Shardlake star Ruby Ashbourne Serkis has revealed her experience as one of the few women involved in the new Disney+ drama based on CJ Sansom’s novels. The four-part series, starring Arthur Hughes as the lead investigator, uncovers a brutal murder in a 16th-century monastery during the dissolution. Written by Stephen Butchard and directed by Justin Chadwick, the show also explores the injustices of the era, including Matthew Shardlake’s struggles as a “hunchback” in Tudor England.
Throughout the first season, Shardlake and his partner Jack Barak, played by Anthony Boyle, delve into the chilling murder and meet Ruby’s character Alice, a young woman residing in the monastery. Ruby explained that Alice has had to isolate herself from everyone in the monastery except for her mentor Brother Guy, portrayed by Irfan Shamji. She has had to withdraw and find solace in nature, valuing her alone time. Ruby described Alice as both “shady” and “sweet,” and she immediately felt sympathy for her character when she joined the cast.
Being a woman living alone in the monastery, Ruby emphasized the solitary nature of Alice’s life and the need for empathy. However, she also believed that Alice was capable of taking care of herself from the start. Ruby, the daughter of The Lord of the Rings star Andy Serkis, has previously appeared in small roles in The Hobbit series and gained recognition in projects like The Greatest Beer Run Ever, The Serpent, and Becoming Elizabeth.
Apart from Kimberley Nixon, who plays Shardlake’s housekeeper Joan and is not involved in the monastery investigation, Ruby is the only woman in the main cast. She had an interesting experience filming the series in Hungary, Romania, and Austria, as the team was predominantly male-dominated.
“It was a wild ride,” she exclaimed. “All the guys were in charge. When I arrived, I was like, ‘Holy crap!’
“Now, I don’t want to be sexist or anything, but when you’re in a foreign country surrounded by a bunch of men, things can get pretty egotistical. It’s just the way the energy flows.
“But I never once felt that with any of them. They were the most attractive bunch of guys, and I felt completely comfortable and included with everyone. It’s not exactly like life imitating art, thank goodness!”
Ruby expressed her gratitude for the presence of strong women on the set. “Tatiana, our first assistant director, was absolutely amazing. It’s so rare and refreshing to have a woman in that position.
“All of us women really valued and appreciated her. She was simply fantastic.”
You can catch Shardlake on Disney+.
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