'This isn’t France and I’m not a fool' - Wolf Hall: Episode 2 Preview - BBC Two

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Watch the BBC first on iPlayer 👉 bbc.in/iPlayer-Home Programme website: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05172x8 Cromwell encounters an upset Mary Boleyn, she confides in him that she used to be Henry's mistress before she was cast aside. Her sister Anne is determined not to be a fool like her.
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[@hsiadarb8062]

Charity Wakefield is a highly underrated actress, Mary Boleyn as played here with a feminine air that takes your breath away. Cromwell ( Mark Rylance ) is captivated by her, like a mouse is to a cat, she is dangerous and he knows it! The late night garden scene (not show here) is the mouse nearly eaten by the cat!

[@LyricalXilence]

Breath taking actress. Anne is attractive but they gave her sister the quintessential English rose look. Too bad I love Anne Boleyn too much to watch this in full.

[@idontgiveafaboutyou]

The real Mary did have blonde hair and blue eyes

[@vanecielo93]

Anne boleyn did have Brunete hair not blonde like her sister mary

[@graphiquejack]

Catherine H. There’s no reason to assume Anne was cold hearted. It was said she was devastated she wasn’t able to marry Henry Percy. Just because Anne had ambitions didn’t mean she couldn’t also be in love with either Henry. And since Anne didn’t want to sleep with Henry VIII and be his mistress, that she was effectively trapped by his advances, that’s no reason to think she was anything but virtuous and clear headed, knowing that it would spoil her chances for a good match if she was known to be Henry’s mistress.

[@BluePenguin200]

Additionally, Anne was hardly cold hearted based on the account of her closeness with her mother and father, as well as her friendships with Queen Claude of France and Margaret of Austria. Plus, she definitely cared for Elizabeth, and there is actually a suggestion somewhere that when Catherine died, she did try and become a sort of new mother for the Lady Mary (although naturally, Mary was at an unforgiving point in her relationship with Anne, and so rebuffed her, and arguably was right to do so in some ways.) She clearly loved Henry Percy enough to remain on bad terms with Cardinal Wolsey, the man who split off the betrothal.

[@daesgatling1345]

@@BluePenguin200 Where's any evidence taht she wanted to play mommy to Lady Mary when she talked about having them killed for not doing what she wanted?

[@danawinsor1380]

I like Mary in this series (and the books). She has spirit and her conversations with Cromwell (or Crem-well as Anne Calls him) are delightful.

[@mnomadvfx]

I agree, she did feel underused though - she just disappears after that William Stafford scene which is a shame.

[@bushit123456]

Why does she call him Crem well?

[@danawinsor1380]

@@bushit123456 Anne had spent much of her young life at the French Court, so "cremwell" suggests she has difficulty pronouncing his name. I think it would have been cool if they had given her a French accent. I loved it when she broke into French during their conversations.

[@NorthernHistory]

Cromwell's face is sprezzatura, ie. courtly cool. Great performance.

[@lukegyesi-appiah2378]

I read that word in the book too 😂 best word in the world!

[@nem0763]

Book of the Courtier 🤟

[@Bullen_3]

His face is a curious picture of ambivalence,he is flattered as any man would at the attention of a lovely lady like that,but mixed with a good deal of wariness because,she is another Boleyn; and also he wonders what the ulterior motive is here... All while he recognizes she is is not like her family and and is no dummy,even though her sister is cold and exceptionally intelligent. BUT,he knows she's after someone fierce to get her family to stop using her, so.

[@gazebo46]

Poor Mary! Stooped so low to trying to flirt with Cromwell to get her some clothes! I've always felt so sorry for Mary Boleyn in every Henry VIII/Anne Boleyn movie I've ever seen.

[@gracefutrell1912]

gazebo46 you realize that she's just trying to get into his pants here.

[@writerchick10]

gazebo46 You shouldn't. She was fine & she was able to marry for love the second time around. At least she kept her head.

[@michaelrupp9288]

Sadly dead @ 40 years of age.

[@JoMcKenzie1972]

Michael Rupp A tidy age in that era.

[@michaelrupp9288]

True. But even H8 and Cromwell had much longer lives.

[@annegrace4869]

At the end, Anne’s ambition cost her her head, and Mary ended up a wealthy woman after her father died and married for love

[@charlesoshea4803]

And didn't Mary raise Anne's daughter Princess Elizabeth who would one day be Elizabeth I ?

[@sercastamere9853]

This is 8000% better than any ridiculously unnecessary HBO sex scene Well, if it were the whole scene anyway

[@mgraulau]

Poor Mary but her impertinent and flirtatious handling of his grey velvet speaks of her character.

[@mc-rn8ro]

And your slut-shaming of a woman for simply touching a man’s chest speaks to your deep-seated sexism and lack of maturity Mary Boleyn was treated like a sex object by Henry and thrown away just as quickly because he moved on to banging her sister; then her sister’s maid, then his fourth wife’s maid, with countless other conquests in between. But SHE’S the slut in your eyes because she wanted to feel velvet? I pray you never have daughters. God knows how you’d treat them.

[@MioneRubinia]

They look alot alike , the actresses playing Mary and Anne. Great casting

[@romeaffair]

Lucky girl with Mr Rylance.

[@amandac9894]

She looks EXACTLY the way Mary Boleyn would look like - an English Rose. Poor sweet Mary, honestly she was a victim but she was able to survive I bet after her sisters death she felt a tad bit of shock realising that it could have been her in her sisters place.

[@Bullen_3]

Anne went one way in a extremely bold way,and shot up to be on the absolute top. Mary went the complete opposite direction for love, (and it was just as bold as what Anne did),facing disownership from her whole family. But Mary chose love,that in my humble opinion makes her the one who knew what makes life matter most. Bur kudos to both,they both chose what was most important to each one,in a world where men decided these things. Anne and Mary didn't let that stop them.

[@Bullen_3]

@Rebecca DeWinter Yeah,there were things that definitly suspect af having to do with Diana's death.

[@jennifermoriarty2188]

Supposedly her son and dauther was by the king ..so idk

[@Aqquila89]

Cromwell in the books is described as having the face of a murderer. That definitely isn't the case with Mark Rylance.

[@AmethystEyes]

He has such a nice grandfatherly/fatherly face lol

[@AishaVonFossen]

Holy cow! The face of a murderer?! No, absolutely not Mark Rylance's face. 😂 He looks too gentle. ☺️ When I think of a dangerous looking Cromwell, I think of John Colicos from Anne of the Thousand Days, talk about a pro at playing scary characters, it was that guy. 😅

[@andrewg.carvill4596]

Rylance looks more like the portraits you see of Thomas More.

[@leedobson]

Judging by the portrait we have Cromwell was in the James Gandolfini mould

[@suzannesmith5079]

I feel so terrible for Mary Boleyn because, she had no choice, when commanded by the King of any Country you obey or you lose your life, the lives of the family, or your House and Land, plain and simple. Her Father, Thomas Boleyn; wasn't exactly helpful either, he actually encouraged it just because of, Rank and Position. Anne Boleyn found that out much, much more later when it was to late and, she was in it to far and only escaped it by losing her Head.

[@dendenne4856]

The Boleyn father was already a favorite in court, he had a good position way before his daughters arrived in England, so why would he encourage it ? Such a reputation lower the position of his daughters on the mariage market, and for a women of a noble family it is very, very important.

[@mnomadvfx]

Of course, of course. It couldn't possibly be that she could have had any agency or desire for power of her own! - couldn't possibly be that she could be flattered by the attention of the king and desire him in turn back before health declined. Anne refused him perpetually, and still he did not destroy the Boleyn's or do anything to her - he made them powerful instead. If Mary had simply flat out refused him he would have simply moved on to another conquest - he was not short of willing participants even though he clearly preferred the married type. Anne's mistake was winding something up too tight - upon a promise of release that would give him exactly what he desired beyond her alone, a son. She bet her life on that promise, and it failed - yet I have no pity because she and her friends took pains to assert their own power once installed at court, they were no innocent angels by any stretch of the imagination.

[@michellekinder3051]

@@dendenne4856 that was the way it was for women of the court. It was a man's or kings eorld. If the king saw a woman even one married to one of his courtiers, he took what he wanted. He was not used to hear the word no.

[@Bullen_3]

Mary was a sassy goddess in this depiction of her,and I love it!!

[@nightangel972000]

I love the gowns in this show, but not the head pieces.

[@gidzmobug2323]

Cromwell bows to Mary, probably because she is the Queen's sister. Too bad she fades into obscurity after Anne's execution.

[@wednesdayschild3627]

Her two children were favored by queen Elizabeth 1. They went on to be very successful.

[@gidzmobug2323]

@@wednesdayschild3627 Mary's granddaughter, Lettuce, was favored till she married Elizabeth's favorite (Robert Dudley).

[@musicloverlondon6070]

Ironically, the current younger Royals, William and Harry, are directly descended from Mary Boleyn (rather than Anne) on both the Spencer and Windsor sides of the family.

[@gidzmobug2323]

@@musicloverlondon6070 How are they descended from Mary? Would like to see that one

[@michellekinder3051]

@@wednesdayschild3627 as were there desendants. Winston Churchill, Diana (Spencer family), William and his kids.

[@galinag4687]

Charity Wakefield is an excellent actress. And now I see her playing the role of my very great grandmother Mary Boleyn. Her daughter Catherine is my next grandmother. It is quite possible that Catherine and young Henry are the children of Henry Vlll. I already share Henry Vlll grandparent line through Jaquetta de Luxembourg. I hope this production is accurate as it is I have not yet seen it.

[@plasticvision]

+Galina G seriously?

[@kiishaarnold8767]

Nobody asked but that's interesting

[@herbertvonnackerman4743]

What utter bollocks :DD

[@catyfierce5099]

Shahid Khan He meant Mary Boleyn was his great, great, great, great, great, great (and so on) grandmother. He just enshortened it by saying "very great-grandmother".

[@TahrahStar]

Prove it...

[@ihategoogle5910]

Dammit I read this on the thumbnail as Season 2 of Wolf Hall!!!

[@steveparadis2978]

On both sides--father and mother--Prince William is her direct descendant.

[@michellekinder3051]

I would say that Mary was the one who eventually won.

[@sophiawilson8696]

there is rumor that two children of Mary Boleyn may be King Henry but he would/could not claim them because he was married Anne Boleyn

[@melodyclark1944]

There were years between those births and the marriage of Henry and Anne.

[@Skyebright1]

Yes there is speculation that the two children that Mary had while married to her first husband were actually Henry’s

[@maggiesmith2600]

Mary Boleyn was a fool. She was the mistress of two kings, Francois 1st ( who called her 'my English hackney' - a horse for hire i.e. anyone can have a ride) as well as Henry VIII, and didn't manage to get wealth or titles out of either of them.

[@gracefutrell1912]

maggie smith I Kinda agree with you and not to mention she's trying to get into his pants in the scene I don't think commenters get it.

[@daesgatling1345]

She survived her more ambitious relatives though, and allegedly married for love. So i would say shes smart

[@-.Germanicus.-]

At least her marriage was a good one. They both loved each other and even Anne was jealous of her for bearing a son

[@francescapaladini5763]

Well, no one really managed to get something with Henry

[@connoroleary591]

@@francescapaladini5763 Wrong He was very generous; the only problem was, he later seek payment with your head!

[@lua-c3161]

How do I find Wolf Hall online full episodes for free? These are only previews...Can anyone help?

[@TheMak445]

also on netflixs ;-)

[@mariecruickshank1556]

This scene reminds me of when I first met my yorkshire prince. He told me he was looking for an english rose just like me.

[@galinag4687]

Kt O, yes, quite seriously! It started when I was doing my ancestry and came upon a knight. That lead to many more discoveries on my father's side. My family were English colonists who descended from Royalty.

[@galinag4687]

The505Guys It was so long ago since I posted this, I really don't remember! Sorry.

[@LifeInPink999]

Well she was a fool. Then again both were at the end.

[@mrpurser6378]

I've been following it since the beginning, and it's ok for an historical drama. The lead roles are ok and the settings and locations are excellent. Like everyone else i know how they end up, but it will be interesting seeing this how this adaptation pans out.

[@bobdoubter2977]

Mary B. was hot.

[@persephoneweiss8851]

Are you simping over her, mate😉?

[@wednesdayschild3627]

In real life, she was beautiful.

[@persephoneweiss8851]

@@wednesdayschild3627 Well she is😉💕

[@baartbman2390]

and this isn't a hearing test. Stop whispering and speak up.

[@baartbman2390]

***** Don't tell me what to do. And Jesus is not a religion.

[@baartbman2390]

***** are you slow? Don't tell me what to do. You're not Jesus.

[@baartbman2390]

***** apology accepted.

[@waynedesper70]

*****

[@allisonturner1752]

I think the tudors may be a better show but I don't know