Domina release date: Cast, trailer and latest news on Sky's Ancient Rome drama series
The Sky and NOW TV drama series examines the power struggles of Ancient Rome from a female perspective.
Sky's landmark new series Domina – its brand new feminist retelling of the life of Livia Drusilla, a prominent figure in Ancient Rome – is out now.
Kasia Smutniak (Dolittle) leads the cast in the role of Livia, the real-life wife and advisor to the Roman emperor Augustus Caesar.
In the trailer, we hear Game of Thrones favourite Liam Cunningham in the role of Livia's father, as he imparts advice to his cherished daughter. "Marriage and children are what Rome expect of you, but now I think it'll ask something else," he says ominously.
Sky previously released teaser trailer and first-look images for its new eight-part drama, which is set in Ancient Rome.
Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com, creator Simon Burke likened the Ancient Roman ruling class to the British royal family.
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"As with our own royal family, there is a constant tension between private and public life, but in those times, politics was a life and death affair, so the stakes were rather higher," he said.
"Domina is... authentic history, but it is a compelling behind the scenes take on palace intrigue in the reign of Augustus and his wife Livia, who is less well known. Her story however, and her riches-to-rags-to-power story is utterly compelling, and Livia changed the game for Roman women who followed her," he added.
The Sky series, which charts Livia's rise to power, also features the likes of Isabella Rossellini.
Read on for everything you need to know about Domina.
Domina release date
The eight episode series Domina is available via Sky Atlantic and streaming service NOW in the UK as of 14th May 2021.
Filming for Domina resumed in Rome, Italy, in July 2020 following delays due to the pandemic.
Nils Hartmann, Director Original Production, Sky Italia, said at the time: “Domina is a landmark series for Sky Italia and Sky Studios, and so we are pleased to have restarted production at Cinecittà this week. Across Europe, Sky Studios has been back in production for two months now. During that time we have learned valuable lessons from our other productions to ensure we return to set in a COVID-safe way. These learnings include safe social distancing on set and pooling actors and crew in designated areas.”
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Domina cast: Who stars in the drama?
Kasia Smutniak (Dolittle) leads the cast as Livia Drusilla.
Liam Cunningham (Game Of Thrones) and Isabella Rossellini (Blue Velvet) also co-star as Livia's father (called Marcus Livius Drusus Claudianus) and as Balbina, respectively.
Christine Bottomley (The End of the F***ing World), Matthew McNulty (Misfits), Colette Tchantcho (The Witcher), and Ben Batt (Captain America: The First Avenger) round out the supporting cast.
Domina trailer
You can watch the teaser trailer for Domina here...
And here's the full trailer!
What is Domina about?
Written by Simon Burke, the series is set in Ancient Rome and follows the initially naive Livia's rise to power, as she becomes one of the most influential women in the ancient world, and wife and mother to emperors.
Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com, creator Burke said: "Domina is an epic drama set in the first royal family, which suddenly found itself the richest and most famous group of relatives on earth - with unlimited power. This is the story of how they coped.
"It is a political drama, but it’s told from the point of view of the wives, the daughters, the mothers, the sisters and the mistresses at a time when policy came to be made in the bedroom and not the Senate of Rome.
"Given the time then, sex and violence come into play, as do love, ambition and betrayal."
Kasia Smutniak, who plays Livia in the series, said of her character: “As a frontrunner in defending women's rights, she was a tough woman who was both feared and cherished and was strong enough to seal the fate of the Roman Empire."
In the first teaser trailer released in March 2021, we see a stony-faced Livia praying to the Roman gods, before adding: "Let me f**k my enemies."
The show's title comes from the female version of 'Dominus', the Ancient Roman title for sovereignty (the word 'dominate' derives from it).
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