The Crown: First look at Olivia Coleman as the Queen
Written by News on 16/07/2018
The first image of Olivia Coleman in her new role as Queen Elizabeth in The Crown has been released.
The show’s Twitter account posted a shot of Coleman, dressed in a pale pink suit and set of pearls, with the one-word message “Patience”.
In the screenshot Elizabeth is drinking a cup of tea and appears to be taking breakfast at the Palace.
Coleman will replace actress Claire Foy in the lead role for the next two series of the royal drama, which picks up in 1956 and continues through to 1963.
She says she is “thrilled” to take on the role, calling her predecessor Foy “a real genius” and “an incredibly hard act to follow”.
The 44-year-old actress also quipped: “I’m basically going to rewatch her every episode and copy her!”
Foy, 34, who earned a best actress Golden Globe for her portrayal of the Queen in the early days of her reign, has said she will “miss the role terribly”.
The first series of the show was mired in controversy after the show’s producers admitted that Foy was paid less than Matt Smith, who played her husband the Duke of Edinburgh.
Creator of the series, Peter Morgan, has previously talked about the need to re-cast the royal roles every two seasons, due to the increasing ages of the characters.
Other characters that have been recast include Matt Smith’s Prince Philip, who will now be played by Tobias Menzies, and Vanessa Kirby’s Princess Margaret, a role now in the hands of Helena Bonham-Carter.
Actor John Lithgow will also be leaving the role of Winston Churchill, allowing Line Of Duty actor Jason Watkins to step into his shoes.
Lithgow, who was previously best known for his comedy role in 3rd Rock From The Sun, won an Emmy for his portrayal of the wartime leader in the show’s first series.
The new series of The Crown starts on 8 December on Netflix.
(c) Sky News 2018: The Crown: First look at Olivia Coleman as the Queen
