Crown sends out plea for a lookalike to play William
NETFLIX hit The Crown has won critical plaudits and huge ratings from depicting royal crises, but now the producers of the show face one of their own.
For I can disclose that they are still desperately searching for a teenage actor to play Prince William in the eagerly anticipated final series, even though filming is due to start in just a few weeks’ time.
Casting director Robert Sterne has issued a last-ditch appeal on showbusiness websites, urging suitable candidates to come forward.
‘The Crown is searching for an exceptional young actor to play Prince William in the next series,’ the advert states. ‘This is a significant role in this award-winning drama, and we are looking for a strong physical resemblance. Shooting will commence in early September.’
In an effort to widen the field of potential candidates, the ad stresses: ‘No previous professional acting experience is required. We are very experienced in providing a great deal of support for the young actors and their families through what they find a uniquely rewarding, creative process.’
The producers are also still searching for ‘any bright and cheeky redhead boys willing to have a go’ at playing Prince Harry in the drama, said to cost more than £10 million an episode.
I do hope budding young stars haven’t been put off by controversy surrounding The Crown. Netflix was accused of trolling the Royal Family after a ‘sinister’ post on its official social media account prompted a wave of online hate for Prince Charles and Camilla.
The final series will see William and Harry dealing with the aftermath of Princess Diana’s death. Netflix has also confirmed that season five will depict disgraced Martin Bashir’s Panorama interview with the Princess, with a source close to the show saying it will portray ‘what we now know about how the interview was obtained and how Diana was treated’.
Diana’s friend Jemima Goldsmith cut ties with the show last year, claiming that the producers had not treated the storyline ‘as respectfully and compassionately as I had hoped’.
Netflix insists it’s not experiencing difficulties. ‘The casting team are very experienced,’ a spokesman says. ‘The actors may not be needed on set for months and casting generally takes longer for younger actors.’