Cristina Raines as Poppaea in Quo Vadis?

In 1985, Cristina Raines took part in a wonderful miniseries called Quo Vadis?. The project featured an international cast and a great group of actors and actresses. Cristina Raines portrayed Poppaea, wife of the Roman Emperor Nero (played by over-the-top by Klaus Maria Brandauer). Poppaea has been played by man actresses over the years (including Theda Bara, Claudette Colbert and Brigitte Bardot just to name a few) and Cristina Raines turns in a fine performance (marred slightly by the fact that, at least in the version I saw, her voice was dubbed over). Her portrayal is somewhat haunting and I can't remember many other instances where Cristina Raines was able be so silently powerful, seductive and evil. Her performance is in perfect contrast to the other female stars in Quo Vadis?, Barbara De Rossi as the beautifully saddened Eunice and Marie Therese Relin as the lovely young Lygia.

If you haven't seen Quo Vadis? I would highly recommend you take a look at it. The miniseries has been, somewhat inexplicably, badly or lukewarmly reviewed by many professional and amateur critics. I had read a few reviews before I sat down to watch Quo Vadis? and was expecting it to not be very good. To the contrary, I found it to be immensely enjoyable, with great performances by all involved, a solid story and excellent art direction. If you like miniseries, ancient Rome or any of the actors involved, I would certainly recommend you track Quo Vadis? down.


Here are some images of Cristina Raines as Poppaea in Quo Vadis?:

Cristina Raines and Klaus Maria Brandauer

More pics of Cristina Raines in Quo Vadis? here.