''Godunov'' (russian: Годуно́в) is a Russian

historical drama A historical drama (also period drama, costume drama, and period piece) is a work set in a past time period, usually used in the context of film and television. Historical drama includes historical fiction and romance film, romances, adventure f ...

television series created by Ilya Tikin and Nikolay Borisov, directed by Alexei Andrianov and Timur Alpatov. The first season premiered from November 5 to November 8, 2018 on the "

Russia-1 Russia-1 (russian: Россия-1) is a state-owned Russian television channel, first aired on 14 February 1956 as Programme Two in the Soviet Union. It was relaunched as RTR on 13 May 1991, and is known today as Russia-1. It is the flagship ch ...

" national TV channel. The second season premiered from March 25 to March 29, 2019. The series tells the story of historical events covering the years 1580 to 1613, from the late reign of

Ivan the Terrible Ivan IV Vasilyevich (russian: Ива́н Васи́льевич; 25 August 1530 – ), commonly known in English as Ivan the Terrible, was the grand prince of Moscow from 1533 to 1547 and the first Tsar of all Russia from 1547 to 1584. Ivan ...

(1530-1584), the first

Tsar Tsar ( or ), also spelled ''czar'', ''tzar'', or ''csar'', is a title used by East Slavs, East and South Slavs, South Slavic monarchs. The term is derived from the Latin word ''Caesar (title), caesar'', which was intended to mean "emperor" i ...

of all Rus', until the ascension to the Russian throne of Mikhail I Romanov (1598-1645). It centers upon the fate of the

Godunov Godunov (russian: Годунов) is a Russian surname. Godunov can refer to the following: * Two Tsars of Russia and their kin: ** Tsar Boris Fyodorovich Godunov a regent of Russia from 1584 to 1598 and then tsar from 1598 to 1605 ** Tsar Fyodo ...

family: Tsar

Boris Godunov Borís Fyodorovich Godunóv (; russian: Борис Фёдорович Годунов; 1552 ) ruled the Tsardom of Russia as ''de facto'' regent from c. 1585 to 1598 and then as the first non-Rurikid tsar from 1598 to 1605. After the end of his ...

(1551-1605), his wife

Maria Skuratova-Belskaya Maria Grigorievna Skuratova-Belskaya (c. 1552 ~ died 10/20 June 1605) was a Tsaritsa of Russia as the spouse of Tsar Boris Godunov. She served as regent of Russia during the minority of her son, Tsar Feodor II of Russia, in 1605. Life Maria Skurat ...

, his sister

Irina Godunova Irina Feodorovna Godunova, later Alexandra (1557–1603) was a Tsaritsa of Russia by marriage to Tsar Feodor I Ivanovich (r. 1584–1598) and the sister of Tsar Boris Godunov (r. 1598–1605). For nine days after the death of her spouse in 1598 ...

, his son

Fyodor II of Russia Fyodor II Borisovich Godunov (russian: Фёдор II Борисович Годунов) (1589 – 20 June 1605) was tsar of Russia during the spring of 1605, at the beginning of the Time of Troubles. Life Fyodor II was born in Moscow, the son a ...

and his daughter

Tsarevna Tsarevna (russian: Царевна) was the daughter of a Tsar of Russia before the 18th century. The name is meant as a daughter of a Tsar, or as a wife of a Tsarevich. All of them were unmarried, and grew old in convents or in the Terem Palace, ...

Xenia Borisovna Xenia Borisovna Godunova (russian: Ксения Борисовна Годунова) (1582–1622) was a Russian Tsarevna, daughter of Tsar Boris Godunov, and sister of Tsar Feodor II of Russia. Life She was described as very beautiful and wel ...

. The creators based themselves upon the novel-chronicle "Shipwreck near the Island of Hope" (1978, not translated) by historical novelist

Konstantin Badygin Captain Konstantin Sergeyevich Badygin (or Badigin, russian: Константин Сергеевич Бадигин; 30 November 1910 – 15 March 1984) was a Soviet naval officer, explorer, author, and scientist. Biography Konstantin Sergeye ...

. The novel tells the story of Boris Godunov's rise to power and the struggle of the powerful

Stroganov family The Stroganovs or Strogonovs (russian: link=no, Стро́гановы, Стро́гоновы), French spelling: Stroganoff, were a family of highly successful Russian merchants, industrialists, landowners, and statesmen. From the time of Iva ...

with the background of English merchants trying to establish privileged trade relations. The authors slightly changed the storylines, simplifying them and replacing some of the characters. Nonetheless, most of the characters are strictly historical. The score was written and orchestrated by renowned Kazakh composer Artem Vasilyev The series is currently available on Region 1 DVD (in Russian with English subtitles) and on Amazon's Prime Video. Its IMDb ID is 9401912

Plot

Russia, around the year 1600: The mysterious death of the rightful heir

Dmitry of Uglich Dmitri Ivanovich ( rus, Дмитрий Иванович, Dmitrii Ivanovich; 19 October 1582 – 15 May 1591), also known as Dmitry of Uglich (, ''Uglichskii'') or Dmitry of Moscow (, ''Moskovskii''), was the youngest son of Ivan the Terrible, Ts ...

ends the rule of the

Rurik dynasty The Rurik dynasty ( be, Ру́рыкавічы, Rúrykavichy; russian: Рю́риковичи, Ryúrikovichi, ; uk, Рю́риковичі, Riúrykovychi, ; literally "sons/scions of Rurik"), also known as the Rurikid dynasty or Rurikids, was ...

, leading to a power struggle. The ambiguous

's rise to power meets with deceitful conspiracies by the Russian aristocrats, the "

Boyars A boyar or bolyar was a member of the highest rank of the feudal nobility in many Eastern European states, including Kievan Rus', Bulgaria, Russia, Wallachia and Moldavia, and later Romania, Lithuania and among Baltic Germans. Boyars were sec ...

"; the destruction of his whole family and the troubled years that follow are unveiled in this major saga, featuring excellent period reconstructions, accurate historicity, costumes, and top-notch acting. Season One covers the historical period from the last years of Tsar

's reign until the coronation of Boris Godunov in 1598. Season Two's first four episodes cover the 7-year long reign of Tsar Boris, marked by a two-year famine and the enmity of the

who disliked the Tsar because "he wasn't one of them" whilst he sought to curb their power. After Tsar Boris's death in 1605, eight more years of troubles follow, that will witness five successive rulers, including two

impostor An impostor (also spelled imposter) is a person who pretends to be somebody else, often through means of disguise. Their objective is usually to try to gain financial or social advantages through social engineering, but also often for purposes ...

s, seizing power. The series ends with the successful resistance of the

Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius The Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius (russian: Тро́ице-Се́ргиева ла́вра) is the most important Russian monastery and the spiritual centre of the Russian Orthodox Church. The monastery is situated in the town of Sergiyev Pos ...

monastery withstanding a celebrated 16-month Polish-Lithuanian historical siege.

Cast

Season One *

Sergey Bezrukov Sergey Vitalyevich Bezrukov (russian: link=no, Серге́й Вита́льевич Безру́ков, born 18 October 1973) is a Soviet and Russian film and stage actor, singer, People's Artist of Russia, the laureate of the State Prize of th ...

oprichnik Oprichnik (russian: опри́чник, , ''man aside''; plural ''Oprichniki'') was the designation given to a member of the Oprichnina, a bodyguard corps established by Tsar Ivan the Terrible to govern a division of Russia from 1565 to 1572. Fou ...

Boyar A boyar or bolyar was a member of the highest rank of the Feudalism, feudal nobility in many Eastern European states, including Kievan Rus', Bulgarian Empire, Bulgaria, Russian nobility, Russia, Boyars of Moldavia and Wallachia, Wallachia and ...

, then Tsar of all Russia in

1598 __NOTOC__ Events January–June * February 21 – Boris Godunov seizes the throne of Russia, following the death of his brother-in-law, Tsar Feodor I; the ''Time of Troubles'' starts. * April 13 – Edict of Nantes (promulgated April 30 ...

Svetlana Khodchenkova Svetlana Viktorovna Khodchenkova (russian: Светла́на Ви́кторовна Хо́дченкова; born 21 January 1983) is a Russian film, television and theater actress. She is an Honored Artist of the Russian Federation (2018). Earl ...

Tsarina Tsarina or tsaritsa (also spelled ''csarina'' or ''csaricsa'', ''tzarina'' or ''tzaritza'', or ''czarina'' or ''czaricza''; bg, царица, tsaritsa; sr, / ; russian: царица, tsaritsa) is the title of a female autocratic ruler (mona ...

, wife of Godunov, daughter of Malyuta Skuratov *

Sergei Makovetsky Sergei Vasilievich Makovetsky (russian: Серге́й Васи́льевич Макове́цкий, born 13 June 1958) is a Soviet and Ukrainian-born Russian film and stage actor. Filmography Film *1982: ''To take live!'' *1983: ''Ekipazh ma ...

Ivan IV the Terrible Ivan IV Vasilyevich (russian: Ива́н Васи́льевич; 25 August 1530 – ), commonly known in English as Ivan the Terrible, was the grand prince of Moscow from 1533 to 1547 and the first Tsar of all Russia from 1547 to 1584. Ivan ...

of all Russia *

Viktor Sukhorukov Viktor Ivanovich Sukhorukov PAR (russian: Виктор Иванович Сухоруков; born 10 November 1951) is a Russian actor. He has appeared in more than 50 films and television shows since 1974. He starred in ''Happy Days'' (1991), w ...

Malyuta Skuratov Grigory Lukyanovich Skuratov-Belskiy (russian: Григорий Лукьянович Скуратов-Бельский), better known as Malyuta Skuratov () (? – January 1, 1573) was one of the most odious leaders of the Oprichnina during the ...

* Aleksandr Ustyugov as Fyodor Nikitich Romanov,

Patriarch Filaret of Moscow Feodor Nikitich Romanov (russian: Фео́дор Ники́тич Рома́нов, ; 1553 – 1 October 1633) was a Russian boyar who after temporary disgrace rose to become patriarch of Moscow as Filaret (russian: Филаре́т, ), and beca ...

* Maria Andreyeva as

Xenia Shestova Boyarinya Kseniya Ioannovna (Ivanovna) Shestova (russian: Ксения Ивановна Шестова (or Романова); 1560–1631) was a spouse of Fyodor Romanov and the mother of Mikhail Romanov. Life The origins of Xeniya Ivanovna have b ...

, wife of Fyodor Romanov (Patriarch Filaret), mother of

Mikhail of Russia Michael I (Russian: Михаил Фёдорович Романов, ''Mikhaíl Fyódorovich Románov'') () became the first Russian tsar of the House of Romanov after the Zemskiy Sobor of 1613 elected him to rule the Tsardom of Russia. He w ...

Andrey Merzlikin Andrey Ilyich Merzlikin (russian: Андре́й Ильи́ч Мерзли́кин; born 24 March 1973) is a Russian film and theater actor. Early life Andrey Merzlikin was born in Kaliningrad, Moscow Oblast. In the first education – radio e ...

as Prince Vasily Shuyski, later

Vasily IV Vasili IV Shuisky (russian: Василий IV Иванович Шуйский, ''Vasiliy IV Ivanovich Shuyskiy'', c. 155212 September 1612) was Tsar of Russia between 1606 and 1610 after the murder of False Dmitri I. His rule coincided w ...

, tsar of all Russia (1606-1610) * Fyodor Lavrov as

Feodor I of Russia Fyodor I Ivanovich (russian: Фёдор I Иванович) or Feodor I Ioannovich (russian: Феодор I Иоаннович; 31 May 1557 – 17 January (NS) 1598), also known as Feodor the Bellringer (russian: Феодор Звонарь), ...

, Tsar of all Russia (1576-1584), third son of Ivan the Terrible *

Anna Mikhalkova Anna Nikitichna Mikhalkova (Russian: А́нна Ники́тична Михалко́ва; born 14 May 1974, in Moscow) is a Russian actress and model. Her film credits include '' Our Own'', '' Kokoko'' and ''Rasputin''. Her television credits ...

, sister of Boris Godunov, wife of Tsar Feodor I * Vladimir Steklov as Andrey Shchelkalov * Irina Pegova as

Maria Nagaya Maria Feodorovna Nagaya () (died 1608) was a Russian tsaritsa and sixth (possibly eighth) uncanonical wife of Ivan the Terrible. Life Maria married Ivan in 1581 and a year later, she gave birth to their son Dmitry. In 1582, the tsar suggested to ...

, Tsarina, seventh wife of Ivan the Terrible, mother of Dmitry * Klim Berdinsky as Prince

, last son of Ivan the Terrible with Maria Nagaya (1582-1591?) * Anton Kuznetsov as

Bogdan Belsky Bogdan Yakovlevich Belsky (russian: Богдан Яковлевич Бельский) (died 1611) was a Russian statesman and a close associate of Ivan the Terrible. Bogdan was not related to the great Gedyminid princely family of the same name. ...

statesman A statesman or stateswoman typically is a politician who has had a long and respected political career at the national or international level. Statesman or Statesmen may also refer to: Newspapers United States * ''The Statesman'' (Oregon), a n ...

, nephew of Malyuta Skuratov * Anna Kovalchuk as Princess

Maria Vladimirovna of Staritsa Maria Vladimirovna of StaritsaLines of Succession: Heraldr ...

Yevgeny Tsyganov Yevgeny Eduardovich Tsyganov (russian: link=no, Евгений Эдуардович Цыганов; born 15 March 1979) is a Russian stage and film actor, director, screenwriter and composer. Early life Yevgeny Tsyganov was born in Moscow in th ...

Tsarevich Ivan Ivanovich of Russia Ivan Ivanovich (Ива́н Иванович) (March 28, 1554 – November 19, 1581) was a Tsarevich (heir apparent) of Russia and the son of Ivan the Terrible, who killed him in a fit of rage. Early life Ivan was the second son of Ivan the T ...

, second son of Ivan the Terrible (1530-1584) * Kristina Brodskaya as

Tsesarevna Tsesarevich (russian: Цесаревич, ) was the title of the heir apparent or presumptive in the Russian Empire. It either preceded or replaced the given name and patronymic. Usage It is often confused with "tsarevich", which is a dis ...

Yelena Sheremeteva Yelena Sheremeteva (c. 1553 – 4 January 1587), was a Russian noblewoman, tsesarevna of Russia as the third wife of Tsarevich Ivan Ivanovich of Russia, son of Ivan the Terrible. Biography Yelena Sheremeteva was the daughter of the boyar Ivan Va ...

, wife of Ivan Ivanovich * Alexander Gorbatov as Prince

Fedor Mstislavsky Prince Fedor Ivanovich Mstislavsky (died: 16 December 1622) was a Russian boyar, one of the leaders of the Duma aristocracy, leader of the Seven Boyars (who governed Russia for a brief period between 1610-1612) and the Chairman of Zemsky Sobor of 16 ...

* Alexander Ilyin as Prince Ivan

Mstislavsky Mstislavsky (Russian Мстиславский) was a Russian princely family of Gediminid origin who prior to their move to Russia ruled the principality of Mstislavl. In the following, the Mstislavsky family produced some notable military commande ...

Yury Belyayev Yury Viktorovich Belyayev (russian: Юрий Викторович Беляев; born 28 August 1947) is a Soviet and Russian film and theatre actor. He has received the title of Honored Artist of the Russian Federation (1995) and the USSR State ...

as Prince Ivan

Shuysky The Princes Shuisky (russian: Шуйские, Shuyskiye) was a Rurikid family of Boyars descending from Grand Duke Dimitri Konstantinovich of Vladimir-Suzdal and Prince Andrey Yaroslavich, brother to Alexander Nevsky. The surname is derived fr ...

, uncle of Vasily Shuyski * Nikolay Schrayber as Prince Dmitry Shuyski, brother of Vasily Shuyski * Polina Dudkina as Princess Ekaterina Shuyskaya, wife of Dmitry Shuyski, daughter of Malyuta Skuratov * Albert Kobrowski as "The Rider" *

Lev Prygunov Lev Georgievich Prygunov (russian: Лев Гео́ргиевич Прыгуно́в; born 23 April 1939, Alma-Ata, Kazakh SSR) is a Russian actor, painter, People's Artist of Russia (2013). His son is a Russian film director . After graduation, ...

Nikita Romanovich Nikita Romanovich (russian: Никита Романович; born c. 1522 – 23 April 1586), also known as Nikita Romanovich Zakharyin-Yuriev, was a prominent boyar of the Tsardom of Russia. His grandson Michael I of Russia, Michael I (Tsar ...

Zakharin-Yuryev, father of Fyodor Romanov, uncle of Tsar Fedor Ivanovich * Alexander Pashutin as Boyar Feodor Nagoy, father of the tsaritsa

, uncle of Prince Dmitry Ivanovich * Artyom Alekseev as Stepan Godunov, Tsar Boris's devout and devious aide-de-camp * Alexander Semchev as Peter Golovin, Treasurer *

Sergei Nikonenko Sergei Petrovich Nikonenko (russian: Серге́й Петрович Никоненко; born 16 April 1941 in Moscow) is a Russian actor. He performed in more than eighty films since 1961. Selected filmography * 1967 ** '' The Red and the Whi ...

as Nikita Stroganov *

Boris Klyuyev Boris Vladimirovich Klyuyev (russian: Бори́с Влади́мирович Клю́ев; 13 July 1944 — 1 September 2020) was a Soviet and Russian actor and theatre teacher. He served as one of the lead actors of the Maly Theatre from 1969 t ...

as Dionysius, Metropolitan of Moscow and All Russia *

Boris Plotnikov Boris Grigoryevich Plotnikov (russian: Борис Григорьевич Плотников; 2 April 1949 – 2 December 2020)

Patriarch Job of Moscow Job (russian: Иов, ''Iov''), also known as Job of Moscow (d. 19 June 1607) was the first Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. He is venerated as a saint by the Russian Orthodox Church. He was the Metropolitan of Moscow and all Rus' from 1587 to ...

(Iov) * Sergei Ghazarov as Patriarch

Jeremias II of Constantinople Jeremias II Tranos (c. 1536 – 4 September 1595) was Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople three times between 1572 and 1595. Life Jeremias Tranos was born in Anchialos, from an influential Greek family. The exact date of birth is not kno ...

Yuri Kolokolnikov Yuri Andreyevich Kolokolnikov (russian: Юрий Андреевич Колокольников; born 15 December 1980) is a Russian stage and film actor. In the West, Kolokolnikov is best known for his performance as Styr in the television series ...

as Jerome Gorsey, English merchant * Lymutis Sedjus as Sir

Jerome Bowes Sir Jerome Bowes (died 1616) was an English ambassador to Russia and Member of Parliament in England. Early life He was born into a Durham family, the son of John Bowes, and his wife Ann, née Gunville, whose family were from Gorleston, then i ...

, English Ambassador to Russia * Sergey Borisov as Fedor Kon, architect * Oleg Vasilkov as Mikhail Bityagovsky * Nina Dvorzhetskaya as Vasilisa Volokhova, Prince Dmitry's nanny * Sergey Barkovsky as Lev Sapega, Lithuanian Commander * Seydullah Moldakhanov as Ğazi II Giray, khan of the

Crimean Khanate The Crimean Khanate ( crh, , or ), officially the Great Horde and Desht-i Kipchak () and in old European historiography and geography known as Little Tartary ( la, Tartaria Minor), was a Crimean Tatars, Crimean Tatar state existing from 1441 to ...

* Albinas Kelaris as Johann Eilof, Dutch healer * Len Blavatnik as Cardinal

Jerzy Radziwiłł (1556–1600) Prince Jerzy Radziwiłł ( lt, Jurgis Radvila; 31 May 1556 – 21 January 1600) was a Polish–Lithuanian magnate and Imperial Reichsfürst from the Radziwiłł family. He was ordained a Catholic priest and later rose through the ranks as Bishop ...

* Nikolai Denisov as Tishka, servant of Fyodor Romanov * Andrius Paulavicius as Anton Marsh, English merchant * Remigijus Sabulis as John Brown, English merchant * Vaidotas Martinaitis as Richard Ingram, English merchant * Leonid Timtsunik as Trifon Patrikeyev * Igor Sigov as commandant of the castle in

Riga Riga (; lv, Rīga , liv, Rīgõ) is the capital and largest city of Latvia and is home to 605,802 inhabitants which is a third of Latvia's population. The city lies on the Gulf of Riga at the mouth of the Daugava river where it meets the Ba ...

* Sergey Serov as Semyon Duda, Governor * Yulia Galkina as Praskovya Sicheva * Ivan Mokhovikov as Istoma Sovin, an archer * Piotr Logachev as Ondryushka Mochalov of Uglich * Pavel Srebor as Semion Saburov, Governor * Vilen Babichev as Archip, the

executioner An executioner, also known as a hangman or headsman, is an official who executes a sentence of capital punishment on a legally condemned person. Scope and job The executioner was usually presented with a warrant authorising or order ...

Season Two *

, Tsar of all Russia *

, Godunov's wife * Darya Ursulyak as

Godunova, Boris's daughter * Ilya Ilinikh as

Tsarevich Tsarevich (russian: Царевич, ) is a Slavic title given to tsars' sons. Under the 1797 Pauline house law, the title was discontinued and replaced with ''Tsesarevich'' for the heir apparent alone. His younger brothers were called '' Velik ...

Feodor II of Russia Fyodor II Borisovich Godunov (russian: Фёдор II Борисович Годунов) (1589 – 20 June 1605) was tsar of Russia during the spring of 1605, at the beginning of the Time of Troubles. Life Fyodor II was born in Moscow, the son a ...

, Boris's son and short-lived Tsar (April–June 1605) * Yevgeny Tkachuk as

False Dmitry I False Dmitry I ( rus, Лжедмитрий I, Lzhedmitriy I) (or Pseudo-Demetrius I) reigned as the Tsar of Russia from 10 June 1605 until his death on 17 May 1606 under the name of Dmitriy Ivanovich ( rus, Дмитрий Иванович). A ...

(aka the Monk Grigory Otrepiev), impostor, Tsar of all Russia (1605-1606) * Olga Kalitska as

Marina Mniszech Marina Mniszech, ( pl, Maryna Mniszech; russian: Марина Мнишек, Marina Mnishek, ) also known in Russian lore as Marinka the Witch ( 1588 – 24 December 1614) was a Polish noblewoman Nobility is a social class found in many so ...

, Tsarina, wife of False Dmitry I * Miroslav Enkot as

Jerzy Mniszech Jerzy Mniszech (c. 1548 – 1613) was a Poles, Polish Szlachta, nobleman and diplomat in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. Member of the Mniszchowie, House of Mniszech. Krajczy koronny in 1574, castellan of Radom in 1583, voivode of Sandom ...

, Polish nobleman and diplomat, father of Marina Mniszech * Tamara Spirichova as the old mother of False Dmitry I *

Ivan Kolesnikov Ivan Sergeyevich Kolesnikov (russian: Ива́н Серге́евич Коле́сников; born March 18, 1983) is a Russian film, television, and stage actor. Nika Award's winner (2016). Early life Kolesnikov was born in Moscow, Russian ...

as Ilya, polyglot and interpreter, in a sentimental relationship with Xenia Borisovna *

Kirill Zaytsev Kirill Andreyevich Zaytsev (russian: Кирилл Андреевич Зайцев; born August 16, 1987) is a Russian actor, film director, producer. For his role in ''Going Vertical'' he received the Golden Eagle Award in 2019. Life and career ...

as Nechay Kolyvanov, former palace guard and voivod of False Dmitry I * Alexandra Nikiforova as Sophia Fyodorovna, daughter of Fyodor Konya and wife of Nechay * Sergey Diakov as Pronka, an archer and palace guard, friend of Nechay *

Petr Rykov Petr (also Pyotr) Sergeevich Rykov (russian: Пётр Серге́евич Рыков; born December 30, 1981) is a Russian actor, television host, musical performer and model. Biography Petr Rykov was born in Novgorod, Russian SFSR, Soviet ...

Vasily Golitsyn (1643) Prince Vasily Vasilyevich Golitsyn (russian: Василий Васильевич Голицын, tr. ; 1643–1714) was a Russian aristocrat and statesman of the 17th century. He belonged to the Golitsyn as well as Romodanovsky Muscovite noble ...

* Andrey Udalov as John, Prince of Schleswig-Holstein (Johan) betrothed to Xenia Borisovna * Jana Yesipovich as Pronka's Wife * Nikolai Kozak as Betsky / Old Porfiry * Anton Kapanin as a street performer * Larissa Shakhvorostova as Feklitsa, a Soothsayer * Dmitry Frid as Doctor Fidler, court physician-healer *

Pyotr Zaychenko Pyotr Petrovich Zaychenko (russian: Пётр Петрович Зайченко; 1 April 1943 – 21 March 2019) was a Soviet-born Russian film and theater actor.

Patriarch Hermogenes of Moscow Hermogenes, or Germogen (russian: Гермоге́н) (secular name Yermolay) (before 1530 – 17 February 1612) was the Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia from 1606. It was he who inspired the popular uprising that put an end to the Time of Troub ...

* Yuri Tarasov as

False Dmitri II False Dmitry II ( rus, Лжедмитрий II, Lzhedmitrii II; died ), historically known as Pseudo-Demetrius II and also called "тушинский вор" ("rebel/criminal of Tushino"), was the second of three pretenders to the Russian throne w ...

Stanislav Lyubshin Stanislav Andreyevich Lyubshin (russian: link=no, Станислав Андреевич Любшин; born 6 April 1933) is a Russian actor, film director, and People's Artist of the RSFSR (1981). Life Stanislav Lyubshin is a Russian actor whose ...

Archimandrite The title archimandrite ( gr, ἀρχιμανδρίτης, archimandritēs), used in Eastern Christianity, originally referred to a superior abbot (''hegumenos'', gr, ἡγούμενος, present participle of the verb meaning "to lead") who ...

Ioasaf * Sergey Marin as

Voyevoda Voivode (, also spelled ''voievod'', ''voevod'', ''voivoda'', ''vojvoda'' or ''wojewoda'') is a title denoting a military leader or warlord in Central, Southeastern and Eastern Europe since the Early Middle Ages. It primarily referred to the m ...

, Prince Grigory Dolgorukov * Alexey Ovsyannikov as Mikhail Saltykov, a Boyar of False Dmitry II * Anton Batyrev as

Ivan Zarutsky Ivan Martynovich Zarutsky (''Заруцкий, Иван Мартынович'' in Russian) (died 1614) was a Cossack leader in Russia in the early 17th century. Biography In 1606–1607, ataman Zarutsky and his men took part in the Bolotnikov Upri ...

Ataman Ataman (variants: ''otaman'', ''wataman'', ''vataman''; Russian: атаман, uk, отаман) was a title of Cossack and haidamak leaders of various kinds. In the Russian Empire, the term was the official title of the supreme military comman ...

(commander) of the

Don Cossacks Don Cossacks (russian: Донские казаки, Donskie kazaki) or Donians (russian: донцы, dontsy) are Cossacks who settled along the middle and lower Don. Historically, they lived within the former Don Cossack Host (russian: До� ...

and Marina Mniszech's lover * Anastasia Mikhailova as Ephrosinya, a young and beautiful runaway girl * Nikolai Larchuzhenkov as Emyelka, the dwarf jailer * Maxim Vajov as Mikhail, a

Cossack The Cossacks , es, cosaco , et, Kasakad, cazacii , fi, Kasakat, cazacii , french: cosaques , hu, kozákok, cazacii , it, cosacchi , orv, коза́ки, pl, Kozacy , pt, cossacos , ro, cazaci , russian: казаки́ or ...

References

{{Alexey Andrianov Russia-1 original programming Russian drama television series 2018 Russian television series debuts 2019 Russian television series endings 2010s Russian television series Historical television series Russian-language television shows Russian biographical television series