The role of Helene was played by two actresses, both of whom were too old to play her. 26-year old Catherine Mary Stewart played the young Helene from the ages of 13 to her mid-20s. Joan Collins then played her when the character was about 30 years old onwards. Collins was 52 at the time which prompted critics to decry the entire mini-series as a trashy vanity project in which Collins was deluding herself.
His minor role as the masseur in this 1986 TV mini-series marked the final screen appearance of famed French bodybuilder Serge Nubret, ending an acting career of almost 25 years. He was approximately 48 years old at the time.