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THE LEGEND OF King Arthur has been told countless times, but this new fantasy drama shows there is plenty of life left in the ancient tale by reimagining it from the perspective of the ill-fated Lady of the Lake.
Adapted from an illustrated novel, the story follows Nimue (13
Reasons Why’s Katherine Langford) – a young woman with powerful magical abilities – who is forced to flee when her village is destroyed and her mother is killed by the puritanical Red Paladins.
‘Nimue embarks on an epic journey,’ says Langford, 24. ‘On one hand, she’s going through great personal loss and growth, and then she also has the greater challenge of overcoming adversity.
‘For me, Nimue represents courage. She’s a hopeful beacon and also an interesting heroine.’
DANGEROUS JOURNEY
Nimue’s mother’s final act is to entrust her with a sword that must be delivered to Merlin, but having this sacred artefact puts an even bigger target on Nimue’s back.
On her journey, she also runs into Arthur (Devon Terrell), a scruffy knight who isn’t exactly the kingly figure of legend.
‘The story is mainly about the fight for survival of your culture and your people,’ reveals Terrell, 27. ‘And it’s about discovering the depths of your true power and your destiny.’
Willing to help Nimue with her task, Arthur offers to hide her with a friend, Sister Igraine (Shalom Brune-franklin), in a convent for safety.
‘Igraine is bold, brash and a bit mysterious at the beginning,’ says Brune-franklin, 25. ‘When we first meet her, we don’t quite understand where she fits into the story, but it starts to make sense by the end of episode three. She has an amazing journey throughout the series.’
KATHERINE LANGFORD plays the mystical Lady of the Lake in a new version of the Arthurian legend
Filming for the series mainly took place in Wales and England, where the cast had to brush up on their medieval skills.
NEW SKILLS
‘I had to learn how to ride a horse, which is quite difficult,’ admits Brune-franklin. ‘The stunt team taught us everything we needed to know, but I was so nervous up there. I kept expecting the horse to just take off. Luckily, it never happened because they are so well-trained.’ ‘I worked extremely hard with my sword training and archery,’ adds Terrell. ‘I just wanted people to believe that I could fight and look the part, so
I did most of my stunts. One time I insisted on doing a stunt that involved me jumping out of a carriage. I got completely covered in mud, but it was a thrill.’