King of Texas explained

Screenplay:	Stephen Harrigan
Director:	Uli Edel
Starring:	Patrick Stewart Marcia Gay Harden Lauren Holly Julie Cox
Theme Music Composer:	John Altman
Country:	United States
Language:	English
Producer:	Art Levinson Wendy Neuss-Stewart
Editor:	Mark Conte
Cinematography:	Paul Elliott
Runtime:	95 minutes
Company:	Milk & Honey Pictures Flying Freehold Productions Hallmark Entertainment TNT Original Productions
Network:	TNT

King of Texas is a 2002 American Western television film based on William Shakespeare's King Lear and directed by Uli Edel.

Plot

The film takes the plot of William Shakespeare's King Lear and places it in the Republic of Texas during the 19th century. Patrick Stewart stars as John Lear, a wealthy cattle baron and analog to King Lear. In the story, Lear exiles his youngest daughter, who is later supported by the wealthy landowner Mechacha.^[1] Lear divides his property among his daughters, only to be rejected by the eldest two of them once they have it.

Cast

• Patrick Stewart as John Lear (King Lear)
• Marcia Gay Harden as Mrs. Susannah Lear Tumlinson (Goneril)
• Lauren Holly as Mrs. Rebecca Lear Highsmith (Regan)
• Roy Scheider as Henry Westover (Earl of Gloucester)
• David Alan Grier as Rip (amalgam of Earl "Caius" of Kent and The Fool)
• Colm Meaney as Henry Tumlinson (Duke of Albany)
• Patrick Bergin as Mr. Highsmith (Duke of Cornwall)
• Matt Letscher as Emmett Westover (Edmund of Gloucester)
• Liam Waite as Thomas Westover (Edgar of Gloucester)
• Steven Bauer as Menchaca (King of France)
• Julie Cox as Claudia Lear (Cordelia)
• Richard Lineback as Warnell (Oswald)
• Roger Cudney as Smithwick

Awards and nominations

Satellite Award

• Nominated, Best Performance by an Actor in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television - Patrick Stewart
• Nominated, Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television - Roy Scheider
• Nominated, Best Performance by an Actress in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television - Marcia Gay Harden

Western Heritage Awards

• Won, Best Television Feature Film

Notes and References

1. Book: Della Gatta . Carla . Latinx Shakespeares: Staging US Intracultural Theater . 2023 . University of Michigan Press . Ann Arbor . 978-0-472-05577-7 . 55 .