'The Crown' Season 3 News: 'Broadchurch' Star Olivia Colman to Replace Claire Foy
"The Crown" has found its next Queen Elizabeth II.
Olivia Colman has been tapped to play Elizabeth II for the royal drama's third and fourth seasons. The "Broadchurch" star will replace actress Claire Foy as the timeline of the series moves closer to the present day.
"I'm so thrilled to be part of The Crown. I was utterly gripped watching it," Colman said in a press statement. "I think Claire Foy is an absolute genius — she's an incredibly hard act to follow. I'm basically going to re-watch every episode and copy her."
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Having debuted in 2016, "The Crown" revolves around the life of Queen Elizabeth II (currently played by Foy) from the 1940s to the modern times. Each season of the series covers about a decade of the Queen's life, which means multiple recasting will be done for the lead role.
Creator Peter Morgan previously said he has always planned to replace cast members in future seasons instead of using prosthetic makeup to accurately portray each character as they age.
Meanwhile, Foy recently revealed that she has known Colman's casting several months before it was announced to the public. The award-winning actress spoke with Vanity Fair and she said she was thrilled upon hearing the news for the first time.
"I was just like, yes, just do it! Whatever happens, don't let her get away. Make her do it," Foy said. "It was to the point where I actually spoke to her on the phone and told her, you have to do it. You have to do it!"
Foy went on to say that she is looking forward to seeing Colman give life to her character once she leaves after season 2. "I love her, so I'm thrilled. I have always loved her. I can't wait to see her in it," the TV star continued.
The second season of "The Crown" premieres Friday, Dec. 8 on Netflix. An exact release date for the third installment has yet to be announced.
