Table of Contents
The Great, a lavish, bawdy, and magnificently irreverent series about the reign of Catherine the Great that is available on Hulu, has yet to promise us that it would be historically accurate. After all, the first line of each show is the disclaimer, “occasionally a true story,” The majority of the characters are either a composite of several actual historical courtiers or are wholly fictitious. As the third season of the critically acclaimed television program draws closer, the showrunner, Tony McNamara, is joyously jettisoning even more truths in favor of some far more entertaining fiction. The most important of these significant shifts in events is the development of a romantic relationship between Empress Catherine (Elle Fanning) and her husband, Peter III (Nicholas Hoult). When Peter, who was coarse, spoiled, and entitled at the beginning of the series, fell in love with his wife in Season 2, it seemed as though he would become the adversary of the series. However, things changed rapidly. Even more unbelievable (and counter to historical evidence), Catherine reciprocates his emotions for her. Peter the Third and Catherine the Great were married for sixteen years before he ascended to the throne. It was only six more months after he did so that Catherine exiled her husband and assumed the title of Empress in her own right. During that time, their union was a loveless and sad one. Shortly after that, Peter III passed away for unexplained reasons.
But who cares about that? The connection between Fanning and Hoult is fantastic. Peter’s effort to transition from a self-centered and spoilt man-boy into a dedicated spouse and attentive parent is incredibly touching. When the ten episodes of Season 3 begin airing on May 12, will it finally be possible for these two crazy youngsters, who have each tried to kill the other at least once, to find the joy that their real-life counterparts were never able to experience? The following are overviews of the actors and characters in Season 3 of The Great.
Elle Fanning as Catherine the Great
Empress Catherine, as portrayed by Fanning, has maintained two things throughout all of the difficulties of ruling Russia: her bright cheeks and unflinching optimism, despite being exceedingly naive. This second quality was severely criticized during Season 2 of The Great. After removing her negligent and insensitive playboy husband, Peter, from the throne, Catherine set out to win the hearts of her court and the population. However, she was repeatedly thwarted in her efforts by Russia’s archaic customs as well as the country’s fear of outsiders and women. Even more unbelievable is that Peter fell in love with his wife and then made it his mission to gain her affection, which he did in the end. However, it is not always possible for leopards to change their spots; Peter not only had sexual relations with Catherine’s mother but also caused her death by shoving her out of the window. In a fit of vengeance, Catherine stabbed her husband several times before succumbing to her guilt. The two embraced through their tears after it turned out that she had just slain Peter’s double. But suppose you believe what you see in the trailer. In that case, Catherine is only just about managing to contain her anger toward Peter. Not only that but her attempts to connect with the peasant population and better their circumstances are regarded with equal mistrust by the peasants. Since the peasants are not used to any aristocrat treating them gently, they believe Catherine is a witch. Catherine will have a lot on her plate during Season 3, what with having to give up on her hopes of advancement, being a parent to her son Paul, and working on mending her relationship with Peter. Let us pray that her tribulations do not cause her to become so tired that she can no longer be recognized.
Elle Fanning, who began her acting career when she was a youngster and is now a nominee for an Emmy for her performance in “The Great,” is Dakota Fanning’s younger sister. She is most known for her roles as Maleficent alongside Angelina Jolie in the Maleficent film series and in films such as The Neon Demon and The Beguiled. She had a role in the Hulu limited series The Girl From Plainville that aired the year before.
Brenda Bromilow as Aunt Elizabeth
Fans of the program are aware that Peter’s Aunt Elizabeth, who may be unpredictable and eccentric, is not someone to be misled. She may have a conversation with butterflies and is just as brazenly promiscuous as her nephew. Elizabeth is so committed to her position as a Russian noble that she would be willing to sacrifice a kid in the name of the greater good, despite her outward appearance of being a dotty old woman. She has a deep love for her nephew, but she is also captivated enough by Catherine’s desire that she is willing to offer advice and assistance to her, regardless of whether or not it is sought. Aunt Elizabeth possesses a surprising and fascinating personality, and she is not one to shy away from being crafty if required. You may anticipate she will become even more involved in Peter and Catherine’s relationship throughout Season 3.
Brenda Bromilow is an Australian actress most known for her many performances on Australian television. Her well-known roles include Doctor Doctor, Happy Feet, and Talk To The Rafters. Her husband, Tony McNamara, is the showrunner for The Great.
Phoebe Fox as Marial
Marial has been a jolt of reality for Catherine since she debuted in the series. She is the antidote to all of Catherine’s overly romantic fantasies. Her cynical criticism in the first season served as the ideal counterpoint to Fanning’s cheery optimism, and Catherine can always bank on her allegiance. In the beginning, Marial is depicted as a poor maid working for the queen. Nevertheless, Peter’s father can strip her of her fortune and aristocratic rank. Marial is poised to become an important player in Catherine the Great’s court now that she has been reinstated to the aristocracy and married her young nephew Maxim to reclaim her inheritance (even if she is still having sexual relations with Grigor). Even though she holds her friendship with Catherine in high regard, she abhors Peter. As a result, she anticipates that Marial will continue to play both sides to advance.
The candidate for an Olivier Award In the 2019 drama about surviving in space, The Aeronauts, Phoebe Fox portrayed the character Antonia. Eye in the Sky, Black Mirror, and The Woman in Black 2: Angel of Death are just a few of the movies she has worked on.
Adam Godley as Archie
When you discover that everyone in Russia refers to the Archbishop of Russia as “Archie,” you might deduce that The Great places a higher value on humor than historical accuracy. Catherine’s greatest adversary is Archie, a man who is cunning and thoroughly conventional at the same time. He thwarts Catherine’s efforts to modernize Russia and stands in the way of both development and science. Expect Archie to frustrate Catherine’s efforts, both openly and behind the scenes, to include the input of peasants in the running of the country and to develop links beyond Russia’s borders. Catherine’s goal is to include peasant input. The fact that he has maintained a close relationship with Marial, who was recently elevated in rank, can only help his cause.
Adam Godley, nominated for the Tony and Olivier Awards, started performing when he was 9. He first gained widespread recognition in productions at the West End Theatre, such as Cabaret and The Importance of Being Earnest. Godley also provided the voice of Pogo in The Umbrella Academy and had a recurring part as Elliott Schwartz in the critically acclaimed television show Breaking Bad.
Douglas Hodge as Velementov
Despite his unpleasant demeanor, General Velementov is a drunken jerk who manages to evoke the audience’s compassion because of his frantic efforts to fight Peter’s conflicts with the fewest victims possible. The elderly general’s attraction to Catherine drove him to back her rebellion against Peter and assist her coup. Even if he is still perplexed by her motivations, he will likely continue to do so throughout Season 3. Because of his gaffes’ comedic and frequent nature, he is frequently the target of Peter’s insults.
British actor Douglas Hodge has worked in film, stage, and television. He is a Tony Award winner. In the film Joker, Hodge portrayed Alfred Pennyworth, and in The Devil All the Time, he played Leroy Brown. Additionally, Hodge has made guest appearances on various television shows, such as Black Mirror, Penny Dreadful, and Lost in Space. In the series Watergate, he played the role of Richard Nixon.
Sascha Dhawan as Orlo
Count Orlo is back as Catherine’s most trusted advisor despite his awkwardness, nervousness, and brilliance. He has a strong aversion to Peter, but he is devoted to Catherine and has been supportive of her ambitions up to this point. But even though he is optimistic about her promises to develop the country, he is concerned about whether or not he will be able to keep up with her audacious goals in Season 3.
Both Doctor Who and Iron Fist on Netflix star Sascha Dhawan presently portrays the Master on Doctor Who and Davos on Iron Fist. He is employed as a voice actor for various video games. Other works he has contributed include 24: Live Another Day and The History Boys.
Gwilym Lee & Charity Wakefield as Grigor & Georgina
Grigor, Peter’s best friend and also married to Georgina, Peter’s lover, nearly drove Grigor to murder during the first season because of this conflict. Grigor’s companionship somewhat maintains Peter’s sanity even though he is continually attempting to get his friend to behave in a more normal manner… Because it hasn’t worked so far, Grigor has developed a deeper contempt for his pal. He also begins an affair with Marial behind her back, despite the fact that he is completely dedicated to his wife. On the other hand, Georgina is the more pragmatic of the two and is ready to make use of her sexuality in order to advance her position in Peter’s court. So therefore, she believed that she was one of the first people to offer Catherine an olive branch. Georgina will always put everyone else’s requirements and goals ahead of hers.
Grigor Lee is known for performing as Queen guitarist Brian May in the biopic Bohemian Rhapsody. The film is based on the life of Freddie Mercury. Lee’s filmography also includes appearances in movies such as “The Tourist” and “The Last Witness.” Charity Wakefield is best known for her supporting roles in the films Sense and Sensibility and Serena and in various British television programs, including Wolf Hall, Doctor Who, Genius, and The Player.
Nicholas Hoult as Peter III
In the beginning, it was practically impossible to view Peter III, the Emperor of Russia, as anything other than a pampered, incompetent, and overgrown kid. Peter III was a child who had outgrown his childhood. He will have sexual relations with anyone, including his best friend’s wife; he will set Catherine’s school for women on fire; and he will murder people on a whim while he braggadocious talks about empty, inconsequential matters. However, Peter quickly becomes a fan favorite, and Catherine’s feelings for him grow over time. Many of the show’s funnier moments can be attributed to his unwillingness to keep his opinions to himself or feel embarrassed by them. The program took an unexpected and dramatic turn when he suddenly admired and devoted himself to his ambitious wife. What should have been a clichéd exercise in historical chauvinism has instead been transformed into a complicated figure attempting to be a better man, even though he is unsure of how to do so, thanks to Hoult’s talent and charisma. In Season 3, it is very evident that Peter is dedicated to repairing his marriage, in spite of the fact that Catherine has imprisoned all of Peter’s associates and has recently attempted to kill him. In the midst of his wife’s battles to maintain control of the nation, Peter frequently finds himself floundering. He has a lot of interests, but since he has a lot of free time, the question is whether or not his boredom (not to mention the legal maneuvers) will cause him to turn against the lady he loves.
Also a child actor in his younger years, Hoult debuted in a feature film alongside Hugh Grant in About a Boy. Since then, he has been in the X-Men movies as Hank McCoy and Mad Max: Fury Road as Nux. His most recent work can be found in films like “The Menu” and “Renfield,” both of which are horror comedies.
