The Royals and Company: The Cast Thread

[larry.lahr]

Who is the actor playing Captain Imbert-Terry, the owner of the castle bought by Mother Queen?

He looks familiar.

[Athena]

I have renamed this title to be a cast thread allowing you all to discuss Hey It's That (British) Guy/Gal! actors and more.

[Jeeves]

2 hours ago, larry.lahr said:

Who is the actor playing Captain Imbert-Terry, the owner of the castle bought by Mother Queen?

He looks familiar.

According to the credit's it's John Standing.

[anna0852]

I'm finding it hilarious that Claire Foy (The Queen) and Edward Stoppard (photographer Tony Jones) will once again be playing in-laws. They previously did so on the revival of Upstairs Downstairs. 

[roamyn]

Is Claire Foy a descendant of the great comedic actor Eddie Foy, does anyone know?

[turbogirlnyc]

Unpopular opinion: I'm sure Claire Foy is a tremendous actress and human being but I didn't care for her performance in Wolf Hall and find her just meh here. I haven't seen the last 2 episodes of The Crown yet so maybe my opinion will change. But as of now, I don't get the the hype. Can someone recommend another film or series of hers? I know she has to be talented to land this type of role. Maybe it's just me.

Holy under use of Jeremy Northam! I was thrilled to see him listed in the credits but he's had like 2 scenes? Shame.

Jared Harris is phenomenal. All around class act. Wonderful to see him again. I hope we get more flashbacks! 

[Badger]

Claire Foy was also in the recent reboot of "Upstairs Downstairs."  Eileen Atkins was in it.  

[Brn2bwild]

I'm not exactly sure this post belongs here, but I don't see a thread for Speculation for Season Two.  One thing I worry about in having a decade per season with an ever-changing cast is that the show could become more of an overview than a true drama.  Dramatic energy could be diminished by the need to cover this or that historic moment.  I would be perfectly satisfied if the 60-year plan were scrapped and the series instead covered the first 20-30 years of her reign and used the same cast. 

[formerlyfreedom]

1 hour ago, Brn2bwild said:

I'm not exactly sure this post belongs here, but I don't see a thread for Speculation for Season Two.  One thing I worry about in having a decade per season with an ever-changing cast is that the show could become more of an overview than a true drama.  Dramatic energy could be diminished by the need to cover this or that historic moment.  I would be perfectly satisfied if the 60-year plan were scrapped and the series instead covered the first 20-30 years of her reign and used the same cast. 

Just created a new topic called Behind The Crown to discuss this type of thing, so please head over there and discuss it!

[Capricasix]

Hey, I just realized that Alex Jennings (Duke of Windsor) also played King Leopold in Victoria! 

Edited March 6, 2017 by Capricasix

[hendersonrocks]

Quote

Hey, I just realized that Alex Jennings (Duke of Windsor) also played King Leopold in Victoria!

And Prince Charles in The Queen (which is a great movie)! He's cornered the market on British royal family roles.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Claire Foy, Andy Serkis, and Andrew Garfield discuss their film Breathe on Build:

[PinkRibbons]

Does anyone know how Claire Foy is with horses? Someone pointed out that for a person who is famous for loving horses, the Queen isn't seen riding much (I think maybe once?) in the series. She has scenes around horses but never astride.

I assume Vanessa Kirby is either familiar with horses or has a great stunt double for her longer riding shots (or is possibly a bad rider and I can't tell since I know absolutely nothing about riding and proper form), but she at least is seen atop a horse more than once. I was thinking maybe Claire has a fear of them. (Which is not a criticism, I myself am absolutely terrified of horses and won't get on or near them for love or money. I envy those who are at ease around them.)

[Scarlett45]

59 minutes ago, PinkRibbons said:

Does anyone know how Claire Foy is with horses? Someone pointed out that for a person who is famous for loving horses, the Queen isn't seen riding much (I think maybe once?) in the series. She has scenes around horses but never astride.

I assume Vanessa Kirby is either familiar with horses or has a great stunt double for her longer riding shots (or is possibly a bad rider and I can't tell since I know absolutely nothing about riding and proper form), but she at least is seen atop a horse more than once. I was thinking maybe Claire has a fear of them. (Which is not a criticism, I myself am absolutely terrified of horses and won't get on or near them for love or money. I envy those who are at ease around them.)

I noticed this as well. 

[Atlanta]

Lord Hexham from Downton Abbey (Harry Hadden-Paton) is Martin Charteris. I thought I recognized that actor from somewhere.

[spottedreptile]

On 11/12/2017 at 6:56 AM, PinkRibbons said:

Does anyone know how Claire Foy is with horses? Someone pointed out that for a person who is famous for loving horses, the Queen isn't seen riding much (I think maybe once?) in the series. She has scenes around horses but never astride.

Producers get nervous when actors mount horses, so maybe they just figured it wasn't worth the risk of her being injured, especially if she is not a confident rider. But who knows, we may see more as the show unfolds in future years. Maybe Olivia Coleman is a great rider!

 

I read a funny interview once where an actor said "never admit to not being able to do something" so he always said he fence, ride, dive, shoot etc, when he couldn't do any of those things, and if it came up in a job he would just wing it. 

Re Claire Foy in other roles: Her Little Dorrit is wonderful. She starred opposite Matthew McFadyen in the BBC miniseries. 

Edited December 11, 2017 by spottedreptile

[anna0852]

She did a great turn in the Revival of Upstairs, Downstairs. Played a horrid little brat but played it oh so well.

[PinkRibbons]

She did a wonderful job as Anne Boleyn in Wolf Hall as well!

[JustaPerson]

Slightly unrelated but I just found out that the actor plays Michael Adeane (Will Keen) is father of Dafne Keen who was Laura in the Wolverine film Logan. It's incredibly weird to relate that movie and this show to each other. 

Edited December 12, 2017 by JustaPerson

[Popples]

With Wolf Hall, The Hollow Crown, Game of Thrones, Endeavour, and now The Crown, I wonder if Anton Lesser has slept in the past 3 years.

[Rinaldo]

On 12/11/2017 at 1:49 PM, Atlanta said:

Lord Hexham from Downton Abbey (Harry Hadden-Paton) is Martin Charteris.

Harry Hadden-Paton has also been announced as Henry Higgins in a big Broadway revival of My Fair Lady, due this spring. (Diana Rigg will play his mother!)

[PRgal]

On 12/14/2017 at 9:53 PM, Rinaldo said:

Harry Hadden-Paton has also been announced as Henry Higgins in a big Broadway revival of My Fair Lady, due this spring. (Diana Rigg will play his mother!)

 

I just Googled him.  Isn't he a little young to play Henry Higgins?  Google says he's still in his 30s.

[TexasGal]

I was googling to see if it was known who the rest of the cast would be ongoing and saw some pictures of Vanessa Kirby from premieres, it appears she goes for blond in real life?  What a shame, she's so striking with dark hair and those eyes.

[7-Zark-7]

I suspect they're casting Ralph Fiennes to play Prince Philip. That would be good.

[rubyred]

I'm already experiencing The Crown withdrawal -- but not Claire Foy withdrawal, as yesterday I binged Wolf Hall (Netflix or Prime, can't remember which) in which she plays a very...different monarch, Anne Boleyn. (And oh hai, Harold McMillan and Michael Adeane and Jojen Reed and Peter Parker....).

[JustaPerson]

Matthew Goode played the classic deceased significant other, remembered in saturated color and soft lighting in A Single Man with Colin Firth. I think it was CF's oscar nom right before he won for A King's Speech. 

[Cheezwiz]

On 12/18/2017 at 0:23 PM, 7-Zark-7 said:

I suspect they're casting Ralph Fiennes to play Prince Philip. That would be good.

That's interesting - I've been wondering about who they will choose since they announced Olivia Colman as the next iteration of HRH. Fiennes is great actor, but not someone who leapt to mind when casting for middle-aged Phillip.

My idea for an older Prince Phillip: Bill Nighy - not that he resembles the real Duke of Edinburgh in any way, but to me he looks like he could be the 60-something version of Matt Smith.

Edited December 20, 2017 by Cheezwiz

[Rinaldo]

On 12/16/2017 at 8:52 AM, PRgal said:

 

I just Googled [Harry Hadden-Paton].  Isn't he a little young to play Henry Higgins?  Google says he's still in his 30s.

Not young at all. Shaw doesn't specify Higgins's age, and actors of varied ages have played him. We're probably all subliminally influenced by Rex Harrison playing the part when around 50 onstage, and at 55 on film. But he was an older Higgins than most; Leslie Howard was 45 for the Pygmalion film, Robert Sean Leonard a little less at Williamstown. The most important thing is that he embody that sublime selfish indifference to everything except his phonetics, without becoming repellant. I rather like the idea of less of an age gap than usual. (In fact Lauren Ambrose is 3 years older, though she'll be playing younger.)

[dubbel zout]

On 12/19/2017 at 0:45 AM, JustaPerson said:

I think it was CF's oscar nom right before he won for A King's Speech. 

It was. Firth should have won for A Single Man—it was the better movie all around.

[Rinaldo]

I'm just happy if people I like win (i.e., get recognized) for something. It's so rarely for their very best work, I've stopped fretting about it.

[dubbel zout]

I agree, and a lot of times what people actually win for is to make up for what they should have won for. (The whole awards thing is dumb to begin with.)

[Margo Leadbetter]

I saw Darkest Hour today and was happy to recognize Pip Torrens in a blink-and-you-missed-it role as a BBC producer. 

[anna0852]

That was him? I thought he looked familiar!!

[cailinoBAC]

Daniel Ings may play a hateful character in the Crown but that shouldn't stop you from watching Lovesick... 

[Jeeves]

Confession and backstory: I stream shows I've seen before on my Roku/bedroom TV at bedtime, which helps me fall asleep. Too many times I've cued up something I haven't seen before but think will lull me - only to end up binge-watching a miniseries or watching a long movie, until wayyyy past my bedtime. 

One such bedtime fave to re-watch is Wallis & Edward, a 2005 BBC TV movie. It's not on Netflix; it's on Acorn TV. (Yes, I subscribe to that too. I gave up booze years ago and I let myself have these little indulgences instead.) I knew Joely Richardson starred as Wallis, but kept forgetting the name of her co-star as Edward. The other day I looked him up: Stephen Campbell Moore, who IRL is married to - Claire Foy.

I've sometimes browsed the IMDb profiles of Brit actors, and it seems that some of them have played various Brit royals quite often. I think we've discussed around here how well Alex Jennings seems to fit the role of the Duke of Windsor aka Uncle Nazi; he played Prince Charles in the movie The Queen, and has had the roles such assorted royals as King George III and King Leopold in other productions. (His other roles have included Churchill and Anthony Eden. Dude gets around.) One of my all time favorite mini-series is the BBC (original) House of Cards trilogy. In the second part (To Play the King), Michael Kitchen did IMO a helluva good job as the Prince of Wales/King; this was in 1993. I just looked him up; he's almost exactly the same age as the PoW. I'm thinking he might be a good choice for the PoW in the final (old guy) stretch of The Crown. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Ever since Olivia Colman was announced as the next Elizabeth, I have been thinking about who is around her age who could play Philip. I'm kind of hoping for Cary Elwes. In real life, he's over a decade older than she is (Olivia will turn 44 at the end of January and Cary just turned 55 at the end of October) so age difference is bigger than Elizabeth and Philip, but I think he would be a great choice. He's played villains, romantic leads, and comedic roles so I think he's well suited for the part!

[Inquisitionist]

10 hours ago, Jeeves said:

One of my all time favorite mini-series is the BBC (original) House of Cards trilogy. 

MIne, too!  Especially the first season, though the second (with Kitchener) is good, too.

[hendersonrocks]

Quote

Ever since Olivia Colman was announced as the next Elizabeth, I have been thinking about who is around her age who could play Philip.

I realize this is the longest of long shots but I'm dreaming of Alexander Skarsgard. He looks so much like Young Phil to me, with swagger for DAYS. He's 41, so a little bit younger than Colman, but I think he would be amazing.

[Milburn Stone]

I yield to no one in my admiration for Olivia Colman, but I keep thinking there's no way she'll come up to Claire Foy, who is Elizabeth. I look forward to being pleasantly surprised.

[andromeda331]

10 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

Ever since Olivia Colman was announced as the next Elizabeth, I have been thinking about who is around her age who could play Philip. I'm kind of hoping for Cary Elwes. In real life, he's over a decade older than she is (Olivia will turn 44 at the end of January and Cary just turned 55 at the end of October) so age difference is bigger than Elizabeth and Philip, but I think he would be a great choice. He's played villains, romantic leads, and comedic roles so I think he's well suited for the part!

I don't know. Lately I'm used to him as Despereaux lately. I'd be disappointed when he doesn't do an elaborate crime.    

[hendersonrocks]

WOW. Helena Bonham Carter "all but confirmed" to play Princess Margaret in the next round of the cast. 

[JessDVD]

Ooh, great choice IMO.

I do hope they retain enough actors from the first two seasons that it doesn't feel like a *totally* different show.

and @ElectricBoogaloo, I think Cary Elwes would be a great choice for Philip as well.

[VCRTracking]

1 hour ago, hendersonrocks said:

WOW. Helena Bonham Carter "all but confirmed" to play Princess Margaret in the next round of the cast. 

I really hope they show Margaret partying with Mick Jagger.

Edited January 5, 2018 by VCRTracking

[Milburn Stone]

50 minutes ago, JessDVD said:

I do hope they retain enough actors from the first two seasons that it doesn't feel like a *totally* different show.

Like Pip Torrens! (Assuming Tommy was still alive in the sixties. Don't tell me if he wasn't. I need Tommy to live forever.)

[OtterMommy]

1 hour ago, hendersonrocks said:

WOW. Helena Bonham Carter "all but confirmed" to play Princess Margaret in the next round of the cast. 

This is,...intriguing.  I can't say I've ever felt that she was miscast (which is saying a lot for such a distinctive actress), so I'm looking forward to this.  I also get a kick seeing how some actors are "role hopping" in the royal family...

[JessDVD]

4 minutes ago, Milburn Stone said:

Like Pip Torrens! (Assuming Tommy was still alive in the sixties. Don't tell me if he wasn't. I need Tommy to live forever.)

Right? Like don't tell me he's not still around now giving the royals advice and building expansion packs to his models.

[Inquisitionist]

3 hours ago, hendersonrocks said:

WOW. Helena Bonham Carter "all but confirmed" to play Princess Margaret in the next round of the cast. 

Hmmm, that's going to take some age-defying make-up, IMO.  Margaret is only 35-ish at the point where S3 should pick up, while HBC is 51. 

[VCRTracking]

31 minutes ago, Inquisitionist said:

4 hours ago, hendersonrocks said:

WOW. Helena Bonham Carter "all but confirmed" to play Princess Margaret in the next round of the cast. 

Hmmm, that's going to take some age-defying make-up, IMO.  Margaret is only 35-ish at the point where S3 should pick up, while HBC is 51. 

Wouldn't Margaret be in her 40s in the 70s?

[Inquisitionist]

S2 ended in 1964, so I assumed they'd pick shortly thereafter.  Margaret was born in 1930.  I just found it interesting and a little odd that while Margaret was four years younger than the Queen, the actress playing her is 8 years older than her counterpart (Olivia Colman is 43).

Of course, Colin Firth is seven years older than Guy Pearce, who played his older brother in The King's Speech.  I'm sure they'll make HBC look believable.  She's a fabulous actress.

[VCRTracking]

6 hours ago, Inquisitionist said:

S2 ended in 1964, so I assumed they'd pick shortly thereafter.  Margaret was born in 1930.  I just found it interesting and a little odd that while Margaret was four years younger than the Queen, the actress playing her is 8 years older than her counterpart (Olivia Colman is 43).

Of course, Colin Firth is seven years older than Guy Pearce, who played his older brother in The King's Speech.  I'm sure they'll make HBC look believable.  She's a fabulous actress.

Why would they recast if it picks up not long after? According to Vanity Fair:
 

Quote

The Crown will pick up in the 1970s, according to two production members. Producer Suzanne Mackie confirmed as much over the weekend, revealing that audiences “start meeting Camilla Parker Bowles in Season 3.” Charles met Parker Bowles, then Camilla Shand, at a polo match in 1971 and dated her until leaving for the Royal Navy in 1973.

The Crown’s history consultant, Robert Lacey, confirmed the timeline in a separate interview. “We’re now writing Season 3. And in Season 3, without giving anything away—it’s on the record, it’s history—we’ll see the breakup of this extraordinary marriage between Margaret and Snowdon,” he told Town & Country, referencing Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon’s 1976 separation and 1978 divorce. “This season, you see how it starts, and what a strange character, a brilliant character Snowdon was.”