The Royals and Company: The Cast Thread

[GleamingMist]

Tobias Menzies as Phillip??!?!?!  EEeeeeee that's exciting.

[AZChristian]

Just watched "To the Ends of the Earth" on Netflix, because Benedict Cumberbatch.  Found it a little surreal to watch Jared Harris/George VI (as the ship's captain) marry off Victoria Hamilton (the Queen Mum) to Sam Neill.  

[ProudMary]

Ryan Gosling, Claire Foy Share First Look at Neil Armstrong Biopic 'First Man'

Quote

On stage at CinemaCon, Gosling called the Apollo 11 mission the “most astonishing journey in history." Foy added that this story is also about the "unsung heroes who gave their support to this almost impossible voyage."

Foy said it's hard to believe there hasn't been a movie before about the moon landing, to which Chazelle quipped, "which I was glad about because I got to be the one to make it."

 Gosling plays the role of Neil Armstrong with Claire Foy as his first wife, Janet.  

Sounds like the kind of film I'll enjoy.

[hendersonrocks]

Claire Foy is (allegedly) going to get a little bit of back pay. (ETA: This was posted in the media thread already, my bad!)

Edited May 1, 2018 by hendersonrocks

[Badger]

The BBC started airing their 3 part series "A Very English Scandal" about Jeremy Thorpe starring Hugh Grant and Ben Whishaw.   Also in the cast is Alex Jennings although he's not playing royalty this time.  I imagine this will turn up on either PBS or one of the streaming services eventually.

[anna0852]

 So if this runs all the way until William and Harry are adults, does that mean Megan can just play herself?

[Anothermi]

1 hour ago, anna0852 said:

 So if this runs all the way until William and Harry are adults, does that mean Megan can just play herself?

Hee!  I don't see why n... ll<  >ll  "NO. Never." [/Her Majesty: The Queen]

[ProudMary]

The Hollywood Reporter, in anticipation of the upcoming Emmy nominations, has done one of their Hollywood Roundtables for esteemed television actresses.  This is a clip where Claire Foy talks about her transformation for her role in The Crown.  (4:52)

[VCRTracking]

Yesssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss.

[Cujoy]

Young Adult Princess Anne has been cast.

She is an actress from Call the Midwife named Erin Doherty.  I've never seen Call the Midwife, but this actress has a good resemblance to Anne.  I wonder if season 3 or 4 will also introduce Mark Phillips.

Perhaps this news means that announcements about the casting of young adult Charles and Camilla will be coming soon too.   Surely those two roles are among the most anticipated for the new season other than the Queen and Phillip.

I believe that they will be filming soon.

[doodlebug]

Erin Doherty guest starred in an episode of Call the Midwife, she wasn't a regular cast member.

[GHScorpiosRule]

I just realized who Matt Smith reminds me of: he's like a very skinny Gordon Ramsay! It was bugging me who he reminded me of, and no, I didn't watch Dr. Who, or anything else he was in, so there's that. It's the nose, I think.

And thank you, @dubbel zout--for mentioning where I'd seen the actor who plays Lascelles! EVUHL Uncle Warleggan, indeed! How is it that I despise him so much on Poldark, but love and adore him on this show? Do you know if he'll be returning this season?

[katie9918]

I hope they’ll put some focus on Princess Anne before heading straight to Lady Diana.

[Badger]

I hope they do something about the time she and Mark Phillips were almost kidnapped by IRA terrorists.  

Or the time when she and Charles visited Washington D.C. and Nixon tried to set up Charles with Tricia.

[VCRTracking]

[latetotheparty]

13 minutes ago, VCRTracking said:

So, empire or resistance?  I say empire. 

[7-Zark-7]

On 6/22/2018 at 1:35 PM, Cujoy said:

She is an actress from Call the Midwife named Erin Doherty.  I've never seen Call the Midwife, but this actress has a good resemblance to Anne. 

I'm sure almost every young up and coming actress in England has appeared on Call the Midwife at this point since they need 2 to 3 new mothers for each episode. 

On 6/24/2018 at 5:52 PM, katie9918 said:

I hope they’ll put some focus on Princess Anne before heading straight to Lady Diana.

They're not getting to the Diana years in Seasons 3 and 4. There will probably be a brief glimpse of her as a 12 year old or something.

[kwnyc]

I'm also on the Tobias Menzies train; he's outstanding in "Outlander." And I'd like to see Princess Anne COMPETING IN THE OLYMPICS.

[BuckeyeLou]

Just saw "First Man",  interesting to see Claire Foy as an American housewife, with a very American accent.  And smoking! :)

[Epeolatrix]

When I went to see "First Man", there was a trailer for "The Girl in the Spider's Web". That was a bit startling, I admit. No one I was with recognized her.

[Cujoy]

Camilla is coming....

[kathe5133]

Emerald Fennell?  She's such a classic beauty and Camilla is....not.  Puzzling.

[dubbel zout]

Camilla as a young woman had a certain sex appeal, and I think Fennell can capture that.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Future Queen Elizabeth aka Olivia Colman was nominated for a Golden Globe!
Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy: Olivia Colman (“The Favourite”)

Our past Queen (Claire Foy) has also been nominated for a Golden Globe!
Best Actress in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture: Claire Foy (“First Man”)
 

Edited December 7, 2018 by ElectricBoogaloo

[PeterPirate]

Olivia Colman had a voice role in the new Netflix version of Watership Down.  She was Strawberry, who in the book is a male rabbit.  

[CousinAmy]

On 10/23/2018 at 4:22 PM, kathe5133 said:

Emerald Fennell?  She's such a classic beauty and Camilla is....not.  Puzzling.

I've seen a picture somewhere of Camilla in the 1960s looking very pretty. I'll try to find it if no one else can.

[Inquisitionist]

Some photos from Camilla's debutante party in 1965 are here.  She looks nice, and her vivacity comes through.

[Quilt Fairy]

I'm sorry to be losing Alex Jennings as the DoW, he could easily be aged into the next decade.

I've also read somewhere that Gillian Anderson is going to play Margaret Thatcher.

[dubbel zout]

1 hour ago, Quilt Fairy said:

I'm sorry to be losing Alex Jennings as the DoW, he could easily be aged into the next decade.

Same here. I think the more peripheral royals could be played by the same actors.

[MadyGirl1987]

On 1/5/2019 at 11:45 AM, Quilt Fairy said:

I've also read somewhere that Gillian Anderson is going to play Margaret Thatcher.

Yep. I just saw the announcement. https://news.avclub.com/gillian-anderson-to-make-thatcherism-cool-on-the-crowns-1831927802

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Our future queen  Olivia Colman won the best actress Oscar for her role as Queen Anne in The Favourite!

[benteen]

I'm happy for Olivia.

I'm sure Netflix is going to love marketing her as "Academy Award Winner Olivia Colman" for the next two seasons of The Crown.

[chitowngirl]

7 hours ago, benteen said:

I'm happy for Olivia.

I'm sure Netflix is going to love marketing her as "Academy Award Winner Olivia Colman" for the next two seasons of The Crown.

Hopefully that will be soon!!

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Tobias Menzies is in four of six episodes of This Way Us. He plays the father of a kid who is being tutored by the main character.

[Umbelina]

I've been wanting to say this for a long time, but keep forgetting.

Claire Foy does the most amazing acting with her breathing alone.  The shoulders, breast, rising and falling, or quivering, or reacting to a shock or fear or emotion?  Says as much or more than the dialogue.  

I will really miss her in this role.

[Popples]

Charles Edwards is playing Martin Charteris, the Queen's Permanent Lord in Waiting and former Private Secretary, which is pretty funny casting since he played Michael Gregson, the father of Edith's baby on Downton Abbey and the younger Martin was played by Harry Hadden-Paton, whom Edith would end up marrying.

[Brn2bwild]

Does anyone else think that after two years, the show will just stick with this cast?  I think Olivia Coleman, Tobias Menzies, and Helena Bonham-Carter could be aged up for the 80s and 90s, and the show would avoid another painfully long period of recasting. 

[chitowngirl]

I thought that they had most of the casting done right after season 2. I naively thought they would have rolled right into production instead of having a 2 year hiatus. 

[Yokosmom]

Just realized that Derek Jacobi is playing the Duke of Windsor!  Good choice.

[Zella]

On 11/13/2019 at 2:40 PM, Yokosmom said:

Just realized that Derek Jacobi is playing the Duke of Windsor!  Good choice.

Oh I hadn't realized that. Jacobi is always so good! 

[msmarjoribanks]

On 10/20/2019 at 10:39 AM, Popples said:

Charles Edwards is playing Martin Charteris, the Queen's Permanent Lord in Waiting and former Private Secretary, which is pretty funny casting since he played Michael Gregson, the father of Edith's baby on Downton Abbey and the younger Martin was played by Harry Hadden-Paton, whom Edith would end up marrying.

Harry Hadden-Paton also recently appeared as George VI in The King's Speech, when it was at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre.  I couldn't help but think of The Crown when I saw it.

[Umbelina]

I think they rushed the cast change, and frankly, they also rushed this latest season, 3.  Since it's been aired, I hope I needn't spoiler tag my points here.

I think they should have kept the original cast and covered the sixties this season.  After all, a lot was happening that they could have covered, but more importantly,  such a vast change when the show picks up nearly as soon as season 2 ended?  It was jarring.

The cast ages were appropriate enough for Princess Margaret's indiscretions on her island but less so in the earlier episodes.

Clair Foy is 35 years old, and it's not any kind of real stretch to see her play early 40's.  

It seems they just wanted to rush into Charles and Camilla, and didn't think she could pull off being his mother.  

As far as HBC being too old to play Margaret?  Honestly, she looks younger than OC in their scenes together.  So I don't have a problem at all with that team up...just with how soon it happened.

Now, the dinner with Johnson and Margaret took place in 1965.  Could the original Margaret actress have pulled all of that off as spectacularly as HBC?  Debatable.

I understand why they did the full cast change (except, thankfully, Churchill) and, for the most part, it does work for me.  The timing though, the rush?  Not so much.

[pivot]

It's weird watching this season where the entire cast is lightyears more attractive than the real RF who are quite unfortunate looking. The casting of Camilla was quite hard to swallow.  The only person who is less attractive than their real life self was Wallis-Simpson which is bizarre. 

As for their acting, Charles and Anne's actors are pitch perfect. Phillip's actor has so little charisma and comes across just about as dull and awful as Phillip himself which is surprisingly unwatchable. I have a hard time sitting through his scenes. 

Colman is great as the Queen. She is making the Queen harder and less likable which again seems more in line with the real Queen. Claire's portrayal always seemed too sympathetic. 

I do like that they moved forward the timeline though. Phillip and Elizabeth's marriage isn't going to be interesting to watch if they are only going to hint at his affairs.  We've pretty much seen that storyline for two seasons. I think they needed to bring in Charles/Anne's younger years to keep the show moving. I do hope they slow the pace down and give us more time before the Diana wedding as that seems to be an interesting time for the 3 kids - Charles, Anne and Andrew. I wouldn't even mind seeing some storyline around Margaret's kids.

Edited November 19, 2019 by pivot

[Umbelina]

We don't really have a thread where I can say something about this season that is on my mind, really though, it's about all 3 seasons, but PERHAPS it is the cast change, or at least partly, so I decided to try it here.  It's also obviously the writing, but...

I've always been pulling for the cast and for the characters they portray.  I just loved them in the previous seasons, and even knowing what we all know about their futures, I kept wishing the best for them.

This season though?  I kind of just want to slap them all, except perhaps the Queen, who whines a bit less that the rest of them, but Olivia Colman doesn't inspire the same "rooting for her" feelings that Claire Foy inspired in me.

Perhaps it's just because they are older, and I expect MORE, not less, from more mature people.  I am thoroughly sick of the focus on mommy issues, and "poor is me, I can't do everything I want!" which is a given with Charles and Philip, but this season we even had the Queen lamenting that she couldn't do what she wants to do, and just be an astonishingly wealthy race horse breeder and owner.

Colman's coldness works for the role, but it's making me not give one shit about her (as Queen.)  There is less nuance, which I think Foy consistently brought in spades, you could see her process sucking it up, and making her choices.  With Colman, an actress I admire, I don't see any, or not much of the human being.

For example, the whole thing when Charles returns from Wales and confronts her.  I STILL don't know, don't have a single clue really, what her nastiness to him was all about.  With Foy?  I feel like I would have known.  Charles would not have, but WE, those watching?  Would have known.  Her breathing would have changed before or after, an eye flicker as he left in his rage, a dropped hand, SOMETHING.

Was she angry at him for breaking some rule, jealous of him for insisting on being himself, frustrated with him for being a free spirit, dreading that his success and destiny depended on her death, trying to teach him with tough love?  What?  We didn't even hear the whole speech which COULD have led to an explanation for her anger, and she certainly didn't convey any nuance or clues at all in her acting.

With Colman it was just that same, apparently endless stare with the downturned mouth.  It not doing it for me, at all.  It's in every episode, and it's always the same, I keep waiting for her to scream "RUB MY LUG!" because she looks insane.  I'd prefer we get more than ONE expression from our new Queen, at least in private.

Anyway, I just want to smack them all.  Poor them!  Rich as hell, race horses, yachts, polo, deluxe airplanes, SEVERAL castles, cooks, housekeepers, secretaries, advisers, boot washers and boot lickers, every single thing in life handed to them on gold plates, and I'm supposed to feel some kind of sympathy for them?  There are actual problems in this world, and I don't give a flying fuck about Philip's self fulfillment or Charles' various problems.

The Wales episodes really drove that home, REAL people with REAL problems, not fabulously wealthy whiners who have never washed a dish or worried about buying food, or cooking it, or serving it.

Now they all seem like selfish, spoiled, naval gazers who expect all they have and MORE, and I honestly just don't like them anymore.  

As I said before, it's probably mostly writing, but I think it's definitely the new cast as well, especially Olivia Colman.  At least she whines less than everyone else, well, she and Anne, but I need more than a stony face, I want to know what she's thinking while she does what she does.  Neither the writing or the actress is giving us those glimpses that make it interesting, as season one and two did so expertly. 

Edited November 19, 2019 by Umbelina

[andromeda331]

3 hours ago, Umbelina said:

We don't really have a thread where I can say something about this season that is on my mind, really though, it's about all 3 seasons, but PERHAPS it is the cast change, or at least partly, so I decided to try it here.  It's also obviously the writing, but...

I've always been pulling for the cast and for the characters they portray.  I just loved them in the previous seasons, and even knowing what we all know about their futures, I kept wishing the best for them.

This season though?  I kind of just want to slap them all, except perhaps the Queen, who whines a bit less that the rest of them, but Olivia Colman doesn't inspire the same "rooting for her" feelings that Claire Foy inspired in me.

Perhaps it's just because they are older, and I expect MORE, not less, from more mature people.  I am thoroughly sick of the focus on mommy issues, and "poor is me, I can't do everything I want!" which is a given with Charles and Philip, but this season we even had the Queen lamenting that she couldn't do what she wants to do, and just be an astonishingly wealthy race horse breeder and owner.

Colman's coldness works for the role, but it's making me not give one shit about her (as Queen.)  There is less nuance, which I think Foy consistently brought in spades, you could see her process sucking it up, and making her choices.  With Colman, an actress I admire, I don't see any, or not much of the human being.

For example, the whole thing when Charles returns from Wales and confronts her.  I STILL don't know, don't have a single clue really, what her nastiness to him was all about.  With Foy?  I feel like I would have known.  Charles would not have, but WE, those watching?  Would have known.  Her breathing would have changed before or after, an eye flicker as he left in his rage, a dropped hand, SOMETHING.

Was she angry at him for breaking some rule, jealous of him for insisting on being himself, frustrated with him for being a free spirit, dreading that his success and destiny depended on her death, trying to teach him with tough love?  What?  We didn't even hear the whole speech which COULD have led to an explanation for her anger, and she certainly didn't convey any nuance or clues at all in her acting.

With Colman it was just that same, apparently endless stare with the downturned mouth.  It not doing it for me, at all.  It's in every episode, and it's always the same, I keep waiting for her to scream "RUB MY LUG!" because she looks insane.  I'd prefer we get more than ONE expression from our new Queen, at least in private.

Anyway, I just want to smack them all.  Poor them!  Rich as hell, race horses, yachts, polo, deluxe airplanes, SEVERAL castles, cooks, housekeepers, secretaries, advisers, boot washers and boot lickers, every single thing in life handed to them on gold plates, and I'm supposed to feel some kind of sympathy for them?  There are actual problems in this world, and I don't give a flying fuck about Philip's self fulfillment or Charles' various problems.

The Wales episodes really drove that home, REAL people with REAL problems, not fabulously wealthy whiners who have never washed a dish or worried about buying food, or cooking it, or serving it.

Now they all seem like selfish, spoiled, naval gazers who expect all they have and MORE, and I honestly just don't like them anymore.  

As I said before, it's probably mostly writing, but I think it's definitely the new cast as well, especially Olivia Colman.  At least she whines less than everyone else, well, she and Anne, but I need more than a stony face, I want to know what she's thinking while she does what she does.  Neither the writing or the actress is giving us those glimpses that make it interesting, as season one and two did so expertly. 

The poor rich person was really annoying. It was really hard to be sympathetic or care when Philip was going on about not having a pay raise and how much they earned that money when they live in castles, full staffs, horses, stables and everything else. They point out in one of the meetings that the Queen spends four times the average yearly amount every day. They keep talking about how bad things are going money wise in the country. But let's see the Queen down at her stables looking at her horse and jetting off to France and USA for a month to check out the latest in horsing. Or the Queen's reaction when Anne mentioned they were looking for things around the palace to sell to fund Alice's nunnery. I know not all of them belong to her. But surely that have something they could sell even one painting or something that would bring in the money for beds and medicine to a convent that helps people. Not that it matters since the Queen ends up just suggesting Philip donate the money. How bad are you hurting Philip if you can donate that much money? Do they ever donate to anything? Raise money for charity or something. I know in IRL they did but when they kept bringing up what the royal family does I thought maybe they'd show or say something about charity they actually do. But it never came up. But poor Philip he hasn't been able to accomplish all his dreams. Well neither has most of your fellow citizens although in their cases they don't have the money to do so. You know having to work to survive. He's already done more and saw more then most people ever have.  Or Margaret whine once again about all she wants attention and poor me even though she doesn't do anything. 

Its not just the royal family. It continues on a bigger scale. The government. Aberfan is a perfect example. The whole thing ended up being the government's fault. Particularly the Tories but also anyone else that that poor town had been warning people for years and trying to get help. But they didn't do anything. Then of course when it happens and so many people and children die. They won't admit it was their fault, they keep insisting everything was fine and when that doesn't work turn it on the Queen. Are we suppose be find them sympathetic? They really come of as uncaring and unsympathetic assholes. Its same when in the later episode they meet with the miners who are on strike. Maybe the miners were a little tough, but really who can blame them? They were right. They work their asses off digging down into the earth to get the coal to fuel all the palaces, estates and other crap but can't be bother to give them a decent wage. What is the reaction from the politicians on that? Why of course that are offended. The miners were rude, didn't speak to them with respect and other crap. They get all bent out of shape and ended things there. God forbid their feathers not get riffled and they actually do their job. The Queen asking the prime minister (I don't remember if it was Wilson or the other one) his plans on how to fix things only to told nothing. Asked about the coal strike nope won't do anything and lied about how much coal they really did have stock. They don't care about their actual citizens do they? No one unless they are among the elite and wealthy. LBJ's comment about looking down their noses was spot on. They really seem to do that with everyone.

Their 'tude towards Wales. Gee, I can't imagine why anyone from Wales would have such hard feelings towards the government, royal family and Britain general. Given the long history of suppression, wars and how they talked about the country. The whole reason to send Charles to Wales so he could learn Welsh was to appease them. You know there are other things Maybe start by saying nice things about Wales? Visiting different places. Educating their heir who cares the title Prince of Wales about Wales and its history? He had no idea wear that title came from.  

[Umbelina]

Exactly @andromeda331!

I've been watching season one and two again, mostly season two, but last night I watched the first three episodes of season one, specifically to wash the distaste season three has left me away.

They were actually human beings in those seasons, complicated, problematic, but understandable and somewhat likable human beings.  I was trying to figure out why I liked them, and after the second watch of season three, DISLIKE them all.

King George and his wife were still elite of course, and along with Mary, reserved, but there was a humanity, a kindness in George, and you could see his struggles and desire to be a good king, a conscientious king.  He obviously had a good marriage, and he was kind and caring with his children, busy as he was.  He got to know his girls, and loved them, and showed that.  He was out among his people during the aftermath of the bombings, mentioned several times and in several ways during the first two seasons.  

Elizabeth II in those first seasons, struggled, and didn't seem to want to be Queen, but felt a deep sense of duty to do as told at a young age and be a good Queen.  We saw the issues her father's early death caused for her, for her husband, and for her desire for a relatively uncomplicated life as a naval wife.  Yes, she was rich as hell, but she was never overly concerned with the perks of that, she wore the clothes given her to wear, and the food served at the palace, according to Mountbatten anyway, was terrible.  She didn't SEEM overly concerned about the wealth, other than her passion for expensive horses of course.

Whenever Foy had to do something many could see as unpleasant, we always got to see that struggle, in one way or another.  I commented long ago about her ability to do more with her breathing changes than anyone I can ever remember watching before.  We SAW the underlying emotions with Foy, yes, she had the Queen's "mask" on quite often, for others, but we, the viewers got to see beneath it in wonderful, subtle, and small but effective ways.

Philip's struggles were more understandable as well with the first actor.  Was it more the scripts though?  Probably, but again, he had an expressive face, subtle changes in his tone of voice, and, like Foy, an ability to act with his body, the set of his shoulders, a side glance, stiffness, there was a PERSON there.  It wasn't always a pleasant person, but I usually felt like I knew why he was behaving in whatever way he was.  He moped, but we watched him torn from his naval life, and having the mustaches diss him, while his wife became the true power.  

I do miss the original cast, I miss being something other than simply angry at all of them, which, by the end of season three?  I was.  As you say, that continued with the elected government figures as well.

It feels like the whole bunch is a group of privileged, entitled, spoiled, egotistical, selfish, and unlikable assholes.  Which?  Is a very different show.

[magdalene]

I like Olivia Colman in the role and I don't find her queen cold and emotionless at all.  I like all the replacement actors with the exception of Tobias Menzies.

[PeterPirate]

I did miss Alex Jennings as Uncle Nazi.  

[Ohiopirate02]

17 minutes ago, PeterPirate said:

I did miss Alex Jennings as Uncle Nazi.  

I did as well.  I really didn't see the need to recast the character for two episodes.  When Derek Jacobi appeared on my TV coughing up blood, it took me a moment to figure out who the hell was on my screen.  

[Umbelina]

On 11/19/2019 at 12:12 PM, Ohiopirate02 said:

I did as well.  I really didn't see the need to recast the character for two episodes.  When Derek Jacobi appeared on my TV coughing up blood, it took me a moment to figure out who the hell was on my screen.  

Yeah, and when the Queen Mother started conspiring with Mountbatten over Charles, I thought that was his playgirl but older WIFE!