In the winter of 2017, the long-awaited continuation of the historical television series "Catherine" was released on television. In the new season, the audience met both with characters familiar in the first part, and with new ones. Let's find out more about the actors of the series “Catherine. Takeoff ", as well as the plot of the new season.
The series "Catherine"
In the fall of 2014, viewers saw 12 episodes of the first season of Catherine. It told about the last decade of the reign of the daughter of Peter I - Elizabeth. Namely, about the search for the empress heir to the throne.
After she was finally convinced of her own infertility, as well as the insecurity of the mind of her nephew Peter, Elizabeth decided to marry him and put the child on this throne from this marriage.
The very poor German Princess Sophia-Augusta Frederick was chosen as the bride. Before the wedding, she converted to Orthodoxy and was renamed Catherine.
Having finally lost hope of finding family happiness and having become disillusioned with her husband, the princess found solace in the arms of Prince Saltykov and soon gave birth to his son Paul. Having no other heirs, Elizabeth recognized the boy and took her to her upbringing.
Meanwhile, Peter also had a mistress, and he intended to divorce Catherine and marry her. His plans were promoted by the fact that Queen Elizabeth became seriously ill and soon died. Now divorce was only a matter of time.
However, Catherine also understood this. Moreover, she knew that in the case of Peter's repeated marriage, her Pavel would most likely be killed, as he was considered the eldest son of the new king, and therefore an unwanted heir to the throne. Therefore, Catherine, teaming up with the Orlov brothers-officers (one of whom became her lover and the father of her secret child), raises a revolt and herself sits on the throne.
main characters
Before you begin consideration of the plot, characters and actors of the series "Catherine-2. Takeoff ”, it is worth learning about the main characters of this project.
In the first part, the audience sadly had to say goodbye to Queen Elizabeth and Tsarevich Peter, as well as some other characters.
In the new season, Empress Catherine and the Orlov brothers supporting her remained from the old composition.
Count Betskaya, though quite aged, also returns to the plot.
Tsarevich Pavel is now no longer a child, but a fully grown young man who, not knowing his origin, as well as Peter's true character, adores his “father” and hates his mother.
New characters
Among the interesting new characters in the project is the maid of honor of Tsarina Sofya Ushakova. She is not only pretty and seductive, but also very smart. That is why Catherine asks her to become Paul’s mistress.
Also, the second season was marked by the appearance of a new beloved person of the tsarina - Grigory Potemkin, who cared not only about the personal happiness of the empress, but also about the development of the state.
The audience was also interested in the two spouses of Crown Prince Paul - Wilhelmina (constantly cheating on her husband), as well as the wise and educated Sofia-Dorothea, who became an excellent wife, mother and queen.
An entertaining character is also Archbishop Gabriel. Although unlike his predecessors from the first season, he is much more passive, still his influence on the queen is very great.
It can be noted and secret adviser Sheshkovsky. Despite the unpleasant features of his work, he performs it with zeal and prudence.
The plot of the project is “Catherine. Takeoff"
What is being told about in 12 episodes of the new season? Events begin 6 years after the accession of Catherine. Pavel grew up and begins to behave arbitrarily, which scares his mother. Ultimately, she finds him a bride, but the young man finds happiness only in his second marriage.
In relations with Grigory Orlov, not everything is alright either. The favorite of the queen seeks to be married with her by law and thus become a king. However, many courtiers are against this marriage, so they interfere with it by all means.
When Orlov begins to have problems with potency, he decides to take a risky operation and is now unable to have children. Having learned about this, Catherine decides to break up with him, especially since she falls in love with another young and noble officer - Grigory Potemkin.
Orlov believes that Potemkin is guilty of all his problems with the tsarina, therefore, together with his brother, he beat up to half the death of an officer who lost his eyes in a fight.
Not wanting to complain to Catherine, Potemkin (with the support of Betsky) leaves for the army. However, neither he nor the Empress can forget each other, so they constantly correspond.
As for politics, Catherine enters the war with the Turks and wins safely. She also develops culture and science and introduces the practice of vaccinating all citizens of the country against smallpox.
In the final, Catherine and Potemkin secretly get married. Also at the behest of the empress in St. Petersburg, a monument to Peter I.
Interesting facts and historical inconsistencies
- Judging by the portraits of Catherine, she was a woman, to put it mildly, prone to fullness. Therefore, the performer of this role had to gain a couple of extra pounds. In addition, her costumes were sealed with foam inserts.
- Potemkin lost his eye in the war, and not in a fight with Orlov. And by the way, between these men the tsarina had another favorite - someone Alexander Vasilchikov.
- When exactly Catherine and Gregory were married, it is not known.
- The series shows that the queen is especially actively concerned about the welfare of serfs. However, in fact, under Catherine the condition of the peasants was very deplorable. It was just Paul who was trying to alleviate their fate when he was in power.
- Pavel Petrovich in the project is shown as a young man of 17+, but at the time of the events he was barely 14 years old.
- The costumes in Catherine 2 only remotely correspond to the era, since in those days everyone wore wigs.
The series "Catherine. Takeoff ": actors and roles
Having considered the entertaining facts about the new season, it is worth learning about the leading actors. So, which of the actors of the series "Catherine. Takeoff "who played?
As in the first season, the beauty and clever Empress Catherine II was played by Marina Alexandrova. And her matured son Pavel is the son of Oleg Tabakov, Pavel (that's a coincidence).
But the beloved of the tsarina count Grigory Orlov in the second season was performed by a new artist - Sergey Marin, who replaced Sergei Strelnikov, who had previously played this hero. Why the replacement occurred is not known. However, we must pay tribute, Marin played all the facets of the insanity of his character with a bang.
Among other actors in the series "Catherine. Takeoff ”, which replaced the performers from the first season - Igor Sklyar. He played the aged Count Betsky, who was played by Kirill Rubtsov in the first season .
You can also add to this list Marcin Stets, who appeared this season in the image of the Polish king Stanislaw August. Previously, this role was played by Alexei Vorobyov.
The series "Catherine. Takeoff ”(Season 2): actors who played characters who first appeared in the project
The second season is rich in new faces. Among the actors of the series "Catherine. Takeoff ”, first of all, it is worth highlighting the performer of the role of Grigory Potemkin - Vladimir Yaglych. Of course, he clearly lost in the acting game to Marina, but in general he managed to create the image of such a simple and noble knight Catherine.
Among other new actors in the series "Catherine the Great. Takeoff ”(season 2) - Mikhail Gorevoy (who played Shishkovsky), Sergey Koltakov (adviser to Empress Panin). It is also worth noting Leonid Kulagin, who performed the role of the Empress’s spiritual mentor.
Considering the actors of the series "Catherine the Great. Takeoff ”, it is also worth paying attention to the performers of female characters who first appeared in the new season.
First of all, this is Lyubava Greshnova, who played the new maid of honor of the tsarina and Pavel’s lover - Sofia Stepanovna.
It is also important to note Alina Tomnikova (the first wife of Paul is Wilhelmina) and Tatyana Lyalina (the second wife of the prince - Sofia-Dorothea).
The sisters Wilhelmina were played by Alena Olkina and the former "father's daughter" Elizabeth Arzamasova.