Germany launch of “The Regime”
Kate Winslet shines in political satire
Kate Winslet plays the authoritarian head of state of a fictional European country in the new HBO series “The Regime.”
© Home Box Office
The new, darkly humorous political satire “The Regime” starts in Germany. What can the show with Kate Winslet in the lead role do?
That’s what “The Regime” is about
Elena Vernham (Winslet), the chancellor of an unspecified central European country, was once democratically elected. But now the unscrupulous politician rules authoritarianly over her people. Vernham also develops numerous fears and neuroses and becomes increasingly prone to paranoia. For example, she believes that pathogens are lurking all around her. She therefore hermetically seals off her government palace.
The soldier Herbert Zubak (Matthias Schoenaerts, 46), known as “The Butcher”, is supposed to control the air quality in the power center for Vernham, but soon also takes on other tasks, organizing the security of the head of state and the two very different characters slowly come closer to each other .
At the same time, the powerful USA is looking for an ally in Vernham in the person of Foreign Minister Judith Holt (Martha Plimpton, 53). But the head of government is increasingly losing touch with reality as her country is rocked by serious unrest. When Vernham also has the opposition leader (Hugh Grant, 63) arrested, their rule finally begins to crumble…
Those involved in front of and behind the scenes
The US broadcaster HBO was able to hire a top-class acting ensemble for “The Regime”. Oscar winner Kate Winslet, who was most recently seen in “Avatar: The Way of Water”, receives support in front of the camera from acting legend Hugh Grant (“Notting Hill”, “The Undoing”) and the Oscar-nominated British actress Andrea Riseborough (“The Death of Stalin”, 42), Emmy award winner Martha Plimpton and the European acting stars Matthias Schoenaerts (“A Bigger Splash”) and Guillaume Gallienne (“The French Dispatch”, 52).
The Regime was created by six-time Emmy Award winner Will Tracy, who has written screenplays for the HBO hit series Succession and the independent hit The Menu. Tracy serves as showrunner on The Regime. Cult director Stephen Frears (“The Queen”, 82) and Emmy winner Jessica Hobbs (“The Crown”, 57) directed episodes of the new HBO series.
That’s why “The Regime” is worth it
Not only all fans of the popular actress Kate Winslet should not miss the new HBO series “The Regime”. This is a highly entertaining, satirical look at a fictional, authoritarian European country whose official vegetable is sugar beet. The high-quality series was created at iconic locations, especially in Vienna. Schönbrunn Palace, for example, served as a harmonious backdrop for the luxurious, lavish life of Chancellor Elena Vernham, as did the Liechtenstein Garden Palace.
The smart show, which, like the successful series “Succession”, takes a look into the control centers of power, is carried entirely by the main actress Winslet. With a lot of assertiveness and occasional icy coldness, the dictator she plays asserts herself as the female head of state in the traditionally male-dominated politics and also goes to great lengths in the process.
But despite all the abysses that this opens up, the humor in “The Regime” is not neglected. She’s drawn to everything “that’s a little weird and in which people make fun of themselves,” revealed series star Winslet the “New York Times” before the start therefore about her new HBO show.