Who Plays Who?

Emily Blunt Rupert Friend Paul Bettany Miranda Richardson Jim Broadbent Thomas Kretschmann Mark Strong Jesper Christensen Harriet Walter Jeanette Hain Julian Glover Michael Maloney Michiel Huisman Genevieve O'Reilly Rachael Stirling Alice Glover Morven Christie Josef Altin Michaela Brooks Grace Smith Sophie Roberts

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Young Victoria Prince Albert Lord Melbourne Duchess of Kent King William King Leopold of Belgium Sir John Conroy Baron Stockmar Queen Adelaide Baroness Lehzen Duke of Wellington Sir Robert Peel Ernest Lady Flora Hastings Duchess of Sutherland Duchess of Montrose Watson Edward Oxford Young Victoria (11yo) Young Victoria Age (5yo) Lady Portman

What Do The Critics Say

"It’s actually a quite lovely film; gorgeous locations, fabulous costumes, and truly excellent performances. Emily Blunt is totally believable as the young Queen, she’s establishing herself as a fine young screen actress. This is such an interesting film if you’re not aware of the early history of Victoria." Margaret Pomeranz ABC AT THE MOVIES "Friend, as Albert, is this film’s secret weapon: ardent, subtly proud, a little shy, and a man with an intellectual philosophy he intends to preserve. The film glows as it gets to know him, and your resistance, like Victoria’s, melts away. Tim Robey DAILY TELEGRAPH "Here is a worthwhile period drama and glance back at English heritage." CATHNEWS "It's beautifully shot, staged on a grand scale and detailed down to every thread and bead." Rich Cline SHADOWS ON THE WALL "It swirls with passion and intrigue, with Blunt’s sovereign feisty in state matters and charmingly flirtatious with Prince Albert." Jane Crowther HEAT MAGAZINE "Blunt is magnificent here, surrounded by a sumptuous ensemble who give life, passion and warmth to this fast paced and engaging tale, suitably worth of its royal lineage and glorious in every way. But the film's biggest surprise is Rupert Friend's Albert." Sandra Hall THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD "Hugely enjoyable biopic with a great script, impressive production design and delightful performances from Emily Blunt, Rupert Friend and a strong supporting cast. In short, The Young Victoria is a highly enjoyable historical drama that deserves to be a huge hit, thanks to an engaging script and superb performances from Blunt and Friend. Highly recommended." Matthew Turner VIEW LONDON

"I’m a guy who, like most guys, isn’t really that into costume dramas. They can be dry, fusty, clichéd and dull but Young Victoria is like a breath of fresh air for the genre. Rupert Friend is excellent as Prince Albert, perfectly cast. Emily Blunt is stunning and sublime as Victoria and really impresses in what is her first real chance to lead a film’s cast. Perfect costume drama that will entertain and impress." Simon Thompson HEART 106.2 "This charming costume drama might lack the bodice-ripping rowdiness of other recent historical romances, but it is classy and clever. Wonderfully scripted by Julian Fellowes, it has Emily Blunt in cracking form as the young queen." Mark Adams SUNDAY MIRROR "Strong performances, production qualities and courtly intrigue ensure that audiences will wish this romantic drama went for just that little bit longer. With deft skill, the film faithfully recreates a golden period when a teenager shouldered her birthright and fell in love with a German prince. Emily Blunt magically assumes the role." Colin Fraser FILMINK "Blunt and Friend quickly establish the screen chemistry vital to the movie’s success in a delicious scene in which the two play chess under the watchful eyes of their scheming elders. The complicity they develop forms the basis for a long-distance courtship that slowly ripens into love. Well-groomed, upscale, three-hankie entertainment for the Masterpiece Theatre crowd. Derek Elley VARIETY "Young Victoria creates a world of rich detail inhabited by a woman clashing against social constraints and expectations. It's pure escapism and unashamedly romantic. With an outstanding lead performance and a refined script it stands proud with the best of them. Young Victoria creates a world of rich detail inhabited by a woman clashing against social constraints and expectations." Simon Reynolds DIGITAL SPY

The Inside Story 2007 Academy Award ® winning British producer Graham King ("The Departed") was in production on "The Departed", when the idea for The Young Victoria was presented to him. "A mutual friend arranged a meeting with Sarah Ferguson and she pitched several projects to me. She was full of ideas and she had one about Queen Victoria. She said she always wanted to show the queen in a different way to how she was commonly perceived, as always in mourning. The idea stayed with me and I talked to Marty (Scorsese) about it and he pointed out it had never been done before. I've been trying to make a film in the UK for fifteen years and I'd never found the right script or even the right material. I'd never had the emotion or the passion to make a film in the UK before now. But this felt right." 2002 Oscar ® winning screen-writer Julian Fellowes ("Gosford Park") heard about the project early on and contacted King about writing the script. Having been interested for a long time in the life of Queen Victoria, it was a dream project for him. "I was very keen. It's always a great advantage when a subject comes to you that is already in your life. I thought if someone else writes this film I'll have to kill myself!" Fellowes says. "I met Graham and Scorsese in Martin's trailer when they were shooting The Departed, which in itself was an iconic day." King ("The Aviator") and 2007 Oscar ® winning director Scorsese ("The Departed") were so taken with Fellowes ideas they immediately commissioned him to write the script. Six months later it was completed. King was impressed. "His first draft was close to a shooting script, I knew as soon as I read it we had a movie. It's very rare to get a first draft that is as good as this was, but as he said, he was born to write this." For 2005 National Board of Review Award winner Fellowes ("Separate Lies") it was the early life of the young queen that fascinated him. "Ninety nine per cent of the public don't know anything about the story of her early life and will be surprised." The film covers a period from 1836 (the year before Victoria ascended the throne), to 1840 when she married Prince Albert. It sets out to revise the widely held picture of Queen Victoria as an elderly widow dressed in black. "The Queen Victoria everyone knows is the older Widow of Windsor with the handkerchief on her head, a rather fat woman in black looking depressed. Very few people know about the other side of her, her early life: that she was young, that she loved dancing, that she loved music and that she was very romantic. Some girls like to have fun and she was certainly one of them," Fellowes ("Piccadilly Jim") explained. "The extraordinary story at the beginning of her reign is how everyone tries to control her. I was convinced we should begin the film before her succession and her marriage to Albert. That way you can see her struggle with her mother, the Duchess of Kent, who tried to devise a role for herself so she could get more control. The business of instant celebrity is also interesting. One minute Victoria was living under virtual house arrest, the next she was the most famous woman in the world." The film charts Victoria's journey to the throne. It was a difficult one as her own mother the Duchess of Kent, in league with Sir John Conroy, controller of her household tried to get power over Victoria by being named Regent. This would allow the Duchess to effectively be Queen until Victoria was old enough to rule if she was to take the crown before her 18th birthday. But her Uncle, William IV (known as the 'Sailor King' and 'Silly Billy'), King of Great Britain and Ireland, died on Tuesday the 20th of June 1837, without surviving children. That left Victoria, who had turned eighteen, the heir to the throne. At the heart of the film is the love story of Victoria and Albert (her cousin), who she married on February 10th 1840. This happy and fulfilled chapter is the focus of the film. "Prince Albert was purposefully chosen for Victoria over his less attractive older brother, by his uncle King Leopold of Belgium," Fellowes explained. "Leopold was using Albert to jostle for power and influence over the British throne and considered him ideal for a woman who was determined to marry for love. What is interesting is that Albert fell for her completely. He came from a very dour German court and suddenly he was with this girl who was out for a good time. She loved dancing, music, riding. Everyone had overlooked the possibility that they would fall in love with each other." What was it about the story that appealed to King? It was the romance. "It is a pure love story to me. It is a human story, a story that people can relate to rather than just being a standard period film or film about royalty. I didn't want it to be a conventional period film, but something a bit hipper and a bit edgier." With the screenplay underway, the producers’ attention turned to who would direct the film. King explained how five time Genie Award winner Jean-Marc Vallée came on board as director. "Jean-Marc's film "C.R.A.Z.Y" landed on my desk and I took it home one night and watched it. I was really impressed by it. I immediately called Marty and told him he had to see the film as I thought Jean-Marc had real talent; not only visually, but how he dealt with the characters was fascinating to me. I actually thought it was Scorsese-ish. Marty watched it and also loved it." King met with Vallée and found they had the same approach to the material. "We both wanted to make something with an edge to it, with amazing visuals, but with characters that the audience could relate to. Jean-Marc was a hot property in Hollywood after C.R.A.Z.Y, and he had a lot of scripts thrown at him, but this was the only script he felt passionately about. I was really excited about his vision for the film." Vallée was won over by the strength of the story, Fellowes' writing and the complexity and integrity of the characters, but it was the girl at the heart of the story who really inspired him. "It's rare to read a good script and I loved this one. It was character driven and was a beautifully observed piece about family and human relationships and I wanted to understand more about these characters," he said. "I'm moved by beautiful stories and this is one: of the young girl who became the Queen of England at eighteen years old. It touched me." And there was another aspect that caught the directors imagination: the romance of Victoria's marriage to Albert. "Victoria was lucky enough to find her soul-mate in Albert. There was a mystical quality to their relationship. They were born three months apart and the same mid-wife delivered them both. They wrote the same things in their diaries and although their marriage was arranged, they really fell in love." Julian Fellowes was delighted by the producer's choice of director. "This was his first big English-speaking film and yet he looks as if it's his thirtieth, which is very impressive as there are a lot of big scenes: operas, balls and the coronation. It was a lucky day for me that he got the job. He also knows the film he wants to make, so you have a wonderful feeling of security that there is someone at the helm who's got both hands on the wheel and believe me that is not always the case!" When it came to casting the film, fate it seems, stepped in and played a huge part in the process. Those who see the film will agree, 2005 Evening Standard British Film Award winning actress Emily Blunt ("My Summer Of Love") is sensational as Victoria. Producer Graham King revealed how 2007 ALSF British Supporting Actress of the Year Emily Blunt ("The Devil Wears Prada") was cast in the lead role. "Before I had really had time to think about who would play Victoria I got a call from Emily Blunt's agent saying she would like to meet me. She came over and said she had read the script and she was desperate to play this part. She had a huge passion for the role. After that I watched everything she'd been in and realized she was perfect. She's the real deal as an actress." Shortly after that meeting, two time Cannes Film Festival winner Scorcese (1976 & '86) and 2005 PGA Motion Picture Producer of the Year Award winner King attended the 2007 Golden Globes. Here they watched as Blunt received the Golden Globe for her roles as Natasha in the made for TV BBC drama "Gideon's Daughter" (Blunt picked up the Best Supporting Actress while Bill Nighy took Best Actor). In another twist of fate, 1986 Evening Standard British Film Best Actress Award winner Miranda Richardson, who played Stella "Gideon's Daughter" would later be cast in "The Young Victoria" as the Victoria's mother, the Duchess of Kent (Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg). As the two watched Blunt receive her award, Scorcese said to King: "that's Queen Victoria." For Vallée it was a matter of serendipity. "It was perfect timing that this script and Emily came together. There was some hype around her in Hollywood and after seeing her in "My Summer of Love" you could see she was a wonderful actress on the rise. At my first meeting with her I knew that she understood the character. Casting is very instinctive and you have to trust in the performance you're going to get. She more than matched my expectations. She's so talented, she brings such nuances to the performance that she makes us care about the character and the camera adores her." And why did Blunt (who played Prudie Drummond in 2007's "The Jane Austen Book Club") have such a passion for the role? "I couldn't help but be attracted to this remarkable, high-spirited, feisty girl. The script was very exciting, as the public and private Victoria are very different and you realize what a performance it was to be a queen." Blunt says she found herself identifying with Victoria. "I identify with her hugely. We all know what it is like to be a teenager, to stubbornly think we know it all and to actually be in a job which is way over your head, not to mention being deeply in love for the first time. She had such zest for life at a young age and would talk with such passion about the people she loved, opera even food." The filmmakers now turned to casting Albert. "We looked at a lot of young European actors for Albert; the most important thing was for there to be chemistry between the actor and Emily, without that there wouldn't be a movie. We knew of Rupert from "Pride and Prejudice" and as soon as he came and sat in a room with Emily it was a done deal. I think he's an up and coming star," King said. "We were really lucky with the casting of both Emily and Rupert." "I had an image of Albert in my mind, before we cast Rupert, and how the actor might play him and when Rupert came on board he was just right," says Vallée. "He really looks the part, he looks so romantic!" "I was aware of him, partly as I would see his statue in Hyde Park every day," Friend explained. "But when I started to read about him I realized what a huge force he was in the marriage and what a huge influence he had over Britain and I started to realize that he was one of the great under-sung heroes of British history." And working with Blunt? "I was really, really excited to work with Emily as I've been a fan from a distance for a long time." Synopsis

On May 24th 1819, Victoria, the only child of Edward, Duke of Kent, and Victoria Maria Louisa of Saxe-Coburg is born. As the one day heir to the throne, her life is a sheltered one, dominated by her mother and her mother's confidant, Sir John Conroy. She cannot play with other children, is told what she must read and as she gets closer to her eighteenth birthday is bullied by Sir John constantly. Victoria's only friend is her doting governess, Lehzen. But when Victoria’s handsome cousin Albert (the nephew of her Uncle, King Leopold of Belgium) comes for a visit, her life takes a new turn. It's obvious he's been schooled to make a suitable impression, but there is something about him she likes: his honesty. Then, on the 20th of June 1837, her Uncle, King William IV dies. Albert visits London for her coronation and the friendship between the two deepens. It will in time lead to love and, marriage.

The Verdict "Those who have followed the career of British actress Emily Blunt will quickly point out that she has always been a star on the rise. Her career started with "My Summer Of Love", and it has led to roles alongside some of the biggest names and rising stars in film today, including: Oscar ® winner Susan Sarandon in "Irresistible"; Oscar ® winner Meryl Streep in "The Devil Wears Prada"; Hugh Dancy in "The Jane Austen Book Club"; Oscar ® winner Juliette Binoche in "Dan in Real Life"; Oscar ® winner Tom Hanks in "Charlie Wilson's War"; Oscar ® winner Alan Arkin in "Sunshine Cleaning" and, the great John Malkovich in "The Great Buck Howard". "The Young Victoria" boasts a highly competent ensemble cast including: Paul Bettany ("A Beautiful Mind"), Miranda Richardson ("The Rage in Placid Lake"), Thomas Kretschmann ("King Kong"), Mark Strong ("Body Of Lies"), Rupert Friend ("Mrs Palfrey at The Claremont") and, 2002 Oscar ® winner Jim Broadbent. I must say that, even though his screen-time is very short, Broadbent (looking remarkabley like William IV) gives an attention grabbing performance as Victoria's uncle. Despite all the supporting cast give highly commendable performances and never putting a foot wrong, this truly is a showcase for the talented Blunt. Lovers of British period pieces will savour every moment of "The Young Victoria". From its cast to its settings; its gorgeous costuming; the sumptuous dinner hosted by King William IV; the Coronation; the toing and froing of the Royal household; the manouvering of the Parliament of the day; and of course, watching romance blossom between the young Victoria and Albert, to whom she provided nine children: Victoria, Bertie, Alice, Alfred, Helena, Louise, Arthur, Leopold, and Beatrice. I'm sure there will be many leaving the theatre thinking, 'if only it had run another thirty or so minutes longer.' A joyous experience. 4 1/2 STARS." The Production Team

Director Written by Producers Original Music Cinematography Film Editor Casting Production Designer Art Direction Set Decoration Costume Design

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Jean-Marc Vallée Julian Fellowes Sarah Ferguson/Tim Headington/Graham King Ilan Eshkeri Hagen Bogdanski Jill Bilcock & Matt Garner Susie Figgis Patrice Vermette Paul Inglis/Chris Lowe/Alexandra Walker Maggie Gray Sandy Powell

Run Time 105 minutes Rated PG [AUST] Copyright ©2009 - Roadshow Films - All Rights Reserved ©1999-2009 All Rights Reserved The Movie Pages - Protected by Australian & International Copyright. Trademark Laws Apply.