Miniseries · STARZ
The Pillars of the Earth
Who's in it
Cast
The principal ensemble across the run of the series.
Robert Bathurst
Percy Hamleigh
8 eps
Donald Sutherland
Earl Bartholomew
8 eps
Matthew Macfadyen
Prior Phillip
8 eps
Rufus Sewell
Tom Builder
8 eps
Ian McShane
Waleran Bigod
8 eps
Eddie Redmayne
Jack Jackson
8 eps
Natalia Wörner
Ellen
8 eps
Hayley Atwell
Aliena
8 eps
David Oakes
William Hamleigh
8 eps
Tony Curran
King Stephen
8 eps
Alison Pill
Maud
8 eps
Sarah Parish
Regan Hamleigh
8 eps
Liam Garrigan
Alfred Builder
8 eps
Götz Otto
Walter
8 eps
Sam Claflin
Richard
8 eps
Jody Halse
8 eps
Anatole Taubman
Remigius
8 eps
Skye Bennett
Young Martha
8 eps
John Pielmeier
Cuthbert
8 eps
Matt Devere
8 eps
Gordon Pinsent
Archbishop
8 eps
Ken Follett
Merchant
8 eps
Féodor Atkine
Abbot Sugar
8 eps
Virág Bárány
Young Woman Whore
8 eps
Freddie Boath
Henry - 15 year
8 eps
Barnabás Réti
Brother Paul
8 eps
Piroska Molnár
Grandmama
8 eps
Lisa Millett
Kate
8 eps
Clive Wood
King Henry I
8 eps
Richard Rifkin
Matthew
8 eps
László Áron
Architect
8 eps
Kelly Banlaki
Princess
8 eps
David Bark-Jones
Francis
8 eps
Tamás Baross
Gabriel
8 eps
Tatiana Turner
Gabriel's Mother
8 eps
Michael Mehlmann
Prior James
8 eps
Skye Lourie
Elisabeth
8 eps
Peter Linka
8 eps
Mark Phelan
Otto
8 eps
Douglas Booth
Eustace (15 years old)
8 eps
The Nutevio profile
TV DNA
How The Pillars of the Earth actually feels to watch, measured on the traits our editors track across every series.
Signature profile
The Pillars of the Earth reads strongest on Character Depth, Bingeability and Serialized.
How fully written and psychologically layered the ensemble is.
How hard it is to stop after one episode.
How much each hour depends on the one before it.
How much the series is designed to affect you.
How often an episode ends on a hook you can't ignore.
The sustained pressure the series keeps you under.
Visual ambition — scale, craft and set-piece filmmaking.
The scale, internal logic and texture of the world.
How often the series is genuinely funny, by design.
The story
What it's about
A sweeping epic of good and evil, treachery and intrigue, violence and beauty, a sensuous, spirited story set against a backdrop of war, religious strife and power struggles in 12th Century England.
Where the series peaks
Best Episodes
The hours that define the show, ranked by audience response and editorial signal.
S01E07
New Beginnings
As a result of his journeys, Jack has learned how to fulfill Tom Builder’s dream of a cathedral filled with light. Aliena tracks Jack by following the trail of his carvings. Waleran offers Philip a new position, but it means that Philip must always obey Waleran. Kingsbridge becomes prosperous again which infuriates Regan and William, who plan an attack that is met with resistance from Richard, Jack and Philip.
S01E03
Redemption
Aliena protests her father’s imprisonment. Prior Philip and William find themselves in a standoff over access to stone in the Shiring quarry. Jack’s artistic talents take hold as he begins to carve a statue to honor the cathedral relic. King Stephen visits the cathedral work-site, but collapses in a fit of terror. Aliena starts a fleece business to help earn money for Richard’s chance to become a knight.
- Directed by Sergio Mimica-Gezzan
S01E04
Battlefield
William applies to have his father’s title of Earl transferred to him, and discovers a mysterious knight is also a rival for the Earldom. King Stephen, frightened by Jack’s appearance, orders an assassin to kill him. The battle between King Stephen and Maud sees each side’s leader being taken hostage. Philip is tortured into a confession when Waleran tells Maud that he is the man who betrayed Earl Bartholomew.
- Directed by Sergio Mimica-Gezzan
S01E06
Witchcraft
Richard returns from war to find his sister penniless, with no more money to support his knighthood. Alfred offers himself to Prior Philip as master-builder. Aliena has to choose between her love for Jack and her oath to her father. Regan forces Waleran to speak to the King about William’s long-delayed Earldom. A disaster at Kingsbridge becomes a way for Waleran to remove Prior Philip from his position.
S01E02
Master Builder
A fire destroys Kingsbridge church, giving Tom, son Alfred and stepson Jack the chance to build a new cathedral. Prior Philip learns the power of politics when he gets caught between Bishop Waleran and the Hamleighs’ quest for Shiring Castle. Kingsbridge is rocked by the accusation of Ellen being a witch. William takes Aliena and Richard by surprise in a brutal attack. Aliena makes a promise to her father.
- Directed by Sergio Mimica-Gezzan
S01E01
Anarchy
The succession to the crown of England is in doubt and causes King Henry’s daughter and nephew to compete for the throne. The Hamleigh family’s hope for an advantageous marriage for their son William falls apart. Tom Builder and his family search for work and encounter Ellen and her mysterious son Jack. Church politics see Philip, a monk, elected the new prior, which leaves him indebted to Deacon Waleran.
- Directed by Sergio Mimica-Gezzan
Behind the series
Created by
Showrunners, creators, executive producers and the writers who set the voice of the series.
Sergio Mimica-Gezzan
Showrunner
David A. Rosemont
Executive producer
- Photo unavailable
Rola Bauer
Executive producer
Michael Prupas
Executive producer
- Photo unavailable
David W. Zucker
Executive producer
- Photo unavailable
Jonas Bauer
Executive producer
Tony Scott
Executive producer
- Photo unavailable
Tim Halkin
Executive producer
Ridley Scott
Executive producer
Ken Follett
Writer
- Photo unavailable
John Pielmeier
Writer
The craft
Key Crew
Directing, writing, production, camera, music and editing.
Executive production
- David A. RosemontExecutive Producer
- Adam GoodmanProducer
- Rola BauerExecutive Producer
- Michael PrupasExecutive Producer
- John RyanProducer
- David W. ZuckerExecutive Producer
Writing
- Ken FollettWriter
- John PielmeierWriter
Direction
- Sergio Mimica-GezzanDirector
Cinematography
- Attila SzalayDirector of Photography
Where to watch
Streaming
Availability verified against regional listings.
Checking regional listings…
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