Grigor Dymov

Grigor Dymov is a nobleman of Peter's decadent Russian court, charming and quick with a joke, married to the sharp-tongued Georgina. He drinks freely, flatters the Emperor, and moves through palace intrigue with an easy smile, seemingly more interested in pleasure and gossip than in power or principle.

The show hands him comedy first, then lets real feeling leak through the wit — Gwilym Lee plays the loyal fool as someone genuinely torn between affection for a monstrous friend and love for a wife who sees him clearly. His warmth in a court built on cruelty makes him unexpectedly moving.