It looks like we'll be seeing a Bridgerton star trade the ballrooms of the ton for the blood-soaked battlefields of the Viking age, as Jessica Madsen joins Prime Video’s upcoming historical drama series Bloodaxe.
Madsen is best known for starring as Cressida Cowper in Netflix’s hit period drama Bridgerton, where she plays one of the ton’s most notorious gossipmongers and social climbers. At the end of season 3, we see her character banished to Wales to live with her aunt after causing much drama for Eloise and Penelope. While we don't know if she'll be returning for the fourth season, we now know that she'll be taking on a dramatically different role in Bloodaxe.
According to Variety, Madsen has been cast as Gunnhild, also known as the Mother of Kings. She is described as the wife of the Viking warrior Erik Bloodaxe, who will be portrayed by Xavier Molyneux (Neighbors). They are the only two actors confirmed so far for the series, which will chronicle the couple’s rise to power as they go through a brutal and ambitious fight for the throne of Norway. This is all happening amidst internal chaos, betrayal, and a looming war that pulls in other Scandinavian kings and an English ruler.
Below, we shared Bloodaxe's official logline via Variety:
"The historical drama will follow Erik Bloodaxe and his wife, Gunnhild, Mother of Kings, as they fight for the throne of Norway. The land is torn apart by fierce rivals, shifting loyalties and bloody betrayals. With war looming and chaos consuming the kingdom, drawing in the ruthless Kings of other Scandinavian countries, and even a powerful English ruler, the stage is set for a thundering, cataclysmic, compelling and utterly magical new Viking Saga.”
The show is produced by MGM Television and created by Michael Hirst, the creator of Vikings, along with his son Horatio Hirst (Vikings: Valhalla, Billy the Kid), who makes his writing debut. The father-and-son duo also work as showrunners and executive producers. Michael writes as well. In addition, Morgan O’Sullivan, Steve Stark, John Weber, Arturo Interian, Sheila Hockin, and Fred Toye are also executive producers.
The only other piece of information known about Bloodaxe at the moment is that the cameras are set to start rolling on the historical drama in Ireland and Iceland in the summer. We'll get back to you with more information about this exciting production as soon as additional details, including more cast announcements and a release date, become available. But for now, you'll just have to check out some of the cast's other work.
Besides Bridgerton, Madsen is known for starring in movies such as Leatherface, Rambo: Last Blood and Dark Light. Other than the popular Australian soap opera Neighbors, Molyneux is known for having roles in the romantic drama film Take My Hand and the drama series Last Days of the Space Age.
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