'The Crown': Helen Mirren gave us the best screen portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II ever, is Olivia Colman now set to top that?
With its insight into the Royal Family, 'The Crown' has gained much eminence among fans.
As season three returns to Netflix, speculations are rife about how Olivia Colman will play the part of Queen Elizabeth II after taking the reigns from Claire Foy, who clinched a Golden Globe trophy and won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, among other awards.
With a grand six-season plan in motion, there are murmurs about how the makers were considering casting Helen Mirren when the series goes for another time jump in its fifth season.
However, there is still an air of doubt circling around it. Director Benjamin Caron, who has been with the show since its inception, and has directed the opening few episodes of season three, opened up about the decision in an interview with Hindustan Times.
"The idea of starting again with a new cast," Caron said, "could be a moment of brilliance or an act of self-harm." He also hinted at how Colman gave her own spin to the character and that is what the makers wanted.
"It would have been a disaster if Olivia Colman was trying to be Claire Foy. You have to make these parts your own," he said.
He added that "there are a lot of conversations going on" about who will replace Colman in future seasons.
Mirren played the character of Queen Elizabeth II in 'The Queen' and won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance and received the Olivier Award for Best Actress and Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for the same role in 'The Audience'.
Considering how creator Peter Morgan wrote the movie 'The Queen' in 2007, it could be likely that she returns to play the character. Moreover, Morgan admitted earlier that Mirren "loves the show".
However, Caron said he would be "surprised" if she would want to come back. When quizzed if she would take the role, Mirren told TV presenter Lorraine Kelly in an interview, "I don’t think so...".
She added, "I think it's more interesting when you see other portraits and it builds into a more interesting picture than just someone coming back."
Nevertheless, time will tell if Mirren considers taking up the role in the future as she seems perfect for the part. Season three of 'The Crown' will premiere on Netflix on November 17.