Helen Mirren as Catherine the Great in the new mini-series

Oscar-winning actress Helen Mirren will play Catherine II in the four-part series by HBO.

According to the announcement on HBO website, the series will focus on the Empress' end of reign and her affair with Russian military leader Grigory Potemkin.

“She rewrote the rules of governance by a woman, and succeeded to the extent of having the word Great attached to her name.”

Helen Mirren on her role as Catherine II