Interview with Sarah Winter
Interview with Sarah Winter, who plays Louise de La Vallière in BBC Two drama Versailles.
Published: 10 May 2016
The scale of it all was just epic - it was like time travelling back to the best house party where anything could happen.
What attracted you to the role of Louise?
I didn’t know much about Louise de La Vallière before, but as soon as I was given the role I did a huge amount of research and then was thrilled to be playing her because she’s a fascinating character in history. So troubled, so intriguing, and in France she’s so iconic that I wanted to get her right. For an actor to play any role that’s so troubled and layered is very exciting. She’s constantly torn all the way through the series between her two sources of conflict - her relationship with the King and her relationship with God. She's also quite a misfit in court - never joining in with the manipulative power games, and that really fascinated me.
What attracted you to the series?
I was taken to the Palace of Versailles when I was about eight and remember thinking how overwhelming it was - like a whole little world inside the Palace. And I remember thinking the Hall of Mirrors was just magical. Discovering a whole series was going to be set there was a definite attraction, but it was the characters - some that you can't quite believe existed - and the thrilling, contemporary storytelling that attracted me most.
What was it like to work on a show of such huge scale?
Pretty overwhelming, in the best possible way. It’s so filmic. The sets are on such an epic scale that it looks and feels more like a film than a TV set. And to actually be at Versailles Palace to film on some days was just bonkers. There was one day we were filming there with tons of extras and a huge golden carriage in front of the palace and I almost forgot my lines, because it was all so surreal. The whole cast were very aware of the production values and the scale of this series the whole time, because everything is so beautifully, carefully done - so detailed and so lavish.
What do you think sets Versailles apart from other historical drama on TV?
Versailles has got all the best elements of a traditional costume drama, but here they’re seen through a more contemporary lens. The shooting style is quite different - the camera will sometimes go everywhere - and then you’ve got this fresh modern soundtrack. It feels slightly more dangerous than some more traditional costume dramas and really has an intense edge to it.
What have you found so rewarding about working on Versailles?
So much! The cast are just incredible; it’s a real privilege to work with so many exciting actors, and the showrunners, David and Simon, are just brilliant and kept coming up with new ideas all the time. And the scale of it all was just epic from beginning to end. It was like time travelling back to the best house party where anything could happen.
