When The Crown series creator Peter Morgan announced he would be recasting after season two, at first fans were devastated. Who could be better than Claire Foy as Queen Elizabeth II, and Matt Smith as Prince Philip?
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But now all our fears have been assuaged, with the news that acclaimed British actor Olivia Colman will take Foy’s place for seasons three and four.
Variety has confirmed that the 43-year-old actress, who won a Golden Globe for her role in The Night Manager and should have won one for her portrayal of detective sergeant Ellie Miller in Broadchurch, will play Queen Elizabeth II in the next phase of her life.
“What’s so beautiful about Claire is her youth,” Morgan explained to Variety. “You can’t ask someone to act middle-aged. Someone has to bring their own fatigue to it. The feelings we all have as 50-year-olds are different than the feelings we all have as 30-year-olds.”
Foy won a Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award, plus an Emmy nomination, for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth in season one.
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