The Crown Cast Talks New Season…

In this TODAY Show interview that occurred on November 9, 2022, Imelda Staunton, Jonathan Pryce, Lesley Manville, Dominic West, and Elizabeth Debicki talk to TODAY’s Keir Simmons about season five of the show and all of the buzz surrounding it.

Introduction and Context…

In the interview with Simmons, the cast of The Crown discusses the much-anticipated season five of the series and the widespread attention it has garnered premiering so soon after the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Led by the show’s new Queen Elizabeth, Imelda Staunton, the cast discusses the challenges and excitement of bringing their characters to life during a pivotal period in the British royal family‘s history.

Elizabeth Debicki and the People’s Princess

Kier Simmons started off the interview with Elizabeth Debicki, who plays Diana, Princess of Wales, who came to be known as ‘The People’s Princess’ for her otherworldly impact globally, even after her divorce. Simmons asked Debicki if she stood in the mirror to try to get the mannerisms of Diana right, or if that’s even the way to go about it when taking on one of the most iconic figures of the monarchy, outside of the Queen herself. Debicki shared her insights into embodying her respective role of a key figure in the royal family and how she approached portraying the complexities and challenges faced by her character. Elizabeth started off by responding that standing in front of the mirror was not the right way to go about playing Diana, due to the fact that the cast feels a responsibility to their very real roles on the series, and as a result, it is not about catching a likeness when playing Diana Spencer, it is about the essence of who Diana, Princess of Wales was to the people and the crown.

Tumultuous Times in a Difficult Year…

The interview then turns to the show’s negative attention to historical accuracy and the intricate storytelling that captures the royal family’s experiences against the backdrop of significant historical events. But before that, Simmons clarifies with the cast that it’s true that none of them have watched the fifth season of The Crown in its entirety, to which Kier Simmons shows Staunton and Jonathan Pryce, who plays Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, a scene featuring the two as her majesty and the prince, while Prince Philip berates his son for ending his marriage to Diana.

Imelda Staunton reflects on the relevance of these tumultuous events and the difficult year for Netflix and the very public backlash the series has faced, most notable from Dame Judi Dench, a friend of Charles and Camilla, about the accuracy of the events depicted in the drama series, and how the show resonates with audiences, as well as the broader impact and influence of The Crown on popular culture, especially so soon after the Queen’s death.

Pryce interjects the conversation and reminds Simmons that the public is well award that the series is a drama and not a documentary, and therefore know the difference between the history and creative liberties taken on the series. Pryce then adds that the criticisms are bias based on the relationship to Prince Charles, and are a reaction to him possibly being shown in a negative light, to which Pryce also reminds Simmons that all the series is doing is telling what happened, therefore its still factual in nature.

Dominic West and the Would Be King…

The conversation then touch turns to Dominic West, who plays Charles, Prince of Wales, and the various storylines explored in the latest season involving the Prince, delving into the personal struggles and societal changes faced by his divorce from Diana, and his affair with Camilla Parker Bowles. West mentions that had the series not covered those events in Charles life, as salacious and difficult as they were, the public would have felt cheated by the series because they are such significant events in people’s memory of the crown during the period covered in the fifth season.

Lesley Manville and the suffering sister…

Lesley Manville then elaborates on her portrayal of a more seasoned and reflective Princess Margret, Countess of Snowdon, and discuses the evolution of her character within the royal family dynamics, as well as her regrets that are a focus of the fifth season and how her sister, the Queen, is the reason for that regret and how she is still tormented by her gilded cage locked tight through her sister’s reign. Manville discusses how the series allows the public to view the royal family as human beings with their trials and tribulations that while privilege and the gift of the crown makes the different, they are very much the same in feelings and emotions.

The interview with Keir Simmons concluded with the cast expressing their gratitude for the opportunity to be part of such a significant and highly acclaimed series, while teasing the audience with the promise of an engaging and emotionally charged season and stated that they were filming the final season, season six and that they hope in the end the public is thankful for this glimpse into the private lives of the royal family.

You can watch the full TODAY show interview with the cast of The Crown below:

The Crown is available now on Netflix…