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posted by revengineSTAFFMOD on February 20, 2018 at 1:47 AM
Does Jenna Coleman wear contacts for her role in Victoria? I'm looking at her bio-pic and it appears to me that she has brown eyes but in Victoria they are a stunning blue. What gives?
Reply by genplant29
on February 20, 2018 at 12:38 PM
I had never noticed that. Good observation, revengine!
Indeed, on the TMDb actress profile picture of Jenna Coleman her eyes are hazel/brown. On all the TMDb Victoria posters, the Queen Victoria character's eyes most definitely are blue!
Reply by revengine
on February 25, 2018 at 9:55 PM
Thanks but I have to admit I didn't catch the difference on my first viewing of Jenna's profile pic. Something else I noticed is that she was born in 1986 which means she was probably close to thirty when she started Victoria playing a character who was eighteen. Not that it really matters as Jenna is doing a good job with the part, I just thought it was funny. And seeing as how time will be passing more quickly on the show I'm sure they'll be caught up to Jenna's real age (and pass it) soon enough.
Reply by genplant29
on February 28, 2018 at 5:00 PM
I recently read somewhere (no idea where) that there is question about whether, as the Victoria character eventually significantly ages and gains physical heft, tiny, beautiful, very youthful looking Coleman should be replaced by an older, heavier, more matronly, "plain" looking actress, or if Coleman should be aged and made to appear heavy via padding, make-up effects, and wigs.
I'd like to see Jenna continue in the role for as long as possible, though doubt she'll be right for the part once the Victoria character is into her 40s and beyond. Here's a picture of Queen Victoria in middle age: https://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/dynamic/36/590x/secondary/queen-victoria-1009812.jpg
This is seeming, to me, like a series that probably will run for multiple seasons more - probably at least a few.
Reply by revengine
on March 8, 2018 at 4:21 AM
That picture of the real Victoria - yikes! But I guess having 9 kids will do that to you. It will be interesting to see how they handle the situation of an aging and weight gaining Victoria using the actress Jenna Coleman. My guess is they'll probably continue to use Jenna Coleman and, like you said, make use of costume padding and make up prosthetics. The show is pretty popular and it's not like they'll be running out of subject matter any time soon seeing as Victoria lived to 81.
Reply by genplant29
on March 8, 2018 at 4:45 AM
I noticed in the Christmas special that Victoria was wearing quite shapeless (not tailored, and a bit frumpy) short jacket tops, which I don't know whether that was strictly to depict winter wear, or more so to suggest that she's gaining weight at this point.
I can picture producers choosing to stretch keeping Jenna Coleman in the role till the Victoria character is around age 40. Perhaps 45. Jenna is so tiny, youthful looking, and beautiful that substantially aging and padding her seems like it would be difficult to credibly pull off. Probably best to go with a more subtle "implied" approach.
Reply by bratface
on March 8, 2018 at 3:31 PM
If you are referring to the painting in the link above your post, she was around 60 years old when it was painted. Try having 9 children & see how good you look.
Reply by genplant29
on March 8, 2018 at 8:09 PM
Yep, that definitely will take a toll on the body and looks.
Reply by bratface
on March 8, 2018 at 9:43 PM
And considering she was pretty petite, she was only 5 feet tall. But even today I couldn't imagine having 9 children.
Reply by revengine
on March 16, 2018 at 12:41 PM
Yep, I agree. That's why the second sentence I wrote says "But I guess having 9 kids will do that to you." I recently watched The Young Victoria with Emily Blunt (one of the rare few actors or actresses where I'll watch a movie just because she's in it) and I thought the portrayal of her relationship with Melbourne was interesting.
Reply by bratface
on March 16, 2018 at 1:49 PM
I just reread my post & realized that part of it sounds a bit snarky (Try having 9 children & see how good you look.), it wasn't my intent.
I need to rewatch Young Victoria (I love historical dramas, but don't like the liberties they take with the facts), I also like Ms. Blunt but I wanted to see Rupert Friends portrayal of Albert.
As for the portrayals of Melbourne in both, TPTB went way too young especially with Bettany (who was only 36 when filming began) & Sewell was only 48 (although he seems to get younger looking every year). Melbourne was 58 when Victoria became queen, so I guess TPTB thought it would be too creepy to push a 'fake' relationship between the two (if they had used an age appropriate actor)?
I did read a blurb about the choice of Bettany:
"Paul Bettany was cast as Lord Melbourne despite being roughly twenty years too young for the part. Vallée explained, "We couldn't find a 58-year-old actor who was sexy and good-looking enough. Paul was a more than good enough actor to age from the inside, and he plays him as a great politician and a great seducer."
Reply by revengine
on March 16, 2018 at 11:07 PM
The interesting thing about Victoria's and Melbourne's relationship as it was portrayed in The Young Victoria I was getting at was how, on the part of Melbourne at least, it seemed to be something he was doing merely for his own political gain although making it appear that he was only trying to help her out. That didn't really come across in Victoria (or maybe it was there and I just missed it). So, it make's Bettany's Melbourne look sneaky and underhanded (although there was that moment where Melbourne seemed to realize it was better for the Queen to start taking advice from Albert rather than himself). I'm a bit curious which of the two interpretations is more correct.
Reply by genplant29
on March 16, 2018 at 11:44 PM
Did either of you see 1997's Mrs. Brown https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/17589-mrs-brown, starring Judy Dench as post-Albert Queen Victoria? I thought it was quite well done.
Reply by bratface
on March 17, 2018 at 12:24 AM
I've seen it, liked it very much. But it's mainly because of Judi Dench. I'm also waiting to see 'Victoria & Abdul', I'm #1 on the list at my local library, so I should get it some time next week. Have you seen it yet?
https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/423899-victoria-and-abdul
Reply by genplant29
on March 17, 2018 at 1:41 AM
Indeed, that movie (Victoria & Abdul) looks like it would be very good, brat. It's one I'd definitely like to see eventually.
Reply by revengine
on July 28, 2018 at 9:35 PM
A little late in responding, sorry. I have a copy of Mrs.Brown somewhere. I think it's a great movie, especially Judi Dench, but when has she ever done a bad performance? It was funny seeing her and Geoffrey Palmer together but in dramatic roles - it's a big change from their roles together in the BBC sitcom As Time Goes By. I wonder if she'll make an appearance in Victoria? That would be interesting.