In an act I consider to be cruel and unusual punishment, Netflix is starting full promotion of The Crown and yet we still have to wait three months for the third season to get here. Maybe it’s to distract people from the current news surrounding the BRF. And they’re doing their best by keeping their actors out front because they’re delightful. Olivia Colman was recognized for her work in The Favourite obviously, but I thought she was so subtly sinister in Fleabag, she merited a lot more mention for that role (although Phoebe Waller-Bridge was brilliant and deserved to soak up most of that press). But, it turns out, Olivia is nervous about how she’ll be received in the role of Queen Elizabeth II, in no small part to how much we all loved Claire Foy.
How will fans of the first two seasons feel about the characters being embodied by these different, and older, actors? What is it like for Colman to play a part so recently portrayed with such award-winning brilliance?
“It’s horrendous,” says the actress. “Everyone loves Claire Foy, so I have got the worst job in the world at the moment. You’re saying all the worst things, thanks!”
Back at Belvoir Castle, the woman currently playing Queen Elizabeth II is, all joking aside, surprisingly calm about stepping into Foy’s shoes.
“It’s the same as any classical play you do — everyone will have already played that part before,” she says. But? “The first week, I did feel myself trying to do Claire impressions. ‘What would she have done?’”
Well, surely it makes sense for Colman’s performance in early scenes to mimic that of Foy, given season 3 basically picks up where season 2 left off. “Yes, actually. Maybe it was a stroke of genius that I was doing that,” she says, letting out a laugh Oscars viewers may fondly recall. “That’s what it was! Yes, that was preplanned!”
How heady would it be to be Claire right now? Imagine to waking up hearing you’ve intimidated Olivia Freaking Colman into trying to impersonate your acting. I feel like most of you do, I loved many of the former cast and sorry to see them go, but I’m intrigued by this progression casting, so I’m truly optimistic. And again, I think the casting has been really, dare I say – keen. Although, I read this tweet the other day and I can’t stop thinking about it now:
Am I going to be the only one bothered that the entire main cast of The Crown now has the wrong eye color? Yeah? OK, fine. pic.twitter.com/XLa3p5JJk4
— kateyrich (@kateyrich) August 14, 2019
There is one way in which I have completely let you down. I’ve let myself down. I’ve let the paper mache corgis down: somehow, I completely missed the news that Charles Dance is taking over the role of Lord Mountbatten in season three. Oh my gawd! If I haven’t publicly professed my adoration of Charles Dance, let me do so now. Like, he was the only reason I gave Game of Thrones a chance. I swear, the casting news just gets better and better.
The whole article is very good and has a lot more to whet our appetites. Also, the photos are marvelous. Here’s a little Behind the Scenes video Entertainment Weekly posted with the four main cast members. It’s not much but it’s cute. The best part is watching Olivia and Helena try to be somber for their portraits when clearly, all the want to do play:
I got all of your RSVPs for my The Crown viewing party – I’m holding you to it. November 17, y’all – BYOT (Bring Your Own Tiara).
Photo credit: Julian Broad/EW, Instagram and WENN Photos
I bet Netflix is so excited she won the Oscar – not just because she seems like a lovely person who is also a talented actress – but it adds that extra punch to their promotional campaign for this.
I wasn’t sure about her as the Queen, but that was because Claire Foy was SO GOOD. I think it will take me like half an episode to adjust, and then I’ll be enamored.
Yes. I think she’ll be wonderful.
I can’t look at Tobias Menzies without being reminded of Uncle Tully’s little moment at the Dragon Pit. That part made me LOL.
He’s wonderful in Outlander, so I know he will do well here, but he does seem a bit off in the pictures. Phillip has more presence than that.
“Uncle. Please sit.”
Brilliant!
But my favorite Tobias Menzies scene is when he couldn’t pick up the phone for Hugh Laurie’s call at the end of The Night Manager.
He was great in Rome too. I recently re-watched it, and it really was a good show.
He really was! That’s where he first came to my attention.
The scene I described in The Night Manager has no words. It’s just him making faces at the phone he can’t answer and he’s fantastic.
That show was amazing and introduced me to so many good actors.
Recasting is clever, but risky. You really have to just take it as a new series I guess. I’m excited either way.
I agree but am glad that they are going this route. Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones, while both wonderful in The Theory of Everything, were unconvincing as their characters aged beyond mid-thirties and I found it distracting. It didn’t help that they both look younger than their age IRL. I often wondered if they should have switched actors at some point (it’s been done successfully before in Iris with Kate Winslet and Judy Dench playing Iris Murdoch, and I’m sure there are several other examples). While I think Claire Foy and Matt Smith might have been able to pull it off a bit better as they don’t look quite as young as Redmayne and Jones, I support the decision to move on with older actors. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that I love Olivia Coleman and Tobias Mendes.
I love Victoria on PBS and I’m wondering if they are going to switch out Victoria at some point. Albert died in his 40’s, so they can keep Tom Hughes until the end, but Jenna Coleman looks really young. And most importantly, Victoria and Albert are dating in real life!
Aging makeup can be so distracting (e.g. This Is Us), I really think this is the better choice. This crowd is so talented, I’m sure we’ll just slide right in to it once we start watching.
Completely agree . . . Eyes are windows into the soul and priceless gems. When you start altering their natural brilliance, the results can appear distorted.
I was so here for this already and I hadn’t even heard about Charles dance yet. Yay!! I hated Tywin like I should have but loved the sound of his voice.
Olivia will be brilliant as always.
She was so good in Broadchurch!
Yes! Just came here to say it.
She’s brilliant!
I actually think this us good, it gives the series a little refresher.
And Fleabag!! I stan that show so hard and Olivia steals every scene she’s in!
@BengalCat, that character could not have been played by anyone else. The whole dynamic comes out of Olivia’s charming smile and presentation. So insidious!
I want to see Olivia Coleman and Helena Bonham Carter, the other can go away.
I saw Olivia Colman on an episode of the Graham Norton Show and fell in love with her. As for the viewing party … can we bring our own paper mache corgis? Or is that tacky? Bah!!
all hail queen sophie
Olivia Colman is a international treasure.
But the wrong eye color does bother me too.
It’s been so long since season 2 came out that I think I’ll be fine with the casting changes. I’m here for all of it.
At this point I like Claire Foy and Olivia Colman both better than the pedophile-patsy old lady herself.
Yes. It really casts a shadow and frankly causing me to lose affection and respect for the lady herself.
“She merited a lot more mention for that role”…Uh she was nominated for an Emmy?
Right? I was confused by that statement too.
I am SO excited for this. Not only to see Olivia Coleman, but Tobias Menzies. He is such a brilliant actor and I’m so glad to see him getting such good parts.
I’ll have my tiara ready for the party!
Olivia Colman was SO great in Broadchurch.
I’m in the middle of season 2 of The Crown and I’m liking this family less and less.
I just saw an interview with Josh O’Connor and when they brought up “The Crown,” his face just lit up as he started talking about how much he loves Olivia Coleman. I’ve never heard anyone say she isn’t just delightful. Let’s hope there are a few good ones.
Olivia Coleman was fabulous in Les Miserables (that PBS non singing version!). She was Madam Thernardier. If anyone wants to watch this miniseries it’s on dvd. I binged watched it over the weekend and it’s excellent.
I love Olivia Colman so much! I went down the rabbit hole recently and watched a bunch of interviews with her on various talk shows on YouTube. She is consistently funny, gracious, charming, and humble in addition to her immense talent. She really seems absolutely lovely.
Did anyone else watch Flowers? It streams on Netflix. She was fantastic in it and the whole thing is SO GOOD, it just haunts me!
If I didn’t love Olivia Colman for so many other reasons, I would love her solely for the very last part of this trailer:
http://nerdreactor.com/2013/12/06/dw-50th-fiveish-doctors-reboot/
Tobias Menzies and his lovely lovely profile and deep cheek indentations could get it. LOVE this casting of him as Phillip.
I loved seasons 1 and 2 but I don’t even know if I’ll bother watching this season. The Queen has totally turned me off with that pic of her and Andy.
She will do great! I think an added challenge is how boring this phase in royal history is, at least until Diana came along. I will watch, when is it finally going to be released?!
Charles Dance is hilarious in his cameos during the Big Fat Quiz episodes. He reads snippets of ridiculous books. It’s fantastic. His Who Do You Think You Are was really interesting and a little heart wrenching as well.
I adore Olivia Colman. She’s so funny and so talented. If you have a chance to listen to her on David Tennant’s podcast, you should. She has her dog with her, and his name is amazing. It’s Alfred, Lord Waggyson.