Actress Imelda Staunton is facing a challenge that none of the other actors from the previous seasons of The Crown have faced. Staunton has been cast to play the current monarch of England, Queen Elizabeth II, in the fifth and sixth seasons of the show. Although filming for season five has not yet begun, the actress revealed that she has become aware of an unprecedented hurdle in her way.
The Crown is a historical drama about the British royal family. The show’s protagonist is Queen Elizabeth II and it chronicles her journey from a princess to an admired monarch through the years. Historical incidents are often portrayed in the series, albeit with considerable creative liberty.
The cast in the show changes every two seasons to show the passage of time. In the first two seasons, Queen Elizabeth was portrayed by actress Claire Foy, while in seasons three and four, Olivia Colman portrayed the monarch. Imelda Staunton is scheduled to take over from her in seasons five and six.
According to the actress, she is portraying the monarch at a very publicized time of her life while the other actors played her at a time that is far from the memories of the mass. Says the actress about the challenge:
“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. 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.”
The fifth season of The Crown is set to start filming in June of 2021. An official date for the premiere has not been announced yet.
The first four seasons of The Crown are available to be streamed on Netflix.
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About The Crown
The Crown is a historical drama on Netflix which revolves around the British royal family. It focuses on Elizabeth II’s journey from a princess to the revered queen of England. The series is created by screenwriter Peter Morgan, and produced by Left Bank Pictures and Sony Pictures Television for Netflix.
The first season covers the period from Elizabeth’s marriage to Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, in 1947 to the disintegration of her sister Princess Margaret’s engagement to Group Captain Peter Townsend in 1955. The second season covers the period from the Suez Crisis in 1956 to the retirement of Prime Minister Harold Macmillan in 1963 and the birth of Prince Edward in 1964.
The third season spans 1964 to 1977, including Harold Wilson’s two periods as prime minister, and introduces Camilla Shand as Queen Elizabeth. The fourth season spans 1979 to the early 1990s and includes Margaret Thatcher’s tenure as prime minister and Prince Charles’s marriage to Lady Diana Spencer.
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