The actress will take over for Olivia Colman after season four.
Update: The casting news may have been premature. Here is the official statement from Netflix: “We are currently filming season 4 of The Crown but have not commissioned any further seasons as yet, therefore any news on casting remains pure speculation.” We shall see…
Sorry Helen Mirren…
The third season of The Crown dropped only days ago, but we already have our new Elizabeth for seasons five and six! Imelda Staunton will take over the role from Olivia Colman after the upcoming fourth season, according to Baz Bamigboye in an article in The Daily Mail.
The third season concluded in 1977 and focused on Elizabeth’s relationship with Harold Wilson as Prime Minister as well as dedicated an episode to the Aberfan disaster. Colman and company, including new cast members Tobias Menzies and Helena Bonham Carter, have received raves reviews for the new season which debuted this past Sunday on Netflix. Staunton played ‘The Queen’ in the 2003 miniseries Cambridge Spies.
While Princess Diana is supposed to be introduced in the fourth season of the Peter Morgan penned series, Staunton will surely be front and center to cope with the public’s reaction to her tragic death. The meetings with Tony Blair will undoubtedly be great to watch since Morgan dramatized the events in his Academy Award nominated script of…The Queen.
The announcement of Staunton also came with the news that she will be leading a new West End mounting of Hello, Dolly! alongside Jenna Russell.
