Rebecca Ferguson’s breakout turn in BBC’s The White Queen

According to Collider, in 2013 Rebecca Ferguson led the BBC historical miniseries The White Queen, a 10-episode political thriller set during England’s Wars of the Roses.

The series centers on three women — Elizabeth Woodville (Ferguson), Margaret Beaufort (Amanda Hale), and Anne Neville (Faye Marsay) — who manipulate alliances, marriages and heirs to shape the future. The show frames power as negotiated in private spaces rather than on the battlefield; Elizabeth is introduced as a widow who becomes queen by marrying King Edward IV (Max Irons) and is thrust into court politics.

Ferguson’s Elizabeth is described as restrained and quietly commanding, marked by patience, stillness and precise timing; the role earned her a Golden Globe nomination and is said to anchor the ensemble. The White Queen aired on BBC One, was directed by Colin Teague and James Kent, later spawned follow-ups The White Princess and The Spanish Princess, and the piece argues the performance reads like a blueprint for Ferguson’s later work in genre projects such as Silo and Dune.

Key Topics

Culture, Rebecca Ferguson, Elizabeth Woodville, Golden Globe, Dune, Silo