Nicholas Hoult may have initially wanted to play a hero in James Gunn‘s Superman, but instead, he was cast as Lex Luthor, the Man of Steel’s (David Corenswet) number one nemesis. With Superman serving as the first film of the new DC continuity, Lex is set to be vital in setting the tone for the universe’s villains, and Hoult has proven himself a talented actor many times over. Before being cast in Superman, he showed off his range in Hulu’s irreverent historical dramedy The Great.
The Great may be full of absurd humor and satire, but Hoult’s central role as Peter III is a unique challenge. Throughout the show’s three seasons, he is constantly changing, allowing Hoult to portray him as complex and even sympathetic despite the fact that he often has a more antagonistic presence. Peter and Lex may be very different, but Hoult’s experience on The Great helped him prepare to take on one of DC’s most iconic villains.
What Is ‘The Great’ About?
The Great, which aired from 2020 to 2023, tells the not-strictly-accurate story of Catherine the Great, the famed Russian Empress, and her rise to power. However, in the show, Catherine (Elle Fanning) is still young and thrown into a new environment as she is sent off to marry Peter, the Emperor of Russia (Hoult). As the main character’s husband and the only person between her and the throne, Hoult has plenty of opportunities to shine. At first, Peter is an obstacle thanks to his unquestioned power and love for the violent and uncouth traditions of his empire. As Catherine pushes for science and education, the couple has plenty to argue about; she even initiates a coup d’état against him with the help of crucial allies, including her maid, Marial (Phoebe Fox), and Orlo (Sacha Dhawan), a member of Peter’s court.
While the series draws some inspiration from history, the satirical dark comedy-drama makes no secret of admitting that it is only “occasionally true,” and the irreverent tone of the series emphasizes this, setting it apart from the more serious historical dramas. The Great never takes itself too seriously, which enables its actors to do a lot in their performance, and Hoult takes full advantage of that opportunity.
‘The Great’ Shows Off Nicholas Hoult’s Terrific Acting Range
While there is a lot to enjoy about The Great, Hoult arguably steals the show. Peter starts as brutish, cruel, narcissistic, and maybe even a little psychopathic. His selfish and spoiled tendencies lead to violent outbursts, and, given the power he wields, his behavior often has major consequences for the Russian people. However, The Great makes it clear that there is more to Peter over time. The show explores how he was neglected by his father and treated cruelly by his mother, explaining his behavior. He and Catherine even end up developing feelings for each other, which creates a shocking number of problems for them, considering they are already married. Peter’s evolving role in the series allows Hoult a chance to play him as a morally ambiguous character, highlighting his ability to pull off both heroism and villainy in the same character.
Yet, The Great gives Hoult an even more unique opportunity to play not just one but two characters in the show. While he usually appears as Peter, Hoult also shows up as Pugachev, Peter’s lookalike, who often pretends to be the Emperor. Though Pugachev fools almost everyone into believing him to be Peter, Hoult makes him a distinct character, helping the audience distinguish between the two by mannerisms alone. Even as Pugachev becomes an antagonist for Catherine, he is clearly separate from Peter, which further demonstrates Hoult’s incredible range.
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Nicholas Hoult’s Role in ‘The Great’ Helped Him Find His Version of Lex Luthor
The Great‘s Peter and Lex Luthor have little in common on the surface besides the shared actor and position as the villain of their respective stories, but it turns out their connection runs deeper than that. In a recent interview with Collider, Hoult namedropped his experience on The Great as a part of what helped him conceive of his performance as Lex.
While reading James Gunn’s script for Superman, Hoult recalls finding similarities to both The Great and The Favourite, both co-written by Tony McNamara, “in the style of writing and the humor.” Being able to relate Lex to characters he has already played allowed Hoult to envision himself in the role. When speaking about his experiences, Hoult admitted that he could “see how endearing some of that into Lex could work well for the style of what James was going for.”
With powerhouse performances from Hoult and Fanning, The Great is an impressive addition to Hulu’s catalog as well as their respective filmographies, but despite setting up a few stories to explore in the future, the show was canceled after three seasons. This left the narrative on something of a cliffhanger, yet, even without the ideal conclusion, The Great is a satisfying watch. Critically acclaimed across its three seasons, it also received seven Emmy nominations — including one for Hoult. Perhaps the historical satirical dark comedy was too niche for the audience it needed, but the series’ unique nature is primarily what makes it so compelling to watch. While Hoult may be best known to audiences as Lex Luthor once Superman premieres in theaters, he was The Great‘s Peter first, and that shouldn’t be forgotten.
The Great is streaming on Hulu in the U.S.
The Great
- Release Date
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2020 – 2022
- Showrunner
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Tony McNamara
- Directors
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Tony McNamara
