Rebecca Ferguson’s Most Gripping Miniseries Role Is in Prime Video’s Perfect 10-Part Weekend Binge

Rebecca Ferguson is one of the most compelling rising stars in movies right now. Her breakout role was playing Ilsa Faust in Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation. Since then, she’s shown her range in other blockbusters like Dune and The Greatest Showman, as well as smaller movies like Doctor Sleep. She’s also a compelling television lead on AppleTV’s sci-fi show Silo. Her grounded performance in Silo completely sells the goofier aspects of the show. Although she truly became a star in the last few years, Ferguson has been working since 1999, mostly in television. One of her best TV roles from before she broke out is available to watch on Prime Video. In 2013, two years before Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation, Ferguson starred in a historical miniseries for BBC One.

The White Queen is a miniseries set during the War of the Roses. It focuses on three women: Elizabeth Woodville, the wife of King Edward IV; Margaret Beaufort, the mother of King Henry VII; and Anne Neville, the wife of King Richard III. Amanda Hale (The Crimson Petal and the White) plays Margaret Beaufort, and Faye Marsay (Andor) plays Anne Neville. The way the show dramatizes historical events through a soap-operatic lens of interpersonal drama is very entertaining, and the overall ensemble is strong, but the main reason to watch is the standout performance by Rebecca Ferguson. Ferguson’s performance alone makes Elizabeth the most captivating character in the series. The role earned her a Golden Globe nomination.

'The White Queen' Depicts War From a Woman's Perspective

The White Queen is based on Philippa Gregory’s 2009 historical novel of the same name. Both the novel and the show depict the romance between Elizabeth and Edward IV. With the help of her mother, Jacquetta (Janet McTeer), Elizabeth and Edward IV attempt to secure power through strategic marriages and by placing members of Elizabeth’s family in high-ranking positions. But, while they do their best to hold onto power, the future of the throne is up in the air, especially early in the series, as people wonder if Elizabeth will ever give Edward IV a son.

At the time, the miniseries was most likely trying to replicate Game of Thrones, but it feels more like House of the Dragon due to the focus on rivalries between women. The tagline of the series is “Men go to battle, women wage war.” This approach to the story is very effective. It’s fascinating watching how, during this time period, marriages and pregnancies shaped the futures of nations. Elizabeth is trapped in a situation where everything is dictated by things not entirely in her control, like whether she’ll birth a son. Rebecca Ferguson’s performance makes her feel like such an active character, even when she’s living in a time when women had very little agency and much of her life is entirely up to fate.

In the first episode, Elizabeth starts as a widow who has lost the land her sons were set to inherit. From the beginning, Ferguson’s performance is gripping as she embodies this woman who has to humble herself and plead for her land from a new King. Edward is immediately taken with Elizabeth and wants her as his mistress. With the enormous power imbalance, this is an extremely delicate situation for Elizabeth. But she navigates it so well that instead of becoming the King’s mistress, she becomes his wife and the Queen of England. Ferguson’s understated performance makes this first episode wonderfully tense. It’s hard to tell what Elizabeth is thinking, and it’s not until the end, when she secures a marriage, that the audience realizes she’s calculating and shouldn’t be underestimated.

Rebecca Ferguson Played Well Off Her 'The White Queen' Co-Star

Janet McTeer is also excellent as Elizabeth’s mother, and she and Rebecca Ferguson play well off each other. The scenes of these two women trying to strategize under extraordinary circumstances are the best moments in the series. Jacquetta is immediately presented as a social climber. In the first episode, someone accuses her of making up a title for her husband so that it wouldn’t reflect poorly on her when she married him. Throughout the series, Elizabeth takes a more emotional, family-driven approach to things, while Jacquetta has a big-picture, more status-driven approach.

Though it drives the first half of the show, the Elizabeth and Jacquetta dynamic is at its strongest in Episode 6. Elizabeth is concerned about Edward IV’s latest mistress, saying he truly cares for this one. Jacquetta quickly and coldly shuts down her concerns, saying no other woman matters or could ever matter because “you are the queen.” Later, Jacquetta stays emotionally detached even as she tells Elizabeth that she’s dying. In contrast to McTeer’s strong stoicism, Ferguson plays this scene very emotionally vulnerable, showing the audience just how much Elizabeth depended on her mother.

'The White Queen' Is a Soap Opera for History Buffs

The White Queen’s ten episodes cover a time from 1464 to 1485. As the show goes on, power dynamics and alliances continually shift. Ferguson’s scenes always shine. She plays Elizabeth as a shrewd woman and mother who plays this game well while having enough vulnerability to make her compelling. The performance is probably most similar to her role as Lady Jessica in Dune. While the two stories are very different, in both roles, Ferguson is a mother who must navigate political intrigue.

The White Queen has two sequel series. The White Princess picks up right where The White Queen left off, taking place from 1485 to 1496. The Spanish Princess covers 1501 to 1525. Writer Emma Frost returned to work on both sequel series. While Rebecca Ferguson is not in either of the sequels, The White Princess does feature another rising movie star: Jodie Comer (The Last Duel, The Bikeriders) as Elizabeth of York.

Whether you’re a history buff or just craving a show with the same kind of power dynamics and turns as Succession or House of the Dragon, The White Queen is an addictive binge. The performance by Ferguson fuels the show, and it is among the best performances of her career, so The White Queen is well worth checking out.