Elle Fanning responds to the cancellation of Hulu’s The Great after three seasons. The satirical dramedy series premiered in 2020 and tells the tale of Catherine the Great, the real-life historical figure who married Russia’s Emperor Peter III (Nicholas Hoult) and sought power for her own. Though based on a true story, the series took a decidedly fictional approach. Hulu announced back in August that The Great would not be returning for season 4.

Responding to news of the cancellation following the end of the SAG-AFTRA strike, Fanning, who received two Golden Globe nominations and one Emmy nomination for her performance, took to Instagram to share her thoughts about the show coming to an end.

The actor shared that The Great meant the world to her, and she is immensely proud of the work she did. She further explained that playing the character of Catherine the Great helped her to discover parts of herself that she didn’t know she had. Read her full comments below:

“ Scrolling down memory lane… I haven’t been able to properly share my thoughts after the news of The Great’s cancellation. This show has meant the world to me. The experiences shared. The memories I’ll never forget. Tony McNamara is a certified genius. The last 3 seasons have shaped me. Through playing Catherine I discovered parts of myself I didn’t know I had. I love every crew member and cast member deeply. And although I won’t get to lace up my corset one last time, I am forever proud of what we accomplished together. In my mind Catherine is left ‘shaking it all night long’ finally stepping into the leader we always knew she would become, a multitude of lovers thrown in for good measure, many macaroons, vodka shots, long winded speeches, battles of wit, and of course HUUU-FUCKING-ZZAHHHHSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ”

Why Was The Great Canceled?

Throughout its run, The Great received praise and mostly positive reviews from both viewers and critics alike. On Rotten Tomatoes, season 3 has an approval rating of 89%, while the first and second seasons of the show both boast an approval rating of 100%. Aside from the strong critical responses, The Great was also nominated for 7 Primetime Emmy Awards, with its two lead actors also bagging nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress and Lead Actor in a Comedy Series.

Considering just how lauded The Great was, it comes as a bit of a surprise to many that Hulu decided to cancel it. While the streamer did not give any specific reasons, a strong possibility for The Great’s cancellation might have been low viewership numbers. Even though The Great was well received critically, there most likely weren’t enough viewers, as opposed to a number of other Hulu originals that became hugely popular.

While it’s speculative at best, another reason that might have informed Hulu’s decision to end The Great is the absence of Hoult’s character, Peter, who was killed off in season 3. While Peter’s death in The Great season 3 was necessary and the show could have carried on without him, his charisma and humor endeared a lot of viewers, and there’s a fair chance that any further season without him could have fallen flat.