Nikki K

Lucrezia Borgia was born at Subiaco on April 18th, 1480. Her mother was Vanozza dei Cattanei and her father Rodrigo Borgia, who was later known as Pope Alexander VI. She was married three times for her family's political advantage and had eight children. As Duchess of Ferrara, Lucrezia became a patron of the arts and an entrepreneur. She bought around 20,000ha of seemingly worthless swampland which she had drained and had henceforth used to grow grain, beans and flax. It is often suggested that Lucrezia and her brother Cesare may have had an incestuous relationship. Lucrezia died aged 39 in Ferrara on 24 June 1519 from complications after giving birth to a daughter. She was buried in the convent of Corpus Domini.

Sarah Bradford (2004), Monica Bellonci (2002) and Ferdinand Gregorovius (1875) have written the most popular biographies on Lucrezia Borgia. She also inspired many novels and was portrayed in many movies and television series based on her family's rise and fall. For instance most recently:


Holliday Grainger (born in 1988 in Didsbury, near Manchester) is an English actress primarily active in television. In May 2010, Grainger was named one of the 55 faces of the future in Nylon magazine's Young Hollywood Issue. In 2011, Grainger became a series regular on the Showtime television series "The Borgias", portraying Lucrezia Borgia. Lately, she also appeared in several films – "Jane Eyre" (2011), playing one of the Rivers sisters opposite Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender, and "Bel Ami" (2011), alongside Christina Ricci and Uma Thurman. In June 2011, Grainger was cast as Estella in Mike Newell's film adaptation of "Great Expectations", opposite Jeremy Irvine and Helena Bonham Carter. She also has a small part in a 2012 screen adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's "Anna Karenina" starring Jude Law and Kiera Knightly.

Elenwyn

TFTNT Love the title

I was re-watching the first two eps of S1 today, it's amazing how much Lucrezia has matured since then! (Also I think I do prefer her wardrobe from S1, much less...poofy )

Nikki K

I agree - season 2... they kind of make her look matronly. I mean I get that they want to show she has matured but still that went a bit too quickly. I realised one thing though, the costumes on "The Borgias" this season - while still more intricate/with little details - look more like the costumes on "Borgia" now. Remember that red dress Vanozza wore on "Borgia" in the scene where she, Lucrezia and Pedro had that picnic? I thought it looked a lot like Lucrezia's red dress when she held the session with the curia.

While I never believed in Lucrezia's innocence, I agree - now she is definitely more forward. I think she gained a lot of confidence from wrapping the French king around her little finger.

If there is anything anyone wants to add to the OP, let me know. Perhaps we can think up a few more good reasons why we love Lucrezia/Holly? And/or we can come up with some good quotes?

Elenwyn

Ooh, you're right, it does look similar. Do you think it's a deliberate thing?

Yeah, I think she did too. And I guess having to deal with being married to Giovanni Sforza toughened her up as well.

I'm sure this is one of the taglines Showtime used but: Because she's the original Femme Fatale?

Nikki K

I don't know enough about the fashions of the time and how they changed. A few days ago, I saw this documentary on a "newly" discovered Da Vinici painting and one of the reasons they were able to make a positive identification (or at least are very sure it was drawn/painted by him) was how the woman in the picture wore her hair. Basically her plait was done in a style that Beatrice D'Este brought to the Milanese court (in the 1490s) when she married Ludovico Sforza (who was Da Vinci's patron at the time). That was one lead that helped them identify "La Bella Principessa" as Bianca Sforza.

Regarding Lucrezia's marriage to Giovanni Sforza as depicted on the show: The fact that she was very quick to agree to Paolo's idea of staging an accident showed that she always had that ruthlessness in her. Especially how sweetly she acted towards him, totally faking it, playing the role of the worried loving wife.

Oh, that is a good one. I'll add that at once.

Elenwyn

Ooh, that's interesting. I do love the hairstyles they use on this show though. Makes me almost wish for long hair so I could put my hair up

Yeah, I agree, she definitely had a ruthless side to her before the marriage .(she's a Borgia, I'm guessing it comes quite naturally ) I do think she's grown moreso though, as before I don't think she would have hurt anyone unless they deserved it (as in her husband) but when she burnt that rope to try and kill Juan she showed no remorse that the girl he was with died, and she didn't even know her.

Lucrezia was such a HBIC in this episode! First getting the cardinals to give money, defying her father, and then refusing all her suitors. And her dresses were less poofy!

BL.Arinna_1982

I think she and Cesare are like mirrors. They both have something in them. Maybe it's because of the Borgia name?

Elenwyn

Dark and light, like they show with the costume contrasts Though Lucrezia is more dark than light these days. Perhaps 'grey' would be the right colour

Nikki K

For some reason I think that streak of evil comes as much from their mother's side as from their father's.

And yes, I totally agree that she has crossed a line there when she burnt the rope.

As for the hair - up until a couple of years ago my hair went down to my hips and I could never do anything with it myself because it was so bloody heavy. It's not particularly practical if you don't have a handmaiden.

Elenwyn

I think it does too, Vanozza is just as manipulative as Rodrigo is, just in a different way.

Down to your hips? Wow. I have a pixie cut, so I can't imagine my hair that long.

Nikki K

I actually think Vanozza is quite artful. I her so much.

And yes. I didn't realise how heavy it was until I got it cut. I'd never be brave enough to cut it really short though.

BL.Arinna_1982

I think Vanozza and Rodrigo are a perfect match! Just as CL are. And btw, I liked Lucrezia in this episode. She was so independent.

Nikki K

Yes! Thank you!

BL.Arinna_1982

You're welcome.

Nikki K

You know, great minds think alike blahblahblah. Whenever I think of V/R now, there is one (out of two) songs particularly coming to mind - that being Jill Tracy's "Evil Night Together". One of these days I may I have to write a fanfic inspired by that or a fanmix.

Case in point, everyone's favourite evil family:




Back to Holliday:


Source: Shooting for Anita Moore design label with Luke Bailey.