In the 1600s, the commoner George Villiers rose from gentry to royalty, developing a close relationship with King James I. Their bond was so strong that scholars believed they were lovers, having written flowery letters to one another.
George and James' relationship became the subject of Benjamin Woolley's non-fiction book The King's Assassin, released in 2017. The book acts as source material for DC Moore's new drama series Mary & George, starring Julianne Moore, Nicholas Galitzine and Tony Curran.
The seven-part miniseries is directed by South African filmmaker Oliver Hermanus, Alex Winckler and Florian Cossen. Hermanus is also one of the executive producers, with the series being his first foray into television.