VIDEO: Helen Mirren Talks Becoming CATHERINE THE GREAT

Helen Mirren discusses what made Catherine the Great so extraordinary and her passionate love affair that changed the course of Russian history.

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Oscar-winner Helen Mirren will lead miniseries Catherine the Great as the tumultuous monarch and politician who ruled the Russian empire and transformed its place in the world in the 18th century. The four-part historical drama will follow the end of Catherine's reign and her affair with Russian military leader Grigory Potemkin that helped shape the future of Russian politics.

Catherine the Great is the latest project in the partnership between HBO and Sky (the network behind The Young Pope) and will begin filming later this year. It is produced by Origin Pictures and New Pictures and will be made available on HBO in the US and distributed to Canada through Bell Media. It will also be available air on Sky Atlantic, NOW TV in the UK and Ireland, and on Sky Atlantic in Italy, Germany, Austria and Spain.