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The Crown still hunting for next Prince Phillip

Producers still searching for established actor to play opposite Olivia Colman.

Despite rumours suggesting Paul Bettany will land the role of Prince Phillip in The Crown‘s 3rd & 4th seasons, creator Peter Morgan says it is still a work in progress.

“Because of the age of the Queen and Philip, we’re going to pretty established actors,” he said during a Bafta Masterclass panel discussion.

That means, he explained, that the producers are not able to do the same extensive “chemistry tests” that they were able to with Claire Foy and Matt Smith.

“You can’t get them to come in, mess around and read,” he said. “They’re all people who have been working for a long time; they’d tell you to get stuffed if you asked them to come in and read! So you have to make offers.”

Paul Bettany and Helena Bonham Carter have reportedly been in discussions for Prince Phillip and Princess Margaret, respectively.  So far, Olivia Colman is confirmed to replace Claire Foy as Quen Elizabeth II.

“I think we all felt that Olivia Colman had something that corresponded to the Queen,” he said. “That ability to be both plain and dazzling, both knowable and unknowable. There’s a sort of everywoman to her, she’s very connectable – and yet also somehow anonymous.”

Source: Radio Times

4 Responses

  1. Matt Smith was perfection in the part and I can understand the difficulty in finding somebody with his talent, sensitivity and physical presence as Phillip to replace him. The only other actor I could think of in his class was Paul Bettany who had a clash in schedules so had to turn it down. Olivia Colman though will be an excellent replacement for Claire Foy I think. Great in so many things and she put in the only decent performance in the awful Boredchurch.

  2. They certainly have a difficult job in picking someone as perfect for the role as Matt Smith, apart from his acting skills, his physical resemblance to Phillip made him absolutely perfect for the role.
    I personally will find it hard to see someone fill Claire Foy’s role too, from what i have seen of Olivia Coleman i’m feeling doubtful if she has the range to do the job.

  3. Surely it’s not too much to ask for David Mitchell to be Prince Philip? And maybe have Robert Webb as a butler? Just make sure he doesn’t get near the corgies!

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