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‘Mary Queen of Scots’ Fact Check: Was Queen Elizabeth’s Ambassador Actually Black?
The Wrap ^ | December 9, 2018 | Trey Williams

Posted on 12/20/2018 2:18:43 PM PST by yesthatjallen

“Mary Queen of Scots” is director Josie Rourke’s historical retelling of one of the most fraught and interesting periods of the Elizabethan era. But how much of it is fact and how much is fiction?

The film, which is written by Beau Willimon (“House of Cards”) and based on a book by John Guy, stars Saoirse Ronan in the titular role as Mary Stuart and Margot Robbie as her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I. It also showcases a number of actors of color in prominent roles in both Mary’s and Elizabeth’s courts, including decorated Shakespearean actor Adrian Lester, who is black; he portrays Elizabeth’s ambassador to the Scottish court, Lord Thomas Randolph.

Rourke told TheWrap that colorblind casting a period drama was important to her, because of the many years black and other people of color were left out of such portrayals and films.

“I was really clear, I would not direct an all-white period drama,” Rourke said. “Adrian, who plays, Lord Randolph, grew up 40 miles from the birthplace of William Shakespeare; he is one of our eminent Shakespearean actors. I needed to cast an ambassador who could move between the two courts and help this make sense. I don’t understand why you wouldn’t cast him.”

There were people of color in England during that time. According to the U.K. national archives, Elizabeth would have employed black servants and musicians, and even had a black chambermaid, though seeing a person of color as high up as Lord Randolph would have been improbable. Rourke said, however, that she didn’t see any reason that these actors couldn’t play these prominent roles in “Mary Queen of Scots.”


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: adrianlester; beauwillimon; elizabethi; godsgravesglyphs; history; houseofcards; johnguy; josierourke; lies; lordthomasrandolph; margotrobbie; maryqueenofscots; marystuart; racism; saoirseronan; tudors
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In order to correct racial crimes of the past we must now present history as fiction.
1 posted on 12/20/2018 2:18:43 PM PST by yesthatjallen
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To: yesthatjallen

YOU ARE MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS ?

I AM.


2 posted on 12/20/2018 2:21:18 PM PST by Col Frank Slade
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To: yesthatjallen

You are Mary Queen of Scots...?

https://youtu.be/UmMD4ij8GHk?t=16


3 posted on 12/20/2018 2:22:01 PM PST by ElkGroveDan (My tagline is in the shop.)
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To: yesthatjallen

It is racial appropriation of the highest order to have a black portray someone who was clearly white. (Turnabout is fair play.)


4 posted on 12/20/2018 2:23:42 PM PST by 17th Miss Regt
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To: yesthatjallen

It took me about seven point two seconds to locate a portrait of Lord Randolph on line so uh... No. He was not a black man. He probably was not gay or transgender either.


5 posted on 12/20/2018 2:28:10 PM PST by cld51860 (Volo pro veritas)
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To: yesthatjallen
I've read a much earlier review of this POS movie and it's a real STINKER...even without the HORRIBLE corruption by the RACE switching crap! Save your money; there are MUCH better earlier films about Mary Queen of Scotts and Queen Elizabeth II to see.

I HATED that they made our FFs non-white, for HAMILTON and used stupid rap for the so called "music". Rewriting history should be seen as a SIN!

6 posted on 12/20/2018 2:30:14 PM PST by nopardons
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To: yesthatjallen

That was incidental to other items inserted or created for “dramatic” purposes. They have the Queen and Mary meet in a drying shed in northern England as Mary is preparing to come to England.

In reality, they never met.

In that meeting they have Mary insulting the Queen in her own kingdom claiming that she is actually more a Queen of England than Elizabeth, a position that would not have made Elizabeth hesitant about her treatment in the following decade as she was in reality.

They have Mary firmly self-guided and mentally tough with Elizabeth the opposite. I doubt any historian would lay it out that way.

Correctly they have Bothwell less the hidden love that many earlier depictions had him — that is sound with the latest understandings. They correctly show John Knox for the zealot he was at the time, IMHO from my readings.

You either enjoy seeing some of these period pieces flaws and all or you go to another comic book movie or the third episode of SDT adventures of our youth culture.

The best (again my opinion) historical drama in the last three years is PBS’ Wolf Hall (which is also an interesting read — volume 3 next year). Buy it and watch it at home.


7 posted on 12/20/2018 2:31:37 PM PST by KC Burke (If all the world is a stage, I would like to request my lighting be adjusted.)
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To: yesthatjallen

I have noticed that in many historical drama movies/TV series.
8 posted on 12/20/2018 2:32:18 PM PST by TomGuy
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To: yesthatjallen

No no folks, this is positive. Best person for the job, regardless of race. Many white actors play and have played non white characters. I’m non PC and I hate identity politics and I see nothing wrong with a great actor playing a role. Besides, it’s acting... not reality.. always have to keep that in mind...


9 posted on 12/20/2018 2:33:07 PM PST by StolarStorm
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To: yesthatjallen
Movies and stage plays both involve suspension of disbelief, so I see no reason why an eminent black actor couldn't play the role. Denzel Washington was cast in Much Ado About Nothing and handled the role well.

That said, Thomas Randolph was not black and justifying the casting on that argument is silly.

10 posted on 12/20/2018 2:34:46 PM PST by colorado tanker
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To: yesthatjallen
But how much of it is fact and how much is fiction?

I'll go with 90 percent bulls**t on that one.

Hollywood movies, other than the ones based on super-heroes, are greenlighted to lose hundreds of millions of dollars. The producers, writers, directors, and "name" actors who control the project actually couldn't tell the truth under any circumstances. That would would impose three different requirements:

1) That they care about the truth.

2) That they have any idea what the truth is--or even the basic background of history or even literacy to absorb the truth if they stumble across elements of it.

3) They have the b***s to tell the truth.

I think you can see the obstacles to the truth here are effectively insuperable.

11 posted on 12/20/2018 2:35:40 PM PST by SamuraiScot (am)
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To: yesthatjallen
that she didn’t see any reason that these actors couldn’t play these prominent roles in “Mary Queen of Scots.”

How about for the reason of historical accuracy?

This isn't a rom-com or cop drama where race is irrelevant (unless it's pertinent to the plot). This is Tudor/Elizabethan times and if there was a nonwhite "favorite" of the queen you can bet the volatile and very clannish Scots would have taken him out pronto.

Another day, another liberal nincompoop taking a silly "stand."

12 posted on 12/20/2018 2:36:47 PM PST by Lizavetta
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To: 17th Miss Regt

Hopefully, in obedience to her ‘color blindance’ she will have a white person portray Martin Luther King or perhaps Frederick Douglass if she does movies that have them included in the character list.


13 posted on 12/20/2018 2:40:05 PM PST by GreyFriar (Spearhead - 3rd Armored Division 75-78 & 83-87)
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To: yesthatjallen

What total and utter crap. One might as well depict Mary of Scotland as a Hindu Maharanee. Here is this man’s quite remarkable biography. He seems to have been an ardent Protestant and married into the Walsingham clan who were sort of a secret government agency for Elizabeth 1:

Thomas Randolph (1523–1590) was an English ambassador serving Elizabeth I of England. Most of his professional life he spent in Scotland at the courts of Mary, Queen of Scots, and her son James VI. While in Scotland, he was embroiled in marriage projects and several upheavals. In 1568-1569 he was sent on a special embassy to Russia, visiting the court of Ivan the Terrible.

Randolph was also a Member of Parliament: for New Romney in 1558, Maidstone 1584, 1586 and 1589, Grantham 1559 and St Ives 1558 and 1572.[1]

Exile in France
Thomas Randolph was born in 1523, the son of Avery Randolph of Badlesmere, Kent.[2] He entered Christ Church, Oxford at the time of its foundation, and graduated B.A. in October 1545, and B.C.L. in 1548. Shortly afterwards he became a public notary; and in 1549 he was made principal of Broadgates Hall (now Pembroke College), Oxford. He continued there until 1553, when the Protestant persecutions under Queen Mary compelled him to resign and retire to France. Sir James Melville refers to Randolph’s indebtedness to him “during his banishment in France”; Randolph seems to have mainly resided in Paris, where he was still living as a scholar in April 1557. It was probably during his stay in Paris that he came under the influence of George Buchanan, to whom, in a letter to Peter Young, tutor of James VI, he refers in very eulogistic terms as his ‘master’. Among his fellow-students and intimates in Paris was Sir William Kirkcaldy of Grange.

In the service of Elizabeth I
Soon after the accession of Elizabeth, in 1558, Randolph was acting as an agent of the English government in Germany, but in a few months returned to England; and, probably soon afterwards, bought a farm in Kent—”the house where he was born”. Doubtless his acquaintance with the Scottish Protestants in Paris suggested to Elizabeth the employment of Randolph in the task of bringing the Earl of Arran, who had been compelled to flee from France, from Geneva to England.

In Scotland
Under the name of Barnabie, and using the codename Pamphilus he was also sent in the autumn of 1559 to secretly conduct James Hamilton, 3rd Earl of Arran into Scotland.[3] He left for London on 25 November, but was again sent to Scotland in March 1560, where his representations had considerable influence in encouraging the Protestants against the queen-regent, and in effecting an understanding between them and Elizabeth. The success of his mission suggested his continuance in Scotland as the confidential agent of Elizabeth; but being an ardent Protestant, he was as well a representative of William Cecil, Elizabeth’s secretary of state, as of the Queen. Although by no means a match for Maitland of Lethington as a diplomatist, the fact that he possessed the confidence of the Protestant party enabled him to exercise no small influence in Scottish politics. His numerous letters are among the most valuable sources of information for this period; they abound in interesting details regarding the Queen of Scots and her court, and the political plots and social intrigues.[4]

In the autumn of 1562 Randolph accompanied the Queen of Scots, who meanwhile professed for him a warm friendship, in the expedition to the north of Scotland which resulted in the defeat and death of George Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly; and he even took part in the campaign, “being ashamed to sit still where so many were occupied”.

Mary, Queen of Scots, c.1558-1560
Marriage negotiations with Mary, Queen of Scots[edit]
In June 1563 he obtained license to go to England on private business; but on 20 April 1563 he was again sent to Scotland with the special aim of entangling the Scottish queen in negotiations for an English marriage: In 1563, Elizabeth suggested Lord Robert Dudley, her own favourite, as a consort to Mary, whom she thus hoped to neutralise by a marriage to an Englishman. Ambassador Randolph tried his best to further the project, which was strongly advocated by Cecil, many of whose instructions to Randolph survive. At first Mary was not enthusiastic; however, when it became clear, that Elizabeth would declare Mary her official heir on condition that she marry Dudley, the proposal was taken very seriously on the Scottish part. In September 1564 Elizabeth bestowed on Dudley the earldom of Leicester to make him more acceptable to Mary. In the beginning of 1565, Mary accepted the proposal at last.[5] To the amazement of Randfolph, however, Leicester was not to be moved to comply with the proposal:

But a man of that nature I never found any...he whom I go about to make as happy as ever was any, to put him in possession of a kingdom, to make him Prince of a mighty people, to lay in his naked arms a most fair and worthy lady...nothing regardeth the good that shall ensue unto him thereby...but so uncertainly dealeth that I know not where to find him

Dudley indeed had made it clear to the Scots at the beginning of the affair, that he was not a candidate for Mary’s hand, and forthwith had behaved with passive resistance. This Randolph had repeatedly tried to overcome by his letters.[7] Elizabeth herself now had second thoughts regarding declarations concerning the succession. But as Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley became a serious candidate for Mary’s marriage, Elizabeth wanted to prevent it. Randolph again received instructions to press for a marriage “with the Earl of Leicester or some other; and if he find it so far passed as it cannot be revoked, then he shall...declare, how much it shall miscontent her Majesty”.

Randolph, to his utter chagrin,[9] could not prevent the marriage of Mary to Lord Darnley, yet after the marriage, he declined to recognise Darnley’s authority. His representations and promises were mainly responsible for the rebellion of James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray. On 14 February 1566 Randolph wrote to the Earl of Leicester that he was unable and unwilling to commit his opinions on Mary’s actions on paper for fear of appearing “malicieus foolyshe and unadvised”.[10] In February 1566 he was accused by Mary of having assisted Moray and her rebellious subjects with a gift of three thousand crowns, and was required to quit the country within six days. Ultimately he retired to Berwick upon Tweed, and while there he was, after the murder of Riccio, accused by Mary of having written a book against her, called Mr. Randolph’s Phantasy.

Embassy to Russia
He was recalled to England about June 1566, and apparently it was shortly after his return that he was appointed “Master of the King’s Post,” a position that later became postmaster general. On 2 November 1567 he obtained from Robert Constable an assignment of the office of constable or keeper of the Queenborough Castle and steward of the lordship or manor of Middleton and Merden in the county of Kent.

In June 1568, he was sent on a special embassy to Russia in behalf of the English merchants trading in that country; and he succeeded in obtaining from Ivan IV a grant of certain privileges to the merchant adventurers, which led to the formation of the Muscovy Company. He returned from Russia in the autumn of 1569; and early in 1570 he was again sent to Scotland, where he remained about a year. Towards the close of 1571, he married Anne Walsingham, sister of Francis Walsingham, and daughter of Thomas Walsingham of Chiselhurst. Before the marriage he received, on 1 October 1571, an assignment from Thomas Walsingham and William Crowner of letters patent of the custody of the manor and hundred of Middleton and Merden, at the rent of 100 pounds per annum, to be paid to his intended wife.

In 1572 he obtained the position of Chamberlain of the Exchequer for life.

Again in France and Scotland
In October 1573 and April 1576 he went on special embassies to France. He was sent to Scotland in February 1578, but too late to prevent the fall of James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton. After the imprisonment of Morton in 1580 he returned to Scotland to conduct negotiations on his behalf. At a convention of the estates, held on 20 February 1581, besides presenting a paper declaring the “Intention of the Queen’s Majesty and her Offers to the King of Scotland’, he, in a speech of two hours” duration, denounced Esme Stewart, created by the king Duke of Lennox, as an agent of Rome. If anything, however, his bold intervention only helped to seal Morton’s fate. Having failed to thwart the purposes of Lennox by a public accusation, he now attempted, with Elizabeth’s sanction, to concoct a plot for the seizure of him and the young king; but, the plot having been betrayed, he fled to Berwick, after he had narrowly escaped death from a shot fired into the room he occupied in the provost’s house at Edinburgh. Randolph was sent on his last mission to Scotland in January 1586 with instructions for the negotiation of a treaty between the two kingdoms, to which he succeeded in obtaining the signature of James VI.

He held the joint offices of Chamberlain of the Exchequer and Master of the Post till his death, which took place in his house in St. Peter’s Hill, near Thames Street, London, on 8 June 1590, when he was in his sixty-seventh year. He was buried in the church of St. Peter’s, Paul’s Wharf. Randolph, during his embassies, was kept very short of money, and had frequent difficulty in paying his expenses. Nor, important as had been his services, did he receive any reward beyond the not very remunerative offices above mentioned. The statement of Wood that he was knighted in 1571 is not supported by any evidence. Randolph is supposed to have been the author of the original short Latin Life of George Buchanan, but this must be regarded as at least doubtful. He took a special interest in the progress of Buchanan’s History, and offered his aid with money if necessary towards its completion.

Marriages
By Anne Walsingham, Randolph had a son, Thomas, who succeeded him. He had also another son, Ambrose, and a daughter, Frances, who married Thomas Fitzgerald. He is said to have married, probably as second wife, Ursula Copinger. His old friend the bachelor George Buchanan teased him about his second marriage in 1572;

If you had been in your right wit, you being once escaped the tempestous storms and naufrage (shipwreck) of marriage, had never entered again the same dangers, for I cannot take you for a Stoic philosopher, having one head inexpugnable (not to be captured) with the frenetic tortures of jealousy, or a careless heart sceptic that takes cuckoldry as thing indifferent.


14 posted on 12/20/2018 2:40:17 PM PST by robowombat (Orthodox)
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To: yesthatjallen
Rourke told TheWrap that colorblind casting a period drama was important to her, because of the many years black and other people of color were left out of such portrayals and films.

“I was really clear, I would not direct an all-white period drama,” Rourke said. “Adrian, who plays, Lord Randolph, grew up 40 miles from the birthplace of William Shakespeare; he is one of our eminent Shakespearean actors. I needed to cast an ambassador who could move between the two courts and help this make sense. I don’t understand why you wouldn’t cast him.”

I do not think that word means what you think it means.

15 posted on 12/20/2018 2:46:31 PM PST by Still Thinking (Freedom is NOT a loophole!)
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To: yesthatjallen

Negro wet dream

The big lie is Coming To America


16 posted on 12/20/2018 2:46:33 PM PST by bert ( (KE. N.P. N.C. +12) Invade Honduras. Provide a military government)
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To: KC Burke
Hate WOLF HALL; the actors mumble and it's mostly shot in the dark. But each to his own......

Am watching the first season of JAMESTOWN, which is a bit PC/"feminist", but not horridly so. Well worth watching; IMO.

17 posted on 12/20/2018 2:46:57 PM PST by nopardons
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To: colorado tanker
Denzel Washington was cast in Much Ado About Nothing and handled the role well.

Yes, he did. Damn fine job.

18 posted on 12/20/2018 2:49:44 PM PST by Still Thinking (Freedom is NOT a loophole!)
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To: GreyFriar
she will have a white person portray Martin Luther King or perhaps Frederick Douglass

As I said, turnabout is fair play. If they try to end her career for this she can scream, "HAMILTON!"

19 posted on 12/20/2018 2:52:30 PM PST by 17th Miss Regt
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To: StolarStorm
You're wrong!

History should NOT be mocked!

These same people would throw a HUGE hissy fit, if a white person were to portray ANY other race and they have done exactly that, over the makeup and taped eyes for an Asian person.

And do you REALLY believe that there is a dearth of fine WHITE actors in the UK, for the role she STUPIDLY stuck a black one in?

How about Oprah portraying Queen Elizabeth I? You really okay with that? If so...WHY?

20 posted on 12/20/2018 2:52:42 PM PST by nopardons
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