Is Bettany ready to sign up to The Crown?
Paul Bettany is in complex negotiations about the possibility of portraying Prince Philip, alongside Olivia Colman as the Queen, in the third and fourth series of the Crown.
the actor emerged as the leading contender to take on the role that Matt Smith — acting with Claire Foy as our sovereign — played in the initial 20 episodes of the 60-hour drama, that will cover six decades of elizabeth II’s reign.
andy Harries and Suzanne Mackie, two of the Crown’s senior executive producers, met with Bettany’s agents at a Hollywood club where they discussed the actor’s availability to attend rehearsals in June, and whether he could film from July until January or February next year.
If a deal can be agreed, he will join Colman and Helena Bonham Carter — who has signed up to portray the late Princess Margaret, taking over from Vanessa Kirby.
executives, and the show’s casting director, are also busy finding the right actors to portray Charles, Camilla and Diana for the next 20 episodes that will cover the courtship and wedding of the Prince and Princess of Wales.
It would be a big coup for the Crown if Bettany were to join the ‘ alternative’ Royal Family. the 46-year-old is gearing up for a busy year. He appears in Saul Dibb’s superb film version of Journey’s end, which will open on February 2.
then, in May, he can be seen in two of the year’s major blockbuster movies: the Han Solo stand-alone film Solo: a Star Wars Story and Marvel’s avengers: Infinity War, in which he plays Vision.
Bettany made his name in the blood- soaked Gangster no. 1, and since then has appeared in a string of acclaimed pictures including a Beautiful Mind and Master and Commander: the Far Side Of the World, as well as the brilliant Manhunt: unabomber tV series for netflix.
He also wrote and directed the film Shelter — a raw tale of homelessness which starred his wife Jennifer Connelly in the central role.
the third season of the Crown will hit netflix in the autumn of 2019.