Marie Antoinette's Emilia Schüle teases season 2: Marie was a 'feminist'

Perhaps not surprisingly, since she takes the title role in the historical drama, Marie Antoinette, Emilia Schüle has a different opinion from most on the much-maligned last Queen of France.

"Marie Antoinette is framed in this one very particular way, but there was so much more to it," says the German actor. "Having played her, I think she’s a very inspiring, even feminist, human being who was fighting for her personal freedom and for her family."

As the 18th-century period drama returns for Marie Antoinette season 2, Marie and her husband, King Louis XVI (Louis Cunningham) are in the Palace of Versailles and at the height of their power and popularity.

But they still face treachery from their old foes, including the king’s brother Provence (Jack Archer) and his cousin, the exiled Chartres (Oscar Lesage), while the ruthless Jeanne La Motte (Industry’s Freya Mavor) will pose a much greater threat than they could ever have imagined. A confidence trickster, she plans to steal the world’s most expensive diamond necklace and blame the theft on the queen, who is famed for her extravagant lifestyle. The real-life incident damaged Marie Antoinette’s reputation beyond repair and had fatal consequences.

Here, Emilia, 32, and Louis, 27, tell What to Watch what to expect from the new eight-part series…

Is it good to be back for a second season? 

Emilia: "It’s been fun because Marie Antoinette is much more mature now. Season one was like a walk in the park for her and season two is much more high stakes with everything leading up to the Revolution. It’s spicy!"

Louis: "We’re going into uncharted territory with the characters now. In season one, everyone loved this young man and young woman trying to find their place in the world and within the constructs of the monarchy and we now see them as adults, parents and true leaders. It’s fun to have that evolution."

• Best BBC dramas

Where do we find them this time around? 

Emilia: "Marie Antoinette is definitely not the teenager of season one. She’s a mother, she’s a dedicated queen, she’s quite popular. Her reign is at its peak but it’s not easy at Versailles so there are many, many forces working against her."

Louis: "Louis has just been involved in the American War of Independence, which was a huge success, and he’s proved people wrong because everyone thought he was going to be incapable of doing anything. However, there are these secrets and realities that are going to grow throughout the season and will stand between Marie Antoinette and Louis and also the rest of France."

How is their relationship now?

Louis: "They’ve settled into this new platonic love. They have produced heirs, so they have done their duty, and now they can really lean into that friendship they have. However, there are little blocks that come up along the way in the form of people and opinions."

Did you know anything about the Affair of the Diamond Necklace? 

Emilia: "It’s incredible how little we know about it all. When I read about it, I was blown away by it. It’s an incredible story."

Louis: "I didn’t know too much about it either. It’s this perfect chaos. The economy is failing and amongst all of that there’s the necklace affair with a trial that puts Marie Antoinette’s reputation on the line very publicly. Without that public trial, things might have been very different for them."

What do you think are the biggest misconceptions about Marie Antoinette and Louis?  

Emilia: "To this day Marie Antoinette is held responsible for ruining the economy of the country when in reality it was her husband. The French Revolution wasn't a self-contained event, it was a combination of so many different factors but what do we remember? Marie Antoinette or, as they say, Madame Déficit (the nickname given to the queen because of her lavish spending)."

Louis: "For Louis I think the biggest misconception is that he was weak. He wasn’t your conventional big leader but he was wildly intellectual and a great father too. Ultimately what people declare to be his weaknesses, I see as his strengths. His loyalty, his intellect and his genuine desire to care about people."

How did it feel to get back into the costumes and the wigs for the new series? 

Emilia: "The hair was actually ok because it’s hollow inside. I remember having my very first costume fitting and I felt quite sick because of the corsets but I’ve got used to it. Getting into costume takes many, many hours but it helps to get into character.

Louis: "Every time I got on a horse in season one, I would tear the crutch of my trousers so this season they came up with some stretch fabric which was delightful."

Marie Antoinette season 2 will begin on Thursday, May 8, on BBC Two at 9.00 pm. It will also be available as a box set on iPlayer from that date. US viewers can watch it via PBS.org & PBS app.