The ‘Empress’ Cast Members Couldn’t Look More Different Than Their Characters IRL

The Empress arrived out of nowhere and landed itself in Netflix's Top 10, and I'm gonna go ahead and assume that—after watching it in one sitting—you're now fully obsessed with the talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show-stopping, spectacular cast.

But in case you're new here, The Empress focuses on the life of Empress Elisabeth, who marries Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria and moves from a relatively simple life in the country to a palace that's oppressive (to say the least). While there, Elisabeth contends with Franz's overbearing mother, a fleet of ladies-in-waiting who refuse to leave her side (one of whom is a secret revolutionary, awk), and the total loss of her independence. Meanwhile, Elisabeth remains infatuated with Franz, who is grappling with problems of his own. You know, like war and a burgeoning revolution. The usual.

Anyway, one of the best parts of The Empress is its gorgeous costumes—and if you're wondering what the cast looks like out of the all those floofy ball gowns, the answer is completely different. Like, the lack of an aggressive hair coif can really change the way someone looks, that's all I'm saying!

Check out the cast IRL compared to their on-screen counterparts while you patiently wait for Netflix to green-light a second season. And speaking of, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR, NETFLIX?