Much Ado About Nothing with Helen Hunt

Shakespeare Uncovered's opening episode sees Oscar, Emmy, and Golden Globe winner Helen Hunt spotlight The Bard's masterful comedy of contrast and comparison, "Much Ado About Nothing."

Hunt, who has portrayed Beatrice twice, attributes the invention of the romantic comedy, a staple of Hollywood cinema, to this 16th-century play. But discovers the Claudio-Hero plot is borrowed from a Renaissance-era story by Italian writer Matteo Bandello.

Paul Edmondson of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust suggests the playwright’s daughter, Susanna, may have inspired Beatrice and other strong female characters in his work. Hunt examines the play's central couples through the testimonies of Kenneth Branagh and members of the RSC.