Diksha Sundriyal
Peacock’s ‘Those About to Die’ is set in ancient Rome, and all characters vie to become wealthier, more influential, and more powerful than they are now. The story unfolds from the point of view of characters from different social and political standing. Antonia and Marsus lie halfway through that spectrum. They belong to the wealthier section of society, but they are still a few steps down the ladder from the emperor, which motivates them to do the things that will bring them closer to that goal. A majority of the characters in the show have real-life historical counterparts, but Antonia and Marsus are not one of them.
Fictional Antonia and Marsus Represent the Wealthy Class
While ‘Those About to Die’ convincingly presents the portrait of ancient Rome’s ruling class, Antonia and Marsus are fictional creations meant to represent an entire social class rather than a particular family. They are composites of several real people who were filtered down into a couple to prevent the show from having too many characters, which would have spread the plot thin and taken away focus from other characters.
Gabriella Pession, who plays Antonia, revealed that she researched ancient Rome and the role women like Antonia played in the power struggle that could make or break empires. She read biographies of several figures to get into the character’s skin and learned many things along the way. She referenced women like Livia Drusilla, the wife of Octavian, the founder of the Roman Empire. Another woman she looked towards was Emperor Claudius’ third wife, Messalina, who helped Pession understand Antonia’s flawed but powerful character, especially in terms of her sexuality and how freely she used it as a means to her end.
Agrippina Minore, Claudius’ next wife and the mother of his son, Nero, was another reference point for the actress, along with one of Nero’s wives, Poppaea Sabina. She borrowed something from each character to imbue in Antonia and make her as complex as possible. The process was challenging but fun for Pession, who said that Antonia isn’t just about displaying power and cunning but also about having no fear to do whatever it takes to get what you want.
Gabriella Pession and Rupert Penry-Jones Developed Antonia and Marsus’ Relationship
While the characters are created by writers, bringing them to life from the page to the screen takes a completely different form of work. For Gabriella Pession and Rupert Penry-Jones, it wasn’t just about acting out whatever lines were given to them. They knew that what we see of Antonia and Marsus is in the subtext and their relationship, which has developed so that they know exactly what the other is thinking. Passion revealed that while they may have sculpted their characters individually, she and Penry-Jones worked together to build the power couple and their relationship.
The actors collaborated with Roland Emmerich, the creator of the show and the director of its several episodes, to add further nuance to the couple. They were encouraged to be creative about their scenes and lines and were given the space to improvise, especially when Antonia and Marsus were in the same scene together. The actors played off of their real-life chemistry, which fed into the characters and underlined their complexities, making them hatable and, to some point, sympathetic.
To Pession, Antonia and Marsus are a bit sadistic, and while they may be evil to the world, they are completely dedicated to each other. They have surpassed any form of insecurity or distrust, and it shows in their open marriage, which gives them sexual freedom while also acting as a tool for them to employ whenever they need something done. This is something that the audience can relate to, on some level, or at least admire the ruthlessness with which they follow their dreams, making the couple highly believable and a compelling reflection of the power-hungry people who lived in ancient Rome.
Read More: Those About to Die: Are Kwame and Viggo Based on Real Gladiators?
