Helen Mirren exudes class and authority, so after a career where she’s stepped into the shoes of several, it’s no surprise to find her playing another. But this time, instead of playing a queen of England, she’s portraying Russian Empress Catherine II, famously known as Catherine the Great.
What makes this Russian monarch so great, you ask? Well, as Empress, Catherine did some pretty daring things, including overthrowing her own husband in a coup d’état she organized. She was witness many uprisings and revolts during her time, some of which she was responsible for.
She story is a good one. Check out the trailer for HBO’s four-part take on it:
Catherine the Great will highlight the events that took place towards the end of Catherine’s reign. This includes but is not limited to her affair with Russian military leader Grigory Potemkin. Fun fact: All of Catherine’s lovers reaped the benefits of being romantically associated with her. She’d break up with them respectfully and then give them palaces, people, land — you know, the usual parting gifts.
RELATED PRODUCT
Arizona Diamondbacks Game Of Thrones Direwolf Bobblehead
Buy Now!
Buy Now!
The idea to make Catherine the Great came from Mirren herself, who is known for this sort of thing, according to Entertainment Weekly. She even brought along Prime Suspect’s Philip Martin as director and Elizabeth I’s Nigel Williams as writer, both of whom she has worked with before. This is Mirren’s baby.
I, for one, am super excited to see Mirren in yet another costume period drama. Mirren plays these roles so incredibly well; she just has that royal pizzazz and aura about her.
“Power without a nation’s confidence is nothing.” -Catherine the Great (1729-1796) pic.twitter.com/dD3DhYm4ph
— Ari Shapiro (@ari_shapiro) July 19, 2019
Catherine the Great is set to premiere sometime this fall (no official date yet) on HBO, and something tells me that when the next award season rolls around, Mirren will be front and center with nominations and wins.
To stay up to date on everything fantasy, science fiction, and WiC, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and sign up for our exclusive newsletter.
Watch Game of Thrones for FREE with a no-risk, 7-day free trial of Amazon Channels