From the "Versailles" interviews
Thoughts and musings on the upcoming season 3

April 16, 2018 by Nicole Oebel @philomina_

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The final season of "Versailles" starts April 23 in France on Canal Plus and June 4 in the UK. It has yet to be confirmed when the show will return in Germany.

Fabrice de la Patelliere, Head of fiction programming at Canal Plus, confirms with season 3 "Versailles" has come to its natural end: "The series was meant to chronicle the coming of age and rise to power of Louis XIV and show how he built Versailles to corral his nobles, asserting his absolute power. At the end of the third season, Louis XIV has achieved absolute power, he’s 46 or 47 years old, so we reached the end of the narrative arc that we had envisioned for this series."

Promotional trailers allow a glimpse at what has been teased as a prominent story arc in the final season, the Man in the Iron Mask.

When these interviews were conducted the actors were still filming season 3 or had just wrapped and while the talks focused mostly on season 2, it was season 3 that was fresh in the actors' minds. And as now we're preparing to accompany the characters on their captivating, colourful journey one last time, dive in here to refreshen your memories on where the actors hearts were at in this third year, their thoughts on the storylines developing, characters growing, the cast growing together and the show growing up.

Alexander Vlahos

June 8, 2017 | "What's so great about season 3 is that the relationship between Louis and Philippe develops so much. It's incredible! Season 3 has some of the best storylines and ideas and writing I've ever read on this show. Historians may disagree but I think it's phenomenal."

On how it would be an interesting aspect in Philippe's character development to have scenes with his daughters: "We address that in season 3. You get so see Philippe being a dad. The thing is, over here you're never going to get an English child actor. (...) But we're addressing the kids situation in season 3."

"You know me by now, how I am in life will dictate how I am on camera or on stage and if I am unhappy then the character will be unhappy. Not directly but I can't split myself up from the person that I play on screen or on stage so much more than other people. Season 3, Alex right now is the happiest Alex has been in about seven years – does that show on screen with a Philippe that might be happier? Yeah, it will. Maybe we will do an interview next year and say 'Philippe seems so much more controlled and comfortable' and maybe that's because Alex was controlled and comfortable."

"Let's just say, me personally, I'm treating season 3 and how we're filming it as it could be our last. Treating it with open arms and a possible farewell, not with sadness, not tinged with regret. I'm treating these six months of filming here as an amazing opportunity to say goodbye like a proper nice embrace, every challenge presented, every scene is going to be an amazing scene and that can only mean that Philippe will be light and happiness and joy. So I got season 3 to be able to try and get that little thing that I haven't done yet, show that thing that I skimmed over, I'm being able to explore every facet of it, so if there is no coming back then there'll be no regrets." (Read more)

Tygh Runyan

June 4, 2017 | On Fabien and Philippe aka Tygh and Alex finally having their first dialogue scenes together: "I know Alex well, it's great, we've wanted a scene for two years and here we are. We get to work together more this year, it's exciting! You have instant rapport, you have a personal history, maybe it gets in the way a little bit because maybe you're not supposed to be friendly and you've been hanging out for two years, going for dinners and going out at night dancing but actually in this case it benefits us. It's like you have built-in chemistry and that's what you want to build starting out in season 1. You really want it seem like you've known each other for years. Back-story helps enormously, I pull an actor aside, go out for dinner, let's talk back-story. You're trying to internalize that he characters have known each other for years even though you just met two days ago. With Alex or someone you've known for years, now having dialog together, you already have built-in history and chemistry. We're having blast!" (Read more)

Evan Williams

June 8, 2017 | "I think by the time you get to the third season of a show the cast carries a momentum of its own. At the very beginning of a show it can be very important the type of director you have, for example you can see how much the show changed between the first couple of episodes and the next couple of episodes in season 1. By the time you're in a third season of a show the cast has its own momentum, so at best the director is coming in, logging ideas and new ways of looking at something that is already formed and so the danger in having different directors and different inputs all the time is lessened as the series goes on I believe. Definitely every director will have their own visual style but it's more like they're joining us as opposed to we are getting on their ship. It feels like a team that way. And in fact, we're all looking forward to the new, fresh points of they'll bring in and the new cast as well. The casting of this show has been great across the board, so whenever we have a new character we're all excited to see who it's going to be. "

"It's been so much fun to watch the show grow, in season 1 it was this kind of glittery disco ball, in season 2 it went dark and crazy and now in season 3 it's growing up. That's my impression, it's a nice full circle, because the show is now three years old and we need to get further into the hearts and minds of these characters." (Read more)

Steve Cumyn

Foto: Steve Cumyn, Mark Rendall, Versailles - Copyright: Tibo & Anouchka, Capa Drama, ZodiakFiction & Docs, Incendo, Canal+
Steve Cumyn, Mark Rendall, Versailles
© Tibo & Anouchka, Capa Drama, ZodiakFiction & Docs, Incendo, Canal+

October 7, 2017 | "What comes foremost to mind, as I wrap season 3 of Versailles, is 'I want more!' As a theatre actor, I love the immediate gratification of audience connection, the jolt of electricity from the adrenaline rush of performance and the communal illumination of human experience. Through my time on Versailles, I have worked on translating what I know as a theatre actor to the work I do for the camera. Quite simply, I've gained a lot of confidence over these past 3 years. I'm very grateful for having had that opportunity and I will try to carry that forward. And I couldn't say that without paying tribute to the skilled actors around me, whom I have watched and from whom I have learned much. Again, I'm so grateful to have had the opportunity."

"Which brings me to the crew. When I wrapped on this season, as per tradition, everyone gathers to give the departing actor a round of applause. I gave a little speech and thanked the crew for their heart, their humour, their hard work, their courage, and their love. They gave all of us more inspiration than they will ever know. Honestly, they are absolute proof that joy unites and abolishes all cares and fatigue. What a privilege to have worked along side all of them these past three seasons."(Read more)

Joe Sheridan

Foto: Joe Sheridan, Versailles - Copyright: Tibo & Anouchka / Capa Drama / Canal+
Joe Sheridan, Versailles
© Tibo & Anouchka / Capa Drama / Canal+

February 19, 2018 | On Louvois' character development and how his journey is continued in season 3: "I'm very happy! I'm actually very relieved the way it went because... there is an expression in English 'They also serve who only stand and wait.' Throughout seasons 1 and 2 there were so many scenes within the war cabinet where we were just standing and I was basically a historical reference, you know, I would say facts from history. But there didn't seem to be that much substance to my journey as a character, whereas in season 3 he now becomes one of those who no longer stand and wait. He's now moved into historical action of very important scale. He has a brilliant and unexpected ally in Madame de Maintenont. It's wonderful, and Katherine Walker is extraordinary!" (Read more)

Related: More interviews with the "Versailles" stars

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