As the new season of the royal drama The Crown premieres, the cast explains how they manage their jobs when there are already strong opinions about the characters they are portraying.
Each new season of The Crown is one of the most eagerly awaited television events of the year.
In the most current series, events are now centered on the more recent history of the 1990s.
The fifth season of the show, which Netflix claims is fictional while being loosely based on actual events and people, features a new cast that reflects the aging of the royal family.
Imelda Staunton will portray Queen Elizabeth II, and Jonathan Pryce will portray Prince Philip. Lesley Manville will assume the role of Princess Margaret, while Dominic West and Olivia Williams will assume the roles of Prince Charles and Camilla, respectively.
The most recent season has not been without controversy, however, as royalists have demanded that it be made explicit that the show is fake, and others have recommended that it be delayed due to the September death of the Queen.
West stated that with the death of the Queen, there would certainly be more people watching than ever before, but he does not view this as a negative.
“What’s amazing about this season is that more people than ever recall what happened in this season,” he remarked.
“And, since the Queen’s passing, there is even more attention – and that’s wonderful to be a part of… people care about what you’re doing.”
Staunton said, however, that to play the Queen in the show and manage the excitement, she had to let go of how people felt about her, particularly after her death.
She stated, “That does not affect us since we’re still performing our duties.
“Yes, these are people our generation has known their entire lives, but it cannot interfere with your work, nor can you use that information in any manner because it is useless.”
Even though this is the job of a lifetime for Pryce, he is conscious that the attitudes of the late Royals may have shifted.
“I feel like I’ve been prepping my entire life to play Prince Philip.”
“With the demise of both Philip and the Queen, I believe it is not our perceptions of the character that will alter, but rather the audience’s conceptions of the series.
“It will affect how they perceive it differently… the audience will feel more connected to the characters.”
Even in private situations, The Crown is renowned for its meticulous attention to detail, which contributes to the anticipation surrounding the actors’ resemblance to their respective characters.
“In the first scene [Pryce and Staunton] filmed, we thanked the servant for placing the food on the table, and the protocol officer told us, ‘no, no, no, no, you don’t say thank you,'” Pryce explained.
Manville added: “The kiss comes first, then the curtsy.
“Margaret’s public greeting of the Queen was one of my earliest scenes, and it was quite specific. The kiss comes first, followed by the curtsy.”
West told that the attention to detail in the costumes helped him get into the mindset of Prince Charles “He is one of the world’s best-dressed men.
“His white tropical naval captain’s uniform is my favorite since it is really lovely and nobody looks horrible in it. Nobody.”
Williams added: “They have a wonderful talent for locating items from the 1990s that are quite weathered.
“I despise it when someone is wearing brand-new shoes when they have 20-year-old shoes.”
