FOXTEL’s W channel heralds the second season of The Borgias to premiere May 17, Thursdays at 7.30pm EST.
The Borgias is a dramatic portrait of one of history’s most intriguing and infamous dynasties.Oscar®-winning actor Jeremy Irons returns in his Golden Globe®-nominated role as Rodrigo, the cunning, manipulative Borgia patriarch who ascended to become Pope Alexander VI.
Flesh and Blood
While rats, disease and poverty festered outside the Vatican walls, the infamous Borgia family ruthlessly held power through the Papal throne during the turbulent Bacchanalian decadence of 15th century Rome. They ruled via intimidation and violence, crushing their enemies and inciting fear, division, and revulsion among anyone who would dare challenge their power.
Power, Vengeance, Forbidden Love
As the ten episode season unfolds, the greatest threat to Alexander’s Papacy may not come from foreign adversaries or ambitious political operatives, instead it may linger within his own brood.
He seeks to consolidate his power and enlists his family to take an oath of revenge on the great noble houses that dared to stand against him.
But Alexander’s children are growing up and defying his authority. Lucrezia (Holliday Grainger), now with her own child to tend, starts asserting some independence. The sibling rivalry between Cesare (François Arnaud) and Juan (David Oakes) will soon turn to hatred as their father’s unwavering favouritism toward Juan triggers Cesare to engage his dark side.
An unlikely alliance is forged between the mother of Alexander’s children, Vanozza (Joanne Whalley), and his mistress, Giulia (Lotte Verbeek), when he takes yet another lover.
And, Alexander’s old enemy Cardinal Della Rovere (Colm Feore) continues to conspire against him.
About the production
“The first year, I felt the need to lay out the historical tableau with a great amount of clarity,” says executive producer, creator, writer and director Neil Jordan. “So when we came to the second season, it was like, suddenly you’ve got all these characters, and you can let them rip. It was a lot of fun.”
Season two features a bareback horserace through the Roman streets, a bloody castle siege, a sumptuous masked ball and the notorious “Bonfire of Vanities”.
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