Paul Bettany Could Play Prince Philip In ‘The Crown’ Season 3
The Crown's royal family might include an Avenger. Reports broke that Paul Bettany might be the show's next leading man.
The Potential Prince Philip
Bettany is in the thick of negotiations with The Crown's production team and Netflix to join the biographical drama's third season. Reports have surfaced that several members of the network and The Crown have been having meetings with members of Bettany's team in Los Angeles. If both sides agree, The Crown fans might see him portray Queen Elizabeth II's longtime love and consort, Prince Philip.
Exit Matt Smith
The actor might replace Matt Smith who portrayed the younger version of the royal consort during the show's first two seasons. Smith, who worked along with Claire Foy's Queen Elizabeth II, stirred some controversy for mentioning that singer-actress Selena Gomez should portray Harry's fiancée, the American-born Meghan Markle, during an appearance on the famous Bravo talk show Watch What Happens Live!
Royal watchers and fans of the show took to Twitter express their unhappiness with the casting suggestion. Twitter users also pointed out Markle and Gomez look nothing alike.
Bettany And Bonham Carter?
Bettany is not the only well-known actor that The Crown wants to cast. The show's creative team has eyed veteran actress Helena Bonham Carter to join the third season.
Bonham Carter, who has portrayed a diverse set of characters such as the Harry Potter franchise's malicious Bellatrix Lestrange to fashion designer and thief Rose in the upcoming Ocean's 8, is in the final stretch of negotiations to portray Queen Elizabeth II's sister, Princess Margaret, during the third season.
The actress also has experience portraying members of the House of Windsor. She portrayed Queen Elizabeth II's mother, the Queen Mum, in the 2010 Oscar-winning drama The King's Speech.
No Royal Love
While fans are still waiting to hear if either Bettany or Bonham Carter will be joining the cast, there is someone who plans on not watching the series.
Representatives of Queen Elizabeth II have stated that the monarch does not want to waste her valuable time watching an actress portray her on television. Also, Buckingham Palace has been radio-silent regarding if the world's longest reigning monarch watched the series or if the Netflix drama is scheduled into her television watching.
With or without the Queen's blessing, the show is continuing to move forward with the third season's production.
The Crown has only confirmed that actress Olivia Coleman is the only performer so far that has signed on to the third chapter in the Netflix biographical drama. Coleman will portray Queen Elizabeth II.
