‘The Crown’ series new cast say viewers know it is a drama
The new cast of “The Crown” premiered the upcoming season of the hit Netflix series on Tuesday, insisting viewers know it’s a drama and do not need a disclaimer for its fictionalized storylines.
The award-winning show, which follows the reign of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth, returns for a fifth season on Wednesday, portraying the royals in the 1990s, when they faced marital upsets, public dissent, and a fire at Windsor Castle.
It has drawn criticism and calls for disclaimers over its dramatized storylines. Some commentators have voiced concern over its airing just two months after Elizabeth’s death and the impact it could have on her son Charles’ reign.
Cast members Jonny Lee Miller, James Murray, Dominic West, Senan West, Elizabeth Debicki, creator and writer Peter Morgan, executive producer Suzanne Mackle, Jonathan Pryce, Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos, Lesley Manville, Olivia Williams, Claudia Harrison, Marcia Warren, Netflix – Head of Global Bela Bajaria and Imelda Staunton attend the premiere for the TV series The Crown Season 5 in London, Britain, November 8, 2022. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls
Netflix describes “The Crown” as “fictional dramatization” inspired by real events. “Everyone has watched ‘The Crown’ for four seasons, hasn’t bothered them before,” actor Imelda Staunton, who plays Elizabeth in season five, told Reuters.
“I think the audience will be comforted by just spending time with these people again.” Staunton was filming season six when Elizabeth died.
“I was inconsolable that night, and it surprised me… I thought, ‘Well, I’ve been living with her so closely with her for two and a half years… (Seeing) People lining up to see her, it was so moving.”
New plotlines include Charles’ divorce from the late Princes Diana and intimate conversations with Camilla Parker-Bowles, now his wife. “It’s a time of his life that was not only the prime of his life but also in many ways the most difficult time of his life,” actor Dominic West, who plays Charles, said.
Cast members Dominic West, Elizabeth Debicki, Jonathan Pryce, Marcia Warren, Imelda Staunton and Lesley Manville attend the premiere for the TV series The Crown Season 5 in London, Britain, November 8, 2022. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls
“I felt enormous empathy and sympathy for him, and that’s been one of the challenges and joys of playing him… I don’t think (season five) is flattering, but I think it’s fair.”
Olivia Williams, who plays Camilla, said: “It was a very hard time for her, and I wanted to do justice to that.” Critics have given mixed reviews on season five, but most praised actor Elizabeth Debicki’s portrayal of Diana.
“When you join ‘The Crown’… there’s an enormous amount of archival footage that’s available to you, so I just dove in,” she said, preparing for the role.
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