Appearing in the second season of Peaky Blinders, grand duchess Izabella Petrovna steals every scene she’s in. In fact, the character is so successful that the showrunners have confirmed she will return for the third season (though the details remain under wraps). If you’re a fan of the show, you won’t want to miss this profile of actress Dina Korzun, who plays Grand Duchess Izabella Petrovna on Peaky Blinders and starred alongside Adrien Brody in Red Sparrow. Peaky Blinders Fans Will Love Grand Duchess Izabella Petrovna
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The background story
From Alexander Pushkin’s epic verse epics to Russian folklore, Dina Korzun has had no problem hitting historical high notes on screen. Audiences are most familiar with her as Princess Mary in The Last Station and Countess Natasha Rostova in War and Peace, both of which were nominated for a Golden Globe award. But when she recently took on a part on Peaky Blinders, it was anything but business as usual for Korzun; her next role was that of Russia’s only female grand duchess — another one-off.
The similarities between the characters
Dina Korzun and Queen Elizabeth are similar in many ways. They both have a strong will, high morals, are intelligent, and are great leaders. They both wanted to be loved by their people. Both women were strong willed. They were not afraid to speak their mind or do what they believed was right even if it meant defying those in power.
For example, when Queen Elizabeth was told she could not marry who she wanted she defied her father’s wishes and married who she wanted to marry even though it cost her her head of state title. She also had an independent spirit like Dina did when it came to love as well as how they handled business matters as queen and grand duchess respectively.
The relevance of the character
Created by Steven Knight, Peaky Blinders is an extremely successful BBC crime drama that has been widely popular across America as well. The show chronicles both historical events in English society and how it changed from 1885 to 1924. The main character of Thomas Shelby (played by Cillian Murphy) is also a member of a gang called Peaky Blinders which may seem insignificant in light of history but does play an important role throughout the series as well as World War I and II. In fact, without Thomas Shelby’s gang, World War I may have gone differently because they were crucial to fighting on both sides. If you like historical shows with a serious edge, then check out Peaky Blinders – now streaming on Netflix!
What was your favorite part?
The most memorable moment for me was definitely her interaction with Lorna Bow from Peaky Blinders. The interactions between Korzun and Tom Hardy were fantastic as well. It’s been a while since I’ve seen another actor in that role, so it was refreshing to see how he approached it. I loved seeing how they went back and forth, not just at each other but with their surroundings. For example, when they interacted with slum-dwelling characters or walked through certain areas, you could really tell that some of his movements and mannerisms were exaggerated to draw a reaction from someone who wasn’t used to such behaviors in public areas. Overall, it was great seeing these two come together on screen again!
What can we learn from Izabella?
Peaky Blinders is a British crime drama set in 1919 Birmingham after World War I. Many of us love watching Dina Korzun play off of Tom Hardy as she swoons her way through 1920s London. While there’s plenty to learn from Korzun herself, we can also get some inspiration from another character that she played, a tsarina from Russia: Grand Duchess (and later Dowager Empress) Izabella Petrovna of Russia. Just like Dina Korzun, Izabella was an actress when she married Tsar Nicholas II of Russia in 1894 at age 17.
Who is the grand duchess in Peaky Blinders?
It’s highly unlikely that Peaky Blinders fans will be familiar with a real-life Russian noblewoman named Grand Duchess Isabella Petrovna. She was born in 1816, making her 123 years old by the time of season 2. That said, her story is pretty interesting and fans of Peaky Blinders might enjoy reading up on it. Let’s take a closer look at what we know about Isabella and why she has something in common with one of Peaky Blinders most beloved characters.
What does it say on the bullet in Peaky Blinders?
Dina Korzun as Dina Korsun as Izabella in Peaky Blinders. Photograph: Robert Viglasky/Caryn Mandabach Productions Ltd 2016 for Netflix. All rights reserved . Courtesy of Caryn Mandabach Productions Ltd and Lionsgate Television Inc.
Is Tatiana Russian in Peaky Blinders?
Tatiana Petrovna of Russia, was a granddaughter of Emperor Paul I of Russia and Empress Maria Feodorovna (born Princess Sophie Dorothee of Württemberg). She was engaged to two European monarchs, Tsar Alexander II of Russia and King Alfonso XII of Spain. After her fiancé’s deaths she grew increasingly unstable. In 1866 she attempted to marry an unrelated Irishman, Daniel McNeill. He refused her offer, probably because he did not wish to be associated with such a scandalous figure. She then attempted suicide by shooting herself but only wounded herself slightly in the neck.
