Premiering on Canal+ on February 17, 2025, and on PBS on March 23, 2025, Marie Antoinette Season 2 returns to immerse audiences in the opulent yet turbulent world of 18th-century Versailles. This lavish historical drama, created by Deborah Davis (The Favorite), continues to reimagine the life of the iconic French queen (Emilia Schüle) as she navigates the treacherous political landscape, personal betrayals, and the rising tide of revolution. Season 2 delves deeper into Marie’s struggle to balance her role as a mother, a monarch, and a woman fighting for agency in a society intent on her downfall.
With sumptuous costumes, intricate palace intrigue, and a modern narrative sensibility, the series juxtaposes the extravagance of the French court with the simmering unrest of the populace. Returning and new cast members bring fresh depth to this chapter of history, blending factual drama with imaginative storytelling.
Marie Antoinette Season 2 Cast Guide
1. Emilia Schüle as Marie-Antoinette
Emilia Schüle, the German-Russian actress acclaimed for her role in Ku’damm 56/59 (2016–2021), reprises her star-making turn as the titular queen. Schüle’s portrayal of Marie balances vulnerability and defiance, capturing the monarch’s evolution from a naive teen to a resilient leader. Her performance earned praise for humanizing a figure often reduced to caricature, blending regal poise with raw emotionality.
Beyond Marie Antoinette, Schüle’s work in Berlin Station (2016–2019) and The Team (2015–2018) showcases her versatility in gritty dramas. In Season 2, she delves into Marie’s maternal struggles and political gambits, anchoring the series with a performance that’s both intimate and epic.
2. Louis Cunningham as Louis XVI
Louis Cunningham, known for Bridgerton (2022) as Lord Debling, returns as the introspective and beleaguered Louis XVI. Cunningham’s nuanced portrayal highlights the king’s internal conflict between duty and insecurity, offering a fresh take on a monarch often dismissed as inept. His chemistry with Schüle underscores the couple’s complex partnership.
Cunningham’s stage background (The Crown Jewels, 2023) informs his regal yet relatable performance. Season 2 explores Louis’s mounting pressures as revolution looms, with Cunningham capturing the tragic weight of a ruler out of step with his people.
3. Jack Archer as Provence
Jack Archer, a rising star of British theater and screen, plays Provence, Louis XVI’s cunning younger brother. Archer, known for The Serpent Queen (2022), brings a sly charm to the role, embodying Provence’s ambition to undermine the throne. His performance adds a layer of familial tension to the Bourbon dynasty’s unraveling.
Archer’s background in Shakespearean theatre (Hamlet, 2021) enriches his portrayal of political machinations. In Season 2, Provence’s schemes escalate, positioning Archer as a standout antagonist.
4. Jasmine Blackborow as Lamballe
Jasmine Blackborow (The Alienist, 2020) returns as Princesse de Lamballe, Marie’s loyal confidante. Blackborow’s gentle yet steely performance captures Lamballe’s unwavering devotion, even as her friendship with the queen draws dangerous scrutiny.
Known for period roles in The Spanish Princess (2020), Blackborow balances elegance with quiet strength. Season 2 tests Lamballe’s loyalty, with Blackborow delivering poignant moments of sacrifice and solidarity.
5. Roxane Duran as Josephine
Roxane Duran, the Austrian-French actress from Amour (2012), joins the cast as Josephine, a enigmatic courtier with ties to revolutionary factions. Duran’s haunting presence and fluency in layered roles make Josephine a captivating wildcard.
Duran’s work in The Returned (2015) and Farewell, My Queen (2012) informs her ability to convey secrecy and simmering rebellion. Her scenes with Schüle crackle with tension, blurring lines between ally and adversary.
6. Oscar Lesage as Chartres
Oscar Lesage (Versailles, 2015–2018) plays Duc de Chartres, a progressive nobleman whose ambitions clash with the monarchy. Lesage’s charisma and sharp wit make Chartres a magnetic figure, embodying the era’s shifting ideologies.
Lesage’s experience in historical dramas lends authenticity to Chartres’s revolutionary leanings. Season 2 positions him as a key player in the political chess game, with Lesage mastering the role of a man ahead of his time.
7. Caroline Piette as Victoire
Caroline Piette (The Bonfire of Destiny, 2019) portrays Madame Victoire, Louis XV’s daughter and Marie’s sharp-tongued aunt. Piette’s acerbic delivery and commanding presence make Victoire a formidable critic of Marie’s modernizing influence.
Piette’s stage work in Molière adaptations informs her mastery of courtly satire. In Season 2, Victoire’s disdain for Marie escalates, adding dark humor and generational conflict.
8. Yoli Fuller as Saint-Georges
Yoli Fuller (The French Dispatch, 2021) plays Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, the groundbreaking composer and swordsman. Fuller’s magnetic performance highlights Saint-Georges’s dual identity as a Black artist in a racist aristocracy.
Fuller’s musical background (he’s a jazz musician) enriches his portrayal of the “Black Mozart.” Season 2 explores his friendship with Marie, with Fuller embodying the era’s cultural brilliance and systemic prejudices.
9. Liah O’Prey as Yolande
Liah O’Prey (The Witcher, 2021) joins as Yolande de Polignac, Marie’s glamorous yet manipulative favorite. O’Prey’s razor-sharp wit and allure make Yolande a captivating antagonist within the queen’s inner circle.
O’Prey’s roles in The Last Kingdom (2015–2022) showcase her ability to blend charm and ruthlessness. Her rivalry with Lamballe drives Season 2’s palace intrigue, adding venomous glamour to the court.
10. Freya Mavor as Jeanne
Freya Mavor (Skins, 2011–2012; The ABC Murders, 2018) plays Jeanne de Valois-Saint-Rémy, a scheming social climber entangled in the Diamond Necklace Affair. Mavor’s ability to portray cunning antiheroes shines in this role.
Mavor’s theater work (The Seagull, 2022) informs Jeanne’s theatrical manipulations. Her arc in Season 2 exposes the rot beneath Versailles’ glitter, with Mavor delivering a masterclass in ambition and deceit.
With its intoxicating mix of history and drama, Marie Antoinette Season 2 promises to be a feast for the senses and the intellect. Don’t miss its debut on Canal+ and PBS in 2025—a tale of power, passion, and revolution like no other.
