War & Peace: BBC's sexed-up dramatic adaptation shocks viewers
TUPPENCE Middleton has become TV’s latest sex symbol thanks to her role as devious femme fatale Helene Kuragina in new BBC drama War And Peace.
Helene Kuragina, played by Tuppence Middleton, and Paul Dano as Pierre Bezukhov
The antics of the evil Russian princess, whose incestuous relationship with her own brother shocked audiences, became even steamier in the second episode, shown last night.
The scheming Helene imposed a sex ban on new husband Pierre Bezukhov during their honeymoon – only to sleep with his friend on a dining room table.
And the bed-hopping aristocrat does not look like she will be slowing down any time soon, with the character set to take in a string of lovers.
The BBC adaptation of Tolstoy's classic novel has won acclaim from TV critics
Helene’s shocking behaviour has propelled British actress Tuppence, 28, to unexpected stardom, stealing the limelight from Downton Abbey star Lily James, who plays Natasha Rostova in the series, based on Leo Tolstoy’s novel.
Tuppence, who is also appearing in the BBC’s Dickensian as a young Miss Havisham, was born in Bristol and grew up in Somerset.
The first episode of War and Peace drew an audience of more than six million
Downton Abbey's Lily James as Natasha Rostov in War and Peace
Andrew Davies, who wrote the War And Peace adaptation, said: “I think she is probably the naughtiest woman on TV at the moment.
I don’t know what Tolstoy thought of Helene but I instantly took rather a liking to her
"I don’t know what Tolstoy thought of Helene but I instantly took rather a liking to her. It was one way of dealing with being a woman in an age when men made all the decisions. Tuppence completely got what I was after when I was writing it. She actually makes more of it than I dreamed of.”
The six-part series has so far garnered rave reviews from critics, with the first episode attracting more than six million viewers.
However, there has been some criticism, with viewers complaining about the inaccuracy of the incest storyline, which Tolstoy only hinted at in the novel.