Connie Nielsen Lands Big TV Role

Connie Nielsen is taking a trip to Sherwood Forest. The actress will join Sean Bean and Jack Patten in the cast of the new Robin Hood series on MGM+.

In the series, she will play Eleanor of Aquitaine, based on the real-life duchess who became Queen of France and later Queen of England. Eleanor was last portrayed on screen by Eileen Atkins in the Russell Crowe-starring 2010 adaptation of Robin Hood.

The latest iteration of Robin Hood will be 10 episodes, and will be a more realistic take on the folklore legend. It is currently filming in Serbia after being greenlit in September 2024 by MGM+, a cable network and streaming service owned by Amazon/MGM.

“Connie Nielsen is a dream choice to update the iconic role of Eleanor of Aquitaine,” said Michael Wright, head of MGM+ in a statement to Variety. “Connie brings a remarkable gravitas, elegance, and artistry to this multilayered role of the iconic queen and brilliant strategist, introducing a new generation to the Robin Hood fable and to one of the most legendary and powerful women in folklore.”

Nielsen is best known for her role as Queen Hippolyta in the DC Universe films and as Lucilla in Ridley Scott’s Gladiator and its sequel. She also starred as Dani Beck, the temporary partner of Elliot Stabler in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and had supporting roles in movies like the Robin Williams-starring thriller One Hour Photo and Lars von Trier’s arthouse film Nymphomaniac.

There are currently no further details on the new Robin Hood.