- "The Great" star Elle Fanning spoke to Insider about her experience wearing corsets on the show.
- Fanning, who plays Catherine, said that wearing the garment has become "more bearable" over time.
"The Great" star Elle Fanning says that wearing corsets has become easier three seasons into starring on the satirical period drama.
"It actually does, I will say. It does get more bearable," Fanning, who plays Catherine the Great, told Insider during a virtual interview for season three. "I have gotten used to them now."
The 12-episode third season of "The Great" picks up after the events of season two, in which Catherine attempts to murder Peter (played by Nicholas Hoult) — again — and instead unintentionally stabbed his lookalike named Pugachev multiple times in the back.
Peter's alive but her betrayal is likely to cause further tension in the couple's already-dysfunctional relationship, especially as they navigate co-parenting their son Paul and Catherine's lofty goals to bring about a progressive, enlightened Russia.
The elaborate hair and outfits are a vital piece of "The Great," so it's no surprise that the show won an Emmy for outstanding period costumes in 2022.
While the costumes are intricate and visually stunning, the corsets underneath have been known to make it difficult for actors to breathe, with some saying that it caused their organs to shift.
Fanning, for her part, said that at the start of each season, she often finds herself getting readjusted to the challenge of wearing corsets.
"And then your body creepily forms and shifts and it becomes easier," the Emmy-nominated actor said. "Sometimes, yeah, they're not the most comfortable."
Regardless, Fanning said that she's still managed to run and do backbends while wearing the garment.
"On this show, I can do anything in a corset," she said.
"The Great" season three premieres all episodes on Friday, May 12 on Hulu.