Catherine and Peter are the leads in The Great cast, and the funny fictional re-telling of Russian political history continues to impress audiences and critics alike. The Hulu series did the impossible. It took a real-life coup and the overthrow of power in a major nation and turned it into a dark comedy of manners. Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult took on the roles of Catherine the Great and Peter III, and the show took the coup Catherine successfully pulled and stretched things out by presenting a romantic comedy mixed with a political satire.

Somehow it worked. The Great has been a huge success for Hulu, picking up three Golden Globes nominations, including individual acting nominations for Hoult and Fanning. Hoult also received a Screen Actor's Guild nomination while Fanning won a Satellite Award for her performance. They were not the only great of The Great cast, though. There were a lot of talented actors surrounding them, playing some unique and interesting characters. With both characters based on historical figures and those created specifically for the show, The Great cast ended up as one of the best on streaming today.

Elle Fanning as Catherine

Elle Fanning plays Catherine, based on Catherine the Great, Russia’s longest-reigning female leader who was the Empress of Russia from 1762 until 1796. In The Great season 1, Catherine was married to Peter having never met him before and, after becoming frustrated with his poor leadership of Russia and the way that he treated herself and others, she initiated a plan to coup him that culminated in the season 1 finale. In The Great season 2, she seizes power but keeps her husband alive and imprisoned as she waits for her son to be born, who will become heir to the throne after her.

Elle Fanning previously played Aurora in Maleficent and Alice in Super 8. Fanning picked up an Emmy nomination for her role in The Great cast.

Nicholas Hoult as Peter

Nicolas Hoult plays Peter. He is based on a strange amalgamation of Peter II, the son of Peter the Great, and Peter III, who became the Emperor of Russia for six months before being couped by Catherine. In The Great cast, Peter reveled in his power, slept with most of the court, and killed whomever he pleased. In The Great season 2, his power has been reduced by Catherine as he is technically her prisoner, but he still gets away with a surprising amount of trouble as he slowly tries to become a better person, so Catherine will love him.

Nicholas Hoult is known for his roles as R, the zombie in Warm Bodies, Hank McCoy/Beast in the X-Men movie franchise, the War Boy Nux in Mad Max: Fury Road, Dracula's familiar in Renfield​​​​​​, and in his youth as Marcus Brewer in About a Boy.

Phoebe Fox as Marial

Phoebe Fox plays Marial, a figure invented for The Great cast. Marial had lost her position as a noble and was forced to work as a maid for Catherine, helping to plant the seed of couping Peter in her mind. In The Great season 2, Marial regained her title but was changed by her experiences working for the nobility and struggles with split loyalties throughout the season. She had to marry Maxim to remain living there and have access to her wealth, but she was also Grigor's lover. Phoebe Fox played Anne in The Hollow Crown and Kaye Newman in Curfew.

Sacha Dhawan as Orlo

Orlo, played by Sacha Dhawan is loosely based on Grigory Orlov, a military leader who led the coup against Peter III and became one of Catherine the Great’s many lovers. In The Great cast, the bookish Orlo is persuaded to help Catherine to coup Peter and provides guidance on how to get the Russian people on her side and to implement gradual progressive change. In The Great season 2, Orlo became disillusioned with Catherine’s rule, but remained loyal to her, although his hatred of Peter always kept him at a distance. Sacha Dhawan has played an incarnation of The Master in Doctor Who and played Davos/Steel Serpent in Iron Fist.

Charity Wakefield as Georgina “George”

George, played by Charity Wakefield, was a member of Peter's court and technically ed him, but is ultimately most interested in saving herself. She is married to Grigor but continues a public affair with Peter, which Grigor struggles with repeatedly. She was also one of the first people in Peter's court to treat Catherine kindly, which helped earn her survival. Charity Wakefield is known for playing Leah Walker in Bounty Hunters and Lucy in Doctor Who.

Gwilym Lee as Grigor

Gwilym Lee plays Grigor, Peter’s best friend and husband to George. After attempting to kill Peter by poisoning him in The Great season 1, he had a change of heart and continued to the emperor. When Peter became a prisoner, Grigor was one of the few people allowed to spend time with him, and he continued to offer him emotional and work to get him back in power, even when George tries to get him to leave. He is also in a tough spot because his wife is cheating on him with Peter. Gwilym Lee is best known for his role as Queen guitarist Brian May in Bohemian Rhapsody.

Adam Godley as Archie

Archie, played by Adam Godley, is not based on a specific historical figure in The Great but rather represents the power that the church played in Russian Rule. Archie begins in The Great cast as an archbishop but becomes the Patriarch of the church and is consistently opposed to Catherine. However, he is also keen to save his own skin and willing to work with Catherine in an attempt to stay alive and keep the power of the church intact. When Catherine introduced Enlightenment to the court, she became a direct threat. Adam Godley played Elliot Schwartz in Breaking Bad and is the voice of Pogo in The Umbrella Academy.

Douglas Hodge as Velementov

Velementov, played by Douglas Hodge, is a stand-in figure for the historical importance of the military to Russian governance. Originally portrayed as a drunk and a failure under Peter’s rule, The Great season 1 worked to humanize the character by explaining that his drinking was his way of coping with the men that he had lost in battle. The Great season 2 continues this by building his relationship with Peter and showing his concern over his legacy. He is loosely based off of Prince Grigory Potemkin, one of Catherine's lovers. Douglas Hodge played Alfred Pennyworth in Joker and Hastings in Lost in Space.

Belinda Bromilow as Elizabeth

Belinda Bromilow plays Peter’s Aunt Elizabeth and another central character in The Great cast who is concretely based on a real person. Elizabeth Petrovna was Peter III’s aunt and was his predecessor as Empress of Russia from 1741 until her death in 1762 when she was succeeded by her nephew, Peter III, who she had chosen as she was unmarried and childless. Elizabeth is a strange figure fascinated with butterflies and sex but quietly pulling the strings behind the scenes to ensure the best for Russia while keeping her nephew alive. In The Great season 2, she s Catherine, while working in the shadows to do her best to establish a lasting relationship between Peter and Catherine.

Belinda Bromilow has also appeared as Betty in Doctor Doctor and Jonquil Payne in Spirited.

Bayo Gbadamosi as Arkady

Bayo Gbadamosi plays Arkady. In The Great cast, Arkady was part of Peter’s inner circle, but he and his wife, Tatyana, always played second fiddle to Grigor and George. In The Great season 2, Arkady was keen to get Peter reinstated as emperor and fears for what will happen to him if Catherine eventually kills Peter. He also hates Catherine because she took his family dog. Bayo Gbadamosi played Vincey in Doctor Who and Kariem Gat Wich Machar in the TV series War of the Worlds.