Claire Foy has done an excellent job portraying Queen Elizabeth and making The Crown a success for Netflix, but now the series has recast the role for a different stage in the queen's life. Luckily for us, they picked an acting veteran just as brilliant as Foy to play the part. Olivia Colman will take on the role for Seasons 3 and 4 of the series, as The Crown looks to show Elizabeth II advance in age.
According to plans for The Crown Season 3, the season is supposed to include the events of Princess Margaret's affair with Roddy Llewellyn. This means that Olivia Colman, whose casting news was reported by Variety, will portray Queen Elizabeth II sometime picking up in the early 1970s, which would put her in her 40s. Colman, who is in her 40s, is a good match for the role. Series creator Peter Morgan noted he wanted an actress who could "bring their own fatigue" into the role of being middle aged as the Queen.
For Olivia Colman, that's not the most flattering compliment to receive, but surely being British and having the opportunity to portray the Queen is such an honor that she can likely overlook just about anything. As an accomplished actress, starring in a critically acclaimed series is old hat for Colman at this point, as she was a part of Chris Chibnall's Broadchurch as well as the British series Fleabag, just to name a couple. Colman will also grace the big screen later this year as part of the star-studded cast for Murder On The Orient Express.
As for any fans of The Crown that are miffed that Emmy-nominated Claire Foy is out as Queen Elizabeth, don't fret. Foy knew the recast was a long time coming, and her performance on the series will undoubtedly lead to more opportunities for her to further her career in show business. As Foy will depart The Crown after Season 2, Colman can expect the same after Season 4. The show is expected to recast one more time before its planned ending in Season 6.
Season 2 of The Crown is set to debut December 8th on Netflix, so be ready for Claire Foy's last ride as Britain's monarch. For more on the series, check out how much cuter the show is with dogs as actors and how much the show actually costs despite what some believe. For more things to watch on Netflix, be sure to visit our Netflix guide for programs specifically coming to the service. Those looking for an all-encompassing list should visit our fall premiere guide and never be out of the loop on fall programming this year ever again.
