The Untold Truth Of The Great

In a world where palace hallways filled with nudity, broken glass, and the occasional bear are the order of the day, the arrival of Catherine the Great's overbearing mother Joanna (played by Gillian Anderson) hits like a tidal wave. "The Great" is already full of larger-than-life personalities from the frequently drunk General Velementov (Douglas Hodge) to the original science denier Archbishop Archie, and the court needs a scheming Prussian socialite like a dog needs a parachute. And as often seems to be the case, Catherine and her mother have a troubled relationship, owing mainly to Joanna's merciless smiling criticism and manipulation of a daughter desperate for the slightest crumb of affection.

When Joanna takes a break from trying to have Catherine's allies killed, a romp with Peter turns deadly, with the deposed ruler accidentally pushing her out of a window mid-encounter. According to Elle Fanning, this dramatic turn of events was the detail that sold the role for Anderson. Fanning told Insider, "Basically, Gillian was like, 'That's why I want to do this.'" Anderson echoed the sentiment to EW, commenting, ""I thought it was brilliant, a brilliant way to end things" and offering up the possibility that Joanna might one day return in spirit form to haunt her daughter from the afterlife.