“Princess Diana’s spirit, her words and her actions live in the hearts of so many,” Elizabeth Debicki said. “Her actions live in the hearts of so many. It is my true privilege and honor to be joining this masterful series, which has had me absolutely hooked from episode one.” Series creator Peter Morgan originally intended for the now-extended series to end with Season 5. For the upcoming fourth season, Emma Corrin will play a young Diana, who was born in 1961. Season 4 will also include Erin Doherty as Princess Anne, 2020 Emmy nominees Olivia Colman and Helena Bonham Carter in their respective roles as Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret, as well as Josh O’Connor as Prince Charles and Tobias Menzies as Prince Phillip. Gillian Anderson will join the cast as Margaret Thatcher. (In a recent IndieWire interview, Morgan said he has just begun writing Season 5.)
In the fifth season, joining Debicki as Diana will be Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth II. Emmy winner Claire Foy played the Queen in the first two seasons. Also in Seasons 5 and 6, Lesley Manville will play Princess Margaret, originated by Vanessa Kirby before Bonham Carter. Debicki earned major acclaim for her turns in “The Great Gatsby” and “Widows,” and also starred in the just-opened “The Burnt Orange Heresy,” and is among the cast for Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet.” Last year, she earned a British Independent Film Award nomination for playing Virginia Woolf in “Vita & Virginia.” Also playing Princess Diana, though on the big screen, will be Kristen Stewart in “Jackie” director Pablo Larraín’s upcoming biopic. Neon picked up the rights to the film, which is being eyed for a 2021 production start date, earlier this summer. Titled “Spencer,” the film written by Steven Knight covers a weekend in Diana’s life as she decided to end her marriage to Prince Charles.
— The Crown (@TheCrownNetflix) August 16, 2020 Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
