“That was pretty devastating,” she says of the Sept. 8 news.
“I’m glad I had time to regroup before I started again.”
The Queen’s very unwell.'
Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth II on ‘The Crown’.Netflix
We didn’t shoot at all, out of respect."
The Crowncreator and main screenwriterPeter Morgansaw the headlines at Heathrow Airport.
“I felt a great many things at the same time.
The Queen had reigned over the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries for a remarkable, record-breaking 70 years.
More than 250,000 lined up to see the Queen’s body, some waiting 24 hours to do so.
“I don’t think I’ll ever forget that.”
Jonathan Pryce as Prince Philip on ‘The Crown’.Netflix
But the (broken) heart of the season is Debicki’s Diana.
“She is uniquely magnificent,” says Morgan, explaining why he cast the Australian actress.
“It was a list of one.
Jonathan Pryce as Prince Philip and Natascha McElhone as Penny Knatchbull on ‘The Crown’.Netflix
Had she said no, I might have had to reconceive the entire show.”
In a statement, he even described the series as a “love letter” to the Queen.
Season 5 will be no exception as it details some of the darkest episodes in the saga.
Olivia Williams as Camilla Parker-Bowles and Dominic West as Prince Charles on ‘The Crown’.Netflix
“This particular part of history, an awful lot happens,” says Staunton.
“There’s a lot of turmoil, which isn’t made up these things happened.
I think there’s a lot going on for people to take on this time around.”
Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth II on ‘The Crown’.Netflix
It’s my hope that people feel that there’s an enormous evolution in her as the season progresses.
“I was one of those people who binged it.”
After the audition, Debicki was told there was interest in her possibly playing Diana further down the track.
Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana on ‘The Crown’.Netflix
“I didn’t put any eggs in the basket well, maybe there wasoneegg in the basket.
Then, years later, it came back around.
When Peter actually asked me, I didn’t have to give it much thought.”
So what made West change his mind?
He’s a fascinating man, Charles, and it’s a fascinating life, and a fascinating role.
I realized that I could very happily live with this character for two years.”
Staunton remembers being “terrified” when Morgan suggested she play Queen Elizabeth.
“You get the sense not so much of her but how people perceive her.”
Harris Goes to Paris.
“Of course, when he died, there was documentary after documentary.
I was like, ‘Oh no, now you’re going to be looking forthat!'”
“You’re going to have to wait and see.”
West describes the season 5 shoot as “like climbing into a big royal Rolls-Royce.
It’s enormously comfortable.
You’re aware of enormous resources available to you.
You’re aware of absolutely no expense being spared.
We started off on Aristotle Onassis’ yacht, theChristina O, in Mallorca, which was pretty cool.
Then we went to Burley [Castle] for Windsor Castle, we went to Knebworth for Balmoral.”
That was cool."
“It fascinated me how entranced people were with that dress,” shares Debicki.
‘Do you get to wear the Revenge Dress?’
‘Oh my God, you get to wear the Revenge Dress!'"
I can’t really explain it.
So that was a big day on set for me!"
I think it made me extremely sympathetic towards the two of them and what they’d gone through."
We both felt that we wanted to do right by our characters.
Debicki is full of praise for both of her costars.
So I was very lucky to have him, and I think he does such a beautiful job."
Debicki also found Abdalla to be “a joy to work with.
“That was like a one-act play that Peter Morgan had written,” says West.
“I would agree that it was like doing a play,” says Debicki.
The show certainly isn’t.
I have enormous sympathy for a man in his position indeed, a family in their position.
People are more understanding and compassionate than we expect sometimes.”
Debicki tells EW that all concerned are handling the show’s depiction of the tragedy as thoughtfully as possible.
So that’s my experience of the show."
West agrees that no one atThe Crownis taking the subject of the princess’ death lightly.
“We’re still doing the scripts.
Nothing’s changed, they haven’t been rewritten.
We’re dealing with the 1990s,” says the actress.
“One’s feelings about what the whole nation has been through is kind of a private thing.
Obviously, we talk to each other a lot [about it].
But the actual process of making the program is the same.”
As for her return to set?
That, at least, is a sentiment with which the Queen would surely have agreed.
