You probably know her as the lethal Ilsa Faust or the regal Lady Jessica from Dune. But honestly, before the blockbusters and the Tom Cruise stunts, Rebecca Ferguson was just a Swedish actress taking her first real crack at a London casting call. That audition changed everything. It led to The White Queen, a ten-part BBC miniseries that basically served as the blueprint for her entire career.
If you haven't seen it, you're missing out on the moment a star was born.
The White Queen: Rebecca Ferguson and the Role That Changed Everything
In 2013, the world was obsessed with Game of Thrones. Every network wanted a piece of that "swords and political backstabbing" pie. The BBC decided to go for something a bit more historical, adapting Philippa Gregory’s novels. They needed someone who could play Elizabeth Woodville—a woman who went from a penniless widow to the Queen of England in a heartbeat.
Enter Rebecca Ferguson.
She wasn't a household name back then. In fact, she’d spent years in Swedish soap operas like Nya tider and even worked in a Swedish slasher flick called Drowning Ghost. But the second she stepped into a chemistry test with Max Irons (who played King Edward IV), the producers knew. There was this immediate, electric click.
Why her performance was different
Most "historical" queens on TV feel like cardboard cutouts. They’re either saints or total villains. Ferguson did something weirdly human with Elizabeth. She played her as a "political animal," but one who was constantly terrified for her kids.
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Basically, she had to play a 27-year-old girl who ages into a 42-year-old matriarch over ten episodes. That's a huge swing. You can see the shift in her eyes—the vulnerability of the widow under the oak tree turns into the cold, calculated stare of a woman who realizes that if she loses the "game," her sons die.
It’s no wonder she nabbed a Golden Globe nomination for it.
What most people get wrong about the history
Okay, let’s be real for a second. The White Queen takes some... liberties. If you’re a hardcore history buff, you might find yourself shouting at the screen.
- The Witchcraft Thing: The show leans heavy into the idea that Elizabeth and her mother, Jacquetta (played by the incredible Janet McTeer), were basically sorceresses. They’re out there casting spells in the rain and pulling threads of fate.
- The Reality: While people at the time definitely accused them of witchcraft to ruin their reputations, there's zero historical evidence they were actually brewing potions in the palace kitchen. It was just a way to explain how a "commoner" managed to snag a king.
- The "Commoner" Tag: People call Elizabeth a commoner, but she was actually the daughter of a duchess. Sure, her dad wasn't a duke, but she wasn't exactly a peasant girl plucked from a farm.
Ferguson somehow balanced the "is she or isn't she a witch?" mystery perfectly. She played it with enough ambiguity that you almost believe she could be controlling the weather.
The Mission: Impossible Connection
Here is a bit of trivia most people forget: Tom Cruise actually handpicked Rebecca Ferguson for Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation because of this show.
Seriously.
He saw her in The White Queen and noticed a resemblance to the legendary Ingrid Bergman. He saw that same "steely grace" and knew she could hold her own against him. If she hadn't played Elizabeth Woodville with such quiet intensity, we probably wouldn't have Ilsa Faust.
It’s kind of wild to think about. A 15th-century historical drama paved the way for one of the greatest female action leads of the 21st century.
Small details that made the show work
Ferguson has talked about how she started filming within a week of being cast. She didn't have months to research the Wars of the Roses. The production team literally handed her two pages of A4 paper with Elizabeth Woodville's life story on it and said, "Here you go."
She leaned on Janet McTeer. Off-set, they were so close Ferguson would call her "mama." They even had pajama parties in Bruges where they were filming. That real-life bond made their on-screen strategy sessions—the best parts of the show—feel authentic.
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How to watch it now and what to look for
If you’re going back to watch it (it’s usually on Starz or Prime Video), pay attention to the silence. Ferguson is a master of the "unspoken" reaction.
There’s a scene in episode one where she has to meet the King’s mother, Cecily. She’s being looked down on by the entire court. The way she holds her head up—not with arrogance, but with a "I belong here" stubbornness—is exactly the same energy she brings to Lady Jessica in Dune.
Actionable insights for fans and creators
If you’re interested in the era or the actress, here’s how to dive deeper:
- Read the source material: Philippa Gregory’s The White Queen is much more internal. It helps you understand Elizabeth’s paranoia better.
- Compare the "Queens": Watch Ferguson’s performance, then watch the follow-up series The White Princess (starring Jodie Comer) and The Spanish Princess. It’s a fascinating look at how the Woodville legacy trickled down.
- Study the "Theatricality": For aspiring actors, notice how Ferguson uses her costume. She doesn't just wear those heavy dresses; she uses the weight of them to change how she walks as she gets older.
The Wars of the Roses were messy, bloody, and confusing. But through Rebecca Ferguson, they became something intensely personal. She turned a historical footnote into a living, breathing person.
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Honestly, that’s just good acting.
Next Steps for You:
Check out the first episode of The White Queen and compare her performance to her role in Dune. You’ll see that the "regal weight" she carries as Lady Jessica was actually perfected over a decade ago in those Belgian castles. If you're more into the history side, look up the "Princes in the Tower" mystery—Elizabeth’s life becomes a lot more tragic once you realize what happened to her sons after the show ends.