Let's be real: historical dramas usually fall into two camps. They're either stuffy, museum-grade borefests or they’re basically Gossip Girl in corsets. But Starz decided to do something different with the life of the infamous Italian orphan who became the Queen of France. At the center of this chaotic, blood-soaked narrative is the question of who played Catherine de Medici in The Serpent Queen, and the answer isn't just one person. It’s a multi-layered performance that actually explains why this show feels so much more visceral than your average period piece.
The Powerhouse: Samantha Morton as the Mature Catherine
When we think of the ruthless, calculating woman who effectively ruled France through her sons, we’re looking at Samantha Morton. Honestly, casting her was a stroke of genius. Morton doesn't play Catherine as a mustache-twirling villain, even when she’s ordering a poisoning or manipulating a courtier into social suicide. She plays her with this quiet, terrifying stillness.
Morton has been a force in independent cinema and prestige TV for decades—think Minority Report or her haunting turn in The Walking Dead as Alpha. In The Serpent Queen, she uses that same intensity. She breaks the fourth wall, looking directly at us with a "can you believe this crap?" expression that bridges the gap between the 16th century and 2026. It’s disarming. You find yourself rooting for a woman who is, by all accounts, doing some pretty terrible things to survive.
Why Morton’s Performance Matters
Most "strong female lead" roles in historical fiction feel like they were written by someone who just read a Wikipedia summary. Morton brings a lived-in exhaustion to the role. Her Catherine is a mother, a widow, and a politician who has realized that if she isn't the predator, she’s the prey. The show is based on Leonie Frieda's biography, Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France, which paints a much more complex picture than the "Black Queen" myth we usually get. Morton captures that nuance perfectly. She’s the anchor. Without her, the show’s dark humor might have felt a bit too flippant.
The Young Contender: Liv Hill as Young Catherine
We can't talk about who played Catherine de Medici in The Serpent Queen without giving massive credit to Liv Hill. She carries a huge portion of the first season. While Morton narrates and handles the "present day" (the 1560s), Hill plays the younger version of Catherine arriving at the French court in 1533.
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It’s a tough gig. She has to convince us that this vulnerable, slightly awkward teenager could eventually harden into Samantha Morton. Hill nails the transition. You see the gears turning in her head every time someone like Diane de Poitiers (played by the incredible Ludivine Sagnier) insults her. Hill portrays the immigrant experience in the French court—the "Italian shopkeeper's daughter" who has nothing but her wits and a very large dowry.
- Liv Hill's Background: She previously starred in Three Girls and The Little Stranger.
- The Contrast: Where Morton is cold and calculated, Hill is desperate and reactive.
- The Survival Instinct: Watching Hill learn to weaponize her intelligence is basically a masterclass in character development.
The Rivalry That Drives the Show
The performance of Catherine isn't just about the actress playing the lead; it’s about the foil. Ludivine Sagnier plays Diane de Poitiers, the mistress of Catherine’s husband, Henry II. If you want to understand why Catherine became "The Serpent Queen," you have to look at the psychological warfare Diane waged against her for decades.
Diane was older, more beautiful (according to the standards of the time), and held Henry’s heart in a way Catherine never could. Sagnier plays Diane with a condescending grace that makes you want to scream. It’s this dynamic that forces both Hill and Morton to sharpen Catherine’s edges. The show treats their rivalry not as a petty catfight, but as a high-stakes battle for political survival.
Fact vs. Fiction: Did She Really Do That?
One of the reasons people keep Googling who played Catherine de Medici in The Serpent Queen is because the show is so wild they want to know if the history is real. Samantha Morton’s portrayal leans into the "dark arts" rumors. Historically, Catherine did have a fascination with the occult. She brought Nostradamus to court. She had a "flying squadron" of beautiful women used as spies.
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But was she the "Serpent Queen" who poisoned everyone in her path?
Historians like Leonie Frieda argue that Catherine was a pragmatist. She lived through the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre. She saw the Valois dynasty crumbling. The show captures this by having Morton play her as a woman who is tired of losing. The "serpent" label was largely a product of misogyny and anti-Italian sentiment in the French court. Morton’s performance reflects a woman leaning into a bad reputation because, frankly, being feared is safer than being liked.
The Supporting Cast Around the Queens
- Colm Meaney: Plays King Francis I with a boisterous, almost modern energy.
- Lee Ingleby: As Henri (the adult version), he captures the pathetic indecision of a man caught between his wife and his mistress.
- Minnie Driver: Joined in Season 2 as Elizabeth I. Watching Morton and Driver go toe-to-toe is basically acting royalty at work.
The Casting of the Medici Lineage
There’s a specific grit required for this role. Catherine wasn't a classic beauty of the era; she was known for her "Medici eyes"—prominent and searching. Both Hill and Morton have this incredible ability to communicate everything with just their eyes while keeping their faces like stone.
It’s rare to see two actresses play the same character in the same season and have it feel so seamless. Usually, there’s a jarring shift when a show jumps through time. Here, the editing and the shared mannerisms between Hill and Morton make it feel like a single, evolving soul. You see Hill’s flickers of anger turn into Morton’s cold, hard resolves.
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Why Season 2 Changed the Game
By the time we get to the second season, the focus shifts. We see Catherine as the Queen Mother, trying to keep a lid on the simmering religious wars between Catholics and Protestants (Huguenots). This is where Samantha Morton really eats. She has to manage her unstable sons—Charles IX and the flamboyant, chaotic Anjou (later Henry III).
The casting of the sons is just as vital. They are the reason Catherine has to be the "Serpent." They are incompetent, impulsive, and occasionally out of their minds. Morton plays the frustration of a brilliant woman forced to rule through "morons" (her words, essentially) with hilarious and tragic results.
Key Performance Milestones in The Serpent Queen:
- The Arrival (Season 1): Liv Hill establishes Catherine’s "outsider" status.
- The Coronation: The moment Catherine realizes her husband will never love her more than Diane.
- The Regency: Morton takes over fully as the political puppet master.
- The Elizabeth I Stand-off (Season 2): A battle of wits between two of history’s most powerful women.
Takeaways for the Historical Drama Fan
If you're looking for the definitive answer on who played Catherine de Medici in The Serpent Queen, it’s the duo of Samantha Morton and Liv Hill. But the show’s success isn't just about the names on the call sheet. It's about the decision to let these actresses be ugly, mean, funny, and incredibly smart.
Most historical dramas fail because they try to make their protagonists "relatable" by stripping away their period-accurate ruthlessness. The Serpent Queen does the opposite. It makes Catherine relatable because she is ruthless. She’s a survivor.
If you haven't watched it yet, start with the first season to see Liv Hill’s transformation. By the time Samantha Morton takes the lead full-time, you'll understand exactly how the "shopkeeper's daughter" became the most feared woman in Europe.
Next Steps for Deep Diving into the Medici Legacy:
- Read the Source Material: Pick up Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France by Leonie Frieda to see where the show stays true to history and where it takes creative liberties.
- Compare the Portrayals: Watch Megan Follows in Reign to see a completely different, almost soap-opera take on Catherine, then come back to Morton to appreciate the grounded, gritty realism.
- Research the "Flying Squadron": Look into the historical accounts of Catherine’s female spy network, which the show features prominently, to understand the real-world gender politics of the 16th-century French court.
- Explore the Architecture: Look up the Château de Chenonceau. Much of the drama surrounding Catherine and Diane de Poitiers centered on this specific palace, and seeing the real location adds a layer of depth to the viewing experience.