Viewers of “The Crown” are finally being introduced to the series’ third and final iteration of Queen Elizabeth II.
On Friday, Netflix unveiled the first photo of Imelda Staunton as the Queen, taking over the role from Olivia Colman and, before her, Claire Foy.
Production is currently underway on the acclaimed Netflix series’ fifth season, which will cover what is arguably the most tumultuous era in the Queen’s reign, including Princess Diana’s bombshell interview with Martin Bashir for BBC’s “Panorama”.
“I think my sort of extra challenge — as if I needed it — is that I’m now doing the Queen that we’re a little more familiar with,” said Staunton in an interview with BBC News (as reported by Deadline).
“With Claire Foy, it was almost history and now I’m playing one that people could say ‘She doesn’t do that,’ ‘She’s not like that,’ and that’s my personal bête noire,” she explained.
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In addition to Staunton, the new season will see the series’ second full cast shakeup, with Lesley Manville as Princess Margaret, Jonathan Pryce as Prince Philip, Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana, and Dominic West as Prince Charles. Jonny Lee Miller will play John Major, who served as Britain’s prime minister in 1990-97.
