The successor to the role of Prince Philip for season three of the Netflix Original Series "The Crown" has finally been announced. Tobias Menzies is best known for his Golden Globe-nominated portrayal of both Frank Randall and Jonathan "Black Jack" Randall in "Outlander," and his role in HBO's "Game of Thrones" as Edmure Tully.
Netflix announced the casting yesterday via Twitter, stating, "Say hello to your new Prince Philip."
Menzies will undertake the role of Prince Philip for seasons three and four of "The Crown," wherein he will portray the Duke of Edinburgh in his middle-aged years.
The announcement of Menzies' casting comes months after the announcement that Olivia Colman will undertake the role of Queen Elizabeth II.
Say hello to your new Prince Philip in @TheCrownNetflix Season 3: Tobias Menzies! pic.twitter.com/OZqb6wad6L
— Netflix US (@netflix) March 28, 2018
Olivia Colman as Queen Elizabeth II
"The Crown's" casting director (Nina Gold) explained to Variety why casting the right actor for the role is important and challenging. “Not only are we casting real-life characters, but as we get closer to the present day, many of these people are very much alive. So we have to honor them by picking the right actor to play them.”
Colman was announced as the actress to take over for Claire Foy in the portrayal of the monarch at the end of October 2017.
Colman is best known for her role in the BBC drama "Broadchurch" opposite David Tennant. Since the announcement of Colman in the role of Queen Elizabeth II, there has been speculation as to who will undertake the role of Prince Philip, and finally, those rumors can be laid to rest.
Menzies will portray an older version of Prince Philip as the Duke of Edinburgh enters into middle age, with the next season taking place in the 1960s and taking audiences and the royal couple into the 1980s.
Helena Bonham Carter casting rumors
The role of Princess Margaret has yet to be announced, although there are strong rumors that Helena Bonham Carter is to take over the role of the Princess from Vanessa Kirby. This rumor intensified after Kirby posted a photo on January 13, 2018 of her and Carter on Instagram with the caption: "Honoured.
@thecrownnetflix."
Speculation surrounding season three and four has also centered around whether Diana, Princess of Wales, or the People's Princess, will be featured at all. In an interview with Vanity Fair, "The Crown's" casting director, Nina Gold, confirmed that Diana will not be in the upcoming season.
This announcement comes on the heels of the controversy surrounding the wage disparity between Matt Smith and Claire Foy for their roles of Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth II, respectively. In an interview with Variety, creative director Suzanne Mackie stated, "Going forward, no one gets paid more than the Queen."
