'The Crown' Season 5's New Prince Charles Has a Lot of 'Affair' Experience
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In a stunning moment of art imitating life, Dominic West is in talks to play Prince Charles in Seasons 5 and 6 of Netflix’s The Crown. How much irony is afoot here? Let us count the ways.
First of all, Dominic West is famous for starring as Noah in Showtime’s The Affair and as the philandering Jimmy McNulty in The Wire. Second, he recently made a public statement with his wife, Catherine FitzGerald, after being embroiled in an alleged affair with his Pursuit of Love co-star Lily James. And if West were to take on the role of Prince Charles, he would portray the royal in the midst of his affair with Camilla Parker Bowles (to whom he’s now married), which ultimately contributed to the dissolution of his marriage to the late Princess Diana. Stranger than fiction, my friends.
If you follow The Crown, you’ll know that the cast turns over every two seasons to align with the show’s sprawling timeline.
So, beyond its elegant irony, here’s what you need to know about the latest The Crown casting reveal.
According to Deadline, West has been “lined up” for the role, but a deal hasn’t yet been finalized. If cast, he would take over the role from Josh O’Connor, who portrays Prince Charles in Seasons 3 and 4 (the latter of which will premiere on November 15th). For the show’s final two seasons, West would star alongside Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana, Imelda Staunton as QEII, Jonathan Pryce as Prince Philip, and Lesley Manville as Princess Margaret.
Dominic West Set to Play Prince Charles in Seasons 5 and 6 of ‘The Crown’ https://t.co/CHWRgKkuZM
— Variety (@Variety) October 20, 2020
We don’t know much else about Season 5 plot-wise because Season 4 hasn’t even premiered yet. But we do know that the upcoming Season 4 will cover the wedding (and wedding dress) and early years of the tumultuous marriage between Princess Diana and Prince Charles. More globally, this season will depict the socio-political turmoil that erupted under the rule of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who’ll be played by Gillian Anderson.
The Crown Season 5 won’t begin filming until late 2021, Variety reports. Until then, we’ll keep you updated on any developments (ironic or otherwise), as is our civic duty.
