Gillian Anderson joins Hulu series The Great Season 2, will play Elle Fanning’s mother

The Great is a period drama on the rise of Catherine the Great of Russia. Gillian Anderson will star alongside Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult.

Actor Gillian Anderson will feature in the second season of Hulu series, The Great. Starring Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult in the lead, the period satire is about the rise of Catherine the Great, from being an outsider to become the longest-reigning female ruler in Russia’s history.

Gillian Anderson was recently seen in the fourth season of Netflix royal drama, The Crown. She played former British PM Margaret Thatcher.(AP)

The first season of the series premiered on Hulu in May 2020, before being renewed for season two. In the second season, Gillian will the essay the role of Joanna, the mother of Catherine the Great (Elle Fanning), reported Deadline.

Joanna has been described as a glamorous German socialite who is "known as the 'maestro of marriage' for her abilities to arrange high-profile partnerships for her daughters".

"She has heard rumours of her daughter's coup and come to Russia to see it for herself. Though the apple of Catherine’s eye and a doting mother, it soon becomes clear Johanna has more sinister intentions to save her family’s reputation," the character description read.

The Great has been created by Tony McNamara, who also serves as executive producer. The series also features Phoebe Fox, Adam Godley, Gwilym Lee, Charity Wakefield, Douglas Hodge, Sacha Dhawan, Bayo Gbadamosi and Belinda Bromilow.

Gillian recently appeared in the fourth season of Netflix royal drama, The Crown, in which she essayed the role of former British PM Margaret Thatcher. She won an Emmy and a Golden Globe award for her performance.

The actor will next reprise her role of sex therapist Jean in the third season of Netflix comedy Sex Education, and also feature in Showtime anthology, The First Lady.