Baroness Lehzen

Baroness Lehzen is Victoria's German governess, the woman who raised her and now stands closest to her as she ascends the throne. Fiercely loyal and watchful, she treats the new queen with a mix of tenderness and proprietary pride, quick to guard her from anyone she judges a threat to her charge's independence.

Holtz plays devotion as something with edges — Lehzen's love for Victoria is real, but so is her possessiveness, and the show lets both sit uncomfortably together. She's compelling because her instincts are protective and her judgment isn't always trustworthy, which keeps every scene she's in quietly tense.