An Interview with Kate O’Flynn & Jordan Peters from ‘My Lady Jane’

Kate O’Flynn and Jordan Peters as Mary and King Edward in Season 1 of ‘My Lady Jane’. (Photo Courtesy of Jonathan Prime/Prime Video.)

Kate O’Flynn and Jordan Peters are a pair of accomplished actors that have appeared on the silver and small screen often, in some important franchises. Such as Bridget Jones’ Baby and Gangs of London, respectively. Currently they star as Mary and King Edward in the Prime Video series, My Lady Jane, and we here at NTG had the wonderful honor of sitting down with both of them to discuss their new show.
​
John Betancourt: I would love to know what it means to each of you to be part of such a dynamic and unique new show?
 
Jordan Peters: Oh, absolute joy. Yeah, absolute joy. I've never done anything like this before in my life, so being a part of it, it just means so much to me and also just the opportunity to play such a historical figure, but not basing it on the historical facts, just making our own in this My My Jane world, it's just been so much fun. And just the whole team and the cast, has just been… it's been really great.
 
Kate O’Flynn: Yeah. I would second that and just say it was a rollicking good time to film and hopefully to watch.
 
John Betancourt: Jordan, you lead me right to my next question, because I’m very curious as to how much each of you enjoyed having so much freedom to craft your characters, since you weren’t locked into history.
 
Kate O’Flynn: Well, I think we were both thinking the same thing, is that the script comes first. So, who are the characters in this world of My Lady Jane and going from there? So, for me, it was finding the tone of her, finding how the character of Mary -- like, what instrument am I playing in the orchestra? And Mary is the villain. So just going all out for that, really, that was my approach, my way in.
 
Jordan Peters: Yeah, it's just like you said, there was so much license to play, and also with the showrunners being there every day, and if we had a moment of like improv in rehearsals they would add it to the script, or they have an idea that they could use to put later on in the episode that they will use that. It was just so nice to have such a collaboration with the actors and the showrunners, which was so, so beautiful, that whole experience, because it was months of filming. So, it was nice that they weren't just so locked into what was on the script, that just gave us more freedom and license to play.
 
John Betancourt: Now, without offering any spoilers, I would love to know you're most excited for audiences to experience when they watch.
 
Kate O’Flynn: I'm excited for people to see the chemistry between Emily (Bader) and Edward (Bluemel) playing Jane and Guildford, because I think that really, really works. Really, it's just… it's electric. So, I'm excited, but I think people will love that.
 
Jordan Peters: Also, the fantastical moments within the show. There's a lot of fantasy that, you know, people should be looking forward to.
 
Kate O’Flynn: Yeah, there’s a lot of surprises.
 
Jordan Peters: A LOT of surprises.
 
John Betancourt: What are you each most proud of when it comes to work on this show?
 
Jordan Peters: You know what? I'm proud of my fighting skills. Yeah, I'm proud of my fighting skills because I trained hard. I trained for three years at Lambeau, and now I can put it into practice. I'm like, yes, yes, it was worth the money.
 
Kate O’Flynn: Yeah. I think for me, I'm most proud -- I think I’m proud, but I really loved… I haven't played a royal before, so on screen, so getting to play that, and we're obsessed with class in the UK, and getting to play someone at the top tier and getting away with it. You know, I love that.
 
John Betancourt: The last question I have for you today, if you could describe this series in one word, what would that word be?
 
Jordan Peters: Romanta-cy.
 
Kate O’Flynn: I’ll use two. Rompy Pompy.
 
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

---