‘I have to lead from the front’: The Crown’s Imelda Staunton reveals she was ‘saddened’ by The Queen’s death but felt she and the cast ‘had to continue’ filming for season six
The Crown’s Imelda Staunton has revealed was ‘saddened’ by The Queen’s death last year but admits she felt the cast ‘had to continue’ with filming season six.
The 66-year-old British actress, who plays the late monarch in the hit Netflix series, is currently working on the final season of the drama.
And a few months after the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the on-screen Queen has told of how she feels ‘very responsible’ that she has to ‘lead from the front’.
Responsibility: The Crown’s Imelda Staunton has revealed her heartbreak at The Queen’s death last year but admits she felt the cast ‘had to continue’ with filming season six
Speaking to The Mirror, Imelda said of the moment The Queen died: ‘We have to make the bar higher. I feel very responsible that I have to lead from the front.
‘One was saddened and thrown off course, but one knew we had to continue.’
Imelda added: ‘We are all so proud and hopefully we will please the audiences.’
The actress, who also starred in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix as Dolores Umbridge, is up for a Golden Globe award next week.
Huge show: The 66-year-old British actress, who plays the late monarch in the hit Netflix series, is currently working on the final season of the drama (pictured with Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana and Dominic West as Prince Charles)
She is in line to pick up the Best Television Actress in a Drama Series gong – but is up against House of the Dragon’s Emma D’Arcy, Ozark’s Laura Linney, Hilary Swank’s Alaska Daily and Euphoria’s Zendaya.
Imelda also told the publication that taking the Queen’s role on from predecessors Claire Foy and Olivia Colman felt like ‘a huge responsibility.
She also went on to explain how the Queen’s relationship with Prince Philip was of interest to her, saying that their ability to stay with each other despite the chaos surrounding them their entire lives is ‘testament to their strength as individuals’.
Series five of The Crown has been subject to plenty of criticism due to the touchy topic of King Charles and his marriage to Diana.
Star: A few months after the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the on-screen Queen has told of how she feels ‘very responsible’ that she has to ‘lead from the front’
Many argued that filming scenes leading up to Princess Diana’s death in Paris were insensitive – as well as the series going ahead with its launch not long after the Queen’s death in September last year.
Focusing heavily on the fallout between Princess Diana, played by Elizabeth Debicki and King Charles (then Prince of Wales) as portrayed by West, the new series will showcase a number of low points for the royals.
Among them are Charles and Diana’s marriage breakdown, the late royal’s controversial Panorama interview and the notorious ‘tampongate’ phone call between the King and Queen Consort.
One of the most controversial aspects of the series is how it will tackle the death of Diana, with Netflix facing scrutiny over the decision to recreate the final days of Princess Diana, shooting some scenes in Paris, where she died.
True love: She also went on to explain how the Queen’s relationship with Prince Philip was of interest to her, saying that their ability to stay with each other despite the chaos surrounding them their entire lives is ‘testament to their strength as individuals’
It followed accusations of callousness amid reports the show will recreate the Paris car chase that resulted in Diana’s death and scenes of young princes William and Harry following their mother’s coffin in a future season. The exact moment of the crash will not be shown.
Acting royalty Dame Judi Dench, who is close to King Charles and Camilla, has accused the programme of being ‘crude and hurtful’.
Dame Judi, 87, who has played Elizabeth I and Queen Victoria, told The Times the series risked damaging the monarchy. The Oscar-winning actress blamed it for ‘crude sensationalism’ and blurring fact and fiction.
Former Prime Minister Sir John Major criticised a scene which shows him having a conversation with then Prince Charles about the possibility of the Queen abdicating as ‘malicious nonsense’.
Controversy: One of the most controversial aspects of the series is how it will tackle the death of Princess Diana, played by Elizabeth Debicki
Recently, The Crown star Gillian Anderson, who played Margaret Thatcher in series four, hit back at the comments – and argues that the series could have been far more damaging.
Speaking to The Daily Mail’s Richard Eden, Gillian said: ‘There’s a lot of researchers involved, and a lot of people checking and double-checking and triple-checking.
‘There’s a lot that has not been written about that could be written about. And if you knew the difference in those, you’d see there is a great deal of kindness and restraint.’
She adds: ‘At the end of the day, there are incredibly compassionate and well-rounded takes on human beings.
‘And what you’re left with is properly, maturely drawn, complex characters. And there’s a lot that’s in there that one has to say, ‘If you didn’t do it, we wouldn’t be writing about it’.’
Role: Recently, The Crown star Gillian Anderson, who played Margaret Thatcher in series four, hit back at the comments – and argues that the series could have been far more damaging
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