The Crown in vain to hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons, nothing appeared there, Tuesday in London, at a press conference. Despite an impossible-to-ignore media storm, the cast of Netflix’s royal soap opera haven’t addressed the controversy surrounding its fifth season, which premieres this Wednesday. At least not directly.
Posted at 3:36 p.m.
Updated at 8:30 p.m.
It must be said that no question concerning the controversy was asked of the actors who participated in the meeting in virtual mode. The Press submitted two questions. In one of them, they were asked if they felt like the real royal family given the monster attention they are currently being given. In the other, we wanted to know if they understood the outcry caused by the arrival of the new episodes, barely two months after the death of Elizabeth II and the accession to the throne of King Charles III.
Our requests were unfortunately not accepted.
Asked to describe the pressure they have to deal with behind the scenes, Jonny Lee Miller (who plays ex-British Prime Minister John Major) and Lesley Manville (Princess Margaret) addressed criticism of the author’s work in veiled terms. Peter Morgan, whom several relatives of the royal clan accuse of tampering with the truth and misleading the public. “It’s good to be able to tell their story beyond the images we have of them,” observed Lesley Manville.
It is a job that Peter [Morgan] done with a lot of empathy, generosity and elegance. And that’s why audiences keep watching the show. She humanizes people. We understand better what their lives have been. And it’s a good thing, to have more understanding towards someone.
Jonny Lee Miller, actor
Despite less enthusiastic reviews than before (The Guardian, Entertainment Weekly and variety speak of an up and down season), the actors expressed their pride in the end result. “I’m happy with everything we’ve done,” said Elizabeth Debicki, who plays Princess Diana. We were all nervous. It’s a huge responsibility to take on. People who watch the series not only love the royal family, they are attached to the actors who played our roles before us. So you have to leave space for all that… It’s a wonderful process, but it’s quite a challenge. »
dark decade
This autumn, The Crown plunges us into the heart of the 1990s, a dark decade for Elizabeth II and company. In the first episode, set in July 1991, the publication of a survey of the Sunday Times creates a stir at Buckingham Palace. According to the report’s findings, the Queen, seen as “out of touch”, “irrelevant” and “downright old”, should abdicate in favor of the Prince of Wales. The public, who see Charles (Dominic West) as an “energetic”, “empathetic” and “modern” man, believe that he would make an excellent king … provided, of course, that he stays with Diana, the “main factor” behind its popularity.
PHOTO KEITH BERNSTEIN, SUPPLIED BY THE PRODUCTION
Elizabeth Debicki (Princess Diana), Will Powell (Prince Harry), Senan West (Prince William) and Dominic West (Prince Charles)
This first hour presents the muffled rumblings that will – quickly – turn everything upside down. Because as soon as we reach the second episode, we begin the chapter Andrew Morton (Andrew Steele), the journalist behind the explosive biography of Diana, in which the princess secretly participated, despite the orders of the castle. “They knew who Diana was, that she was vulnerable, that she had had a difficult childhood and that she needed security, comfort and love. But did they give it to him? No. They gave him the reverse,” Morton says.
Entirely devoted to Mohamed Al-Fayed (Salim Daw), this Egyptian businessman determined to enter the British royal orbit, the third episode shows the first meeting between the eldest son of the billionaire, Dodi Al-Fayed (Khalid Abdalla) , and Diana. The two will become lovers a few years later, until they perish together in a car accident in Paris.
Of the coaches
The Crown remains a prestigious series. During the press meeting, the actors revealed that they had used the services of several types of coaches (voices, movements) while filming the fifth season.
For her part, Imelda Staunton, who plays Queen Elizabeth II after Claire Foy (seasons 1 and 2) and Olivia Colman (seasons 3 and 4), praised the team behind the camera. “I was shooting a scene yesterday and it was amazing the attention to detail for my lunch. And it’s like that in every department: costumes, hairstyles, accessories… Nobody’s like, ‘Oh, that’s okay, they’re not going to notice.’ Everything must always be perfect. »
PHOTO KEITH BERNSTEIN, SUPPLIED BY THE PRODUCTION
The cast of The Crown
According to Jonathan Pryce, who defends the role of Prince Philip, the British royal family continues to fascinate the public because, unlike other royal families in Europe, its members do not live like Mr. and Mrs. Everybody. “Their job is to be the royal family, commented the actor. There is a kind of mystery that envelops all of this. »
The Crown 5 on Netflix. The sixth season is currently filming.