(EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: SHORT VERSION): When your brain needs a self-care refrain from today's news headlines, there's nothing like a little wretched excess of the sensual kind to lift your spirits. That's exactly what you'll get with "Versailles" Season 2 premiering Saturday, Sept. 30 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on classy and arts-and-culture-friendly Ovation.

There's a reason this highly entertaining series airs later at night. It's been described in the following ways: decadent, sexy, racy, opulent, fruity, sticky, scintillating, delightful—and you get the idea. It is shot at the real Versailles, so if you haven't yet toured the French palace of palaces, the series gives you a detailed inside look. As London's Guardian proclaimed, "It is a trashy, extravagant romp that takes liberties with the actuality. It is also, undeniably, quite a lot of fun."

For some background from Parade.com, see last November's in-depth interview with Stuart Bowman, who plays Bontemps, in "Versailles."

So if you couldn't get enough of Season 1, here's what the network says about Season 2: "Witness the dark underbelly of power as [King] Louis [XIV] (George Blagden) sees the dream of his grand Versailles palace crumbling before his eyes. Most of France’s eminent lords and ladies now live under the Sun King’s roof. Drugs, gambling, and alcohol are rampant, as nobles begin to poison each other in order to get closer to the King and climb up the social ladder."

If that sounds like your cup of period drama, this season you'll meet two new characters. First, Princess Palentine played by Jessica Clark, along with my video interview guest Suzanne Clément, 48, who is Madame Agathe. She gains the ear of powerful players in the king's court, including the king's mistress, the vulnerable and frightened Madame de Montespan, played by Anna Brewster.

Suzanne joins us here to talk intimately and frankly about her mysterious but powerful character. Plot historians tell us that poisoner and sorcerer Madame Agathe is actually based on
two very real characters who are said to have poisoned more than 2,000 people when the Sun King was in power: the Marquise of Brinvilliers and La Voison. Yes, "parts" of the series are based upon history, and parts are not, as you'll discern.

Canadian actress Suzanne is well known for her work in Xavier Dolan's three films, "I Killed My Mother," "Laurence Anyways" and "Mommy." She'll tell you more about her career in the in-depth, full-length version of our interview here.

свернуть