Though Roma Downey and Mark Burnett's The Dovekeepers is set nearly 2,000 years ago, the female executive producer believes that the Cote De Pablo-starring miniseries is "a story for the times."
The Alice Hoffman novel-turned-two-night miniseries was co-executive produced by the husband-wife team, but the idea to turn the New York Times bestselling book into a show was initiated by Downey. Following the couple's trip to Israel and visit to Masada, the ancient Judean desert mountain hideout where fewer than 1,000 Jews retreated from the Roman armies, Downey read the book years later and pursued the project because "it really resonated with me," she said.
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"Often, history is written by men about men and here was this incredible story, but told to us through the minds of these unconventional but incredibly courageous women," Downey said. "A love story set at the darkest of times."
The exec producer reached out to Hoffman to secure the rights and met with CBS' Nina Tassler, who partnered with the married team after she coincidentally returned from Masada the week they met to discuss the project. Along with Tassler, Downey and Hoffman, the core creative team is primarily women, including screenwriter Ann Peacock, CBS' Stacy Mandelberg and female actresses De Pablo, Rachel Brosnahan — Downey loved her House of Cards performance — and Kathryn Prescott.
"We don't often get to see the historic stories told through the eyes of women and that really appealed to me," the exec producer told The Hollywood Reporter. "They're strong women; they're in relationship with one another; there's mothers and daughters; and their friendships show how supportive they are of each other."
The miniseries, filled with love and romance, tells the story of a group of dove-keeping women in Masada during a tumultuous time in Jewish history. De Pablo, who formerly starred in CBS' NCIS, was at the top of Downey and Burnett's list for the leading role of Shirah.
"She has the noisiest fans on the planet. The day we announced that she was joining the Dovekeepers cast, the social media boards lit up in a way that I have never experienced," Downey said. "To say that her fans are enthusiastic about her return to television is an understatement."
Downey's hope is that Americans will both learn about the Jews' history and journey in Masada and "be touched by it." Downey continued, "[It's] an opportunity to share with them the courage of this group of persecuted Jews ... the triumph of the spirit where courage is greater than fear, love is greater than hate. The story is tragic, but it's very, very touching."
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The Dovekeepers airs just days before Downey and Burnett's A.D. The Bible Continues premieres Easter Sunday on NBC. Sam Neill and Diego Boneta are the two male leads in the four-hour miniseries.
"I think it's a story for the times," Downey continued. "You look across the world and you see that even today, people are still being persecuted for their faith and I think that the theme of this series will really resonate for such a time as this."
Tune into CBS at 9 p.m. on March 31 and April 1 to catch The Dovekeepers.
