If the real-world drama of the royal family wasn’t enough to keep up with already, Netflix went ahead and dropped some major news about its hit television show, The Crown late last week.
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British actress, Imelda Staunton has been announced to play Queen Elizabeth in the show’s fifth and final season – heartbreaking news for fans who were hoping to see the show document the present-day monarchy.
The show’s creator and writer, Peter Morgan confirmed the news, sharing; “I’m absolutely thrilled to confirm Imelda Staunton as Her Majesty the Queen for the fifth and final season, taking The Crown into the 21st century. Imelda is an astonishing talent and will be a fantastic successor to Claire Foy and Olivia Colman.”
Best known for her role as the infamous Professor Dolores Umbridge in the Harry Potter franchise, Staunton will take over the reins from Olivia Colman, who has played the queen in season three of the show as well as season four, which is currently in production.
In a statement announcing her casting, Staunton said, "I have loved watching The Crown from the very start. As an actor it was a joy to see how both Claire Foy and Olivia Colman brought something special and unique to Peter Morgan’s scripts. I am genuinely honoured to be joining such an exceptional creative team and to be taking The Crown to its conclusion."
Rumours first circulated last year suggesting that Staunton was set to play Queen Elizabeth in the award-winning show, but Netflix quickly shut the hearsay at the time by saying they had not "commissioned any further seasons as yet, therefore any news on casting remains pure speculation."
