Netflix’s Royal family-focused drama The Crown has cast Emma Corrin to play Princess Diana in season 4. The news comes not long after the announcement that Gillian Anderson of The X-Files fame will be playing none other than former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher aka. the ‘Iron Lady’ in season 4 of The Crown. Though season 3 of the historical drama has still yet to air, the two seasons are apparently shooting back-to-back, so the casting confirmations aren’t as premature as they might seem.
The ambitious, critically acclaimed show focuses on the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, from her wedding to Prince Philip in 1947 right up to the present day. Season 1, which premiered in 2016, featured Claire Foy (Unsane, First Man) as the Queen and covered her reign up until 1955, touching on events including Winston Churchill’s resignation. The Crown season 2 was released in 2017 and again starred Foy as the monarch, and Doctor Who’s Matt Smith as her husband Prince Philip. The events in that season covered historic moments including the Suez Crisis and the Profumo scandal, and brought the action up to 1964. The news that season 3 would be headed our way in early 2019 came with a whole host of new casting announcements, including Olivia Coleman, who’ll be taking over playing Queen Elizabeth from Foy and recently won an Oscar for playing another royal, Queen Anne, in Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Favourite. It was also confirmed that season 3 would cover the years 1964-1976 and feature Josh O’Connor playing a young adult Prince Charles, so it was presumed that season 4 would mark the appearance of Princess Diana.
Now we can reveal just exactly who will be taking on the part of the much-loved princess. Netflix has announced that British actress Emma Corrin will play the role in season 4. A relative newcomer, Corrin only has a few credits, including a part in an episode of British detective drama Grantchester and forthcoming beauty pageant movie Misbehaviour, but that doesn’t seem to have put off The Crown’s casting department. Corrin seems excited about nabbing such an iconic role too, having posted the following statement to her Instagram account:
Corrin isn’t wrong about The Crown being an amazing opportunity. Foy’s role as Queen Elizabeth has earned her both an Emmy and a Golden Globe, while the overall show scooped the Golden Globe for Best Drama in 2017. The show certainly does have a knack for nabbing some very talented actors too. Alongside Anderson and Coleman, other new additions to The Crown’s ensemble cast in season 3 include BAFTA-winning actress Helena Bonham Carter as an older Princess Margaret and Game of Thrones actor Tobias Menzies as an older Prince Philip.
“I have been glued to the show and to think I’m now joining this incredibly talented acting family is surreal. Princess Diana was an icon and her effect on the world remains profound and inspiring. To explore her through Peter Morgan’s writing is the most exceptional opportunity and I will strive to do her justice!”
The role of Princess Diana is certainly the kind of part that could put a newcomer like Corrin on the map. If season 4 of The Crown is set to take place over a similarly long time period as past seasons have, there’ll be plenty of things for Corrin to get her dramatic claws into, from Diana’s very public divorce from Prince Charles to her charity work with victims of AIDS and landmine removal. All in all, Corrin’s casting suggests season 4 of The Crown is shaping up to be a very good one.
Next: What To Expect From The Crown Season 3
Source: Emma Corrin
