Polly Walker

Polly Walker plays Atia in Rome. Her social confidence is a pleasure to watch because it is so purposeful. Walker can make hospitality, irritation and calculation occupy the same exchange, with a sharp sense of the comedy involved.

Her early film work includes Enchanted April, Patriot Games and Emma. On television she played Clarice Willow in Caprica, Francesca Miller in Prisoners' Wives and Portia Featherington in Bridgerton.

Atia makes especially rich use of Walker's timing. The character is rarely content to leave her family's position to chance, and the effort to manage it can be formidable or ridiculous. Walker allows both possibilities. She helps give Rome's households the same dramatic importance as its public struggles for power.