezia and Gioffre Borgia, respectively. Derek Jacobi also stars as Cardinal Orsini.[2]
It premiered on April 3, 2011, at 9 p.m. Eastern (UTC��'04:00) on Showtime in the United States and at 10 p.m. on Bravo!! in Canada.[1][3]
On April 25, 2011, Showtime ordered a second season of The Borgias.[4]
Contents
[hide]
1 Cast
1.1 Supporting cast
[*]2 Productions notes
[*]3 Episodes
[*]4 Historical notes
[*]5 See also
[*]6 References
[*]7 External links
Cast
Jeremy Irons as Rodrigo Borgia / Pope Alexander VI
François Arnaud as Cesare Borgia
Holliday Grainger as Lucrezia Borgia
Joanne Whalley as Vannozza dei Cattanei (Vanozza Cattaneo in the series)
Lotte Verbeek as Giulia Farnese
David Oakes as Juan Borgia
Sean Harris as Michelotto Corella (Micheletto in the series)
Steven Berkoff as Girolamo Savonarola
Simon McBurney as Johannes Burchart
Aidan Alexander as Gioffre Borgia
Colm Feore as Giuliano della Rovere (later Pope Julius II)
Supporting cast
Derek Jacobi as Orsino Orsini (the real Orsino Orsini was the husband of Giulia Farnese, not, as depicted in the series, an aged cardinal)
Ruta Gedmintas as Ursula Bonadeo (fictional character)
Elyes Gabel as Prince Cem
Montserrat Lombard as Maria
Emmanuelle Chriqui as Sancia
Vernon Dobtcheff as Cardinal Julius Verscucci (fictional character)
Bosco Hogan as Alessandro Piccolomini (later Pope Pius III) (real counterpart: Francesco Piccolomini)
Luke Pasqualino as Paolo
Gina Mckee as Caterina Sforza (Catherine Sforza in the series)
Peter Sullivan as Ascanio Sforza
Julian Bleach as Niccolò Machiavelli
Ivan Kaye as Ludovico Sforza
Michel Muller as Charles VIII of France
David Lowe as French Ambassador
Ruta Gedmintas and Bosco Hogan both appeared in Showtimes previous historical series The Tudors, as Elizabeth Blount and Bishop Fisher respectively.
Productions notes
The series was shot in Hungary.[3]
Episodes
Main article: List of The Borgias episodesThe series has nine episodes; the premiere encompassed two episodes, with the remaining seven episodes being first-aired each week following.
Historical notes
Historically, Orsino Orsini was not a cardinal but Giulia Farnese's husband. The Borgias, although, did murder a cardinal Orsini: it was Giovanni Battista Orsini, killed in 1503 and not in 1492.
When her father became Pope, Lucrezia Borgia was 12 and not 14 years old.
Although in the show Rodrigo tells Cesare he was his age when he was ordered cardinal, it is not true: he was 25 while Cesare, in 1492, was only 16.
Giulia Farnese already was Alexander's mistress when he became Pope. They were introduced to each other by his cousin.
The picture Lady with a unicorn, which is thought to portray Giulia Farnese, was made by Raphael (Raffaello Sanzio).
Prince Djem mysteriously died in 1495, but he probably wasn't murdered. It's also difficult to think that Juan was the murderer, since he was the closest to him between the Borgias. Lucrezia's dowery, anyway, had nothing to do with Djem's death.
Lucrezia's wedding with Giovanni Sforza, who was 26, was officiated by notary Beneimbene in the Borgia Apartament. Celebrated in June, the marriage was consummated in September. As far as we know, Sforza wasn't violent nor ungallant; anyway he and Lucrezia lived apart during most of their marriage.
Baroness Ursula Bonadeo and the stable boy Paolo are fictional characters. Paolo may be a relaboration of Perotto, a servant of Pope Alexander who probably had an affair with Lucrezia after her divorce.