The first look at Helen Mirren in royal drama Catherine the Great is here

The first look at Helen Mirren as Catherine the Great is here.

The 73-year-old is set to take on the role of the monarch for Sky and HBO's new drama of the same name. Jason Clarke is set to join the glittering court as Catherine’s favoured statesman, military commander and lover, Potemkin; while BAFTA winner Gina McKee will play Catherine’s lifelong friend and confidante, Countess Bruce. Rory Kinnear will play as Minister Panin, a skilful politician, advisor and governor to Catherine’s son and heir, Paul (Joseph Quinn). Richard Roxburgh is joining the HBO four-part series as Grigory Orlov, one of Catherine’s former lovers who, with his brother Alexei Orlov (played by Kevin R McNally), orchestrated the coup that brought Catherine into power. The first look at the series shows Helen Mirren as Empress Catherine in her private quarters, which are modelled on the original Russian palaces and surrounded by hand-copied paintings from the Hermitage. The show is currently filming in palaces and sets throughout Russia, Latvia and Lithuania. The four-part epic will follow the later years of Catherine’s 34-year reign, as she builds Russia’s reputation as one of the great powers of Europe. It is the third commission from Sky and HBO’s high-end global drama partnership. Catherine the Great will air on Sky Atlantic and TV streaming service, NOW TV, in the UK and Ireland next year.