The Crown has found its new Prince Philip. Oscar-nominated actor Jonathan Pryce will reportedly tackle the role in the Netflix drama’s upcoming fifth and sixth seasons, taking over after Tobias Menzies and Matt Smith, according to Deadline. Netflix has not yet confirmed the casting.
Pryce is the latest addition to the show’s ever-evolving cast. The drama’s fifth and sixth seasons will also star Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth II (taking over for Olivia Colman) and Lesley Manville as Princess Margaret (after Helena Bonham Carter).
Pryce most recently starred in the Netflix drama The Two Popes, for which he earned an Oscar nomination (his first, at last) for best actor. He also turned heads as the surprisingly vicious High Sparrow in Game of Thrones. He’ll play the final iteration of Prince Philip in The Crown, as the show is set to end after its sixth season. Showrunner Peter Morgan originally planned to end the series after its fifth season, later walking back that plan to elongate the show’s reign.
“It soon became clear that in order to do justice to the richness and complexity of the story, we should go back to the original plan and do six seasons,” he said, clarifying that the show’s plot would not run parallel to today’s royal timeline. “To be clear, season six will not bring us any closer to present day—it will simply enable us to cover the same period in greater detail,” he added.
Season four of the Emmy-winning series is next on the horizon, and will introduce Prince Charles (Josh O’Connor, a season three breakout) and Princess Diana’s contentious marriage into the fold. The People’s Princess will be played by newcomer Emma Corrin. The season will also introduce Margaret Thatcher, portrayed by Gillian Anderson.
It’s a royal-filled day for the streamer, which also announced Wednesday that it would debut a filmed production of the upcoming musical Diana, about the late princess, in early 2021. The fourth season of The Crown does not yet have a release date.
Where to Watch The Crown:
All products featured on Vanity Fair are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
More Great Stories From Vanity Fair
— Exposing the Fall of CBS Showrunner Peter Lenkov
— How Sarah Cooper Trumped Donald Trump—Without Saying a Word
— An Exclusive First Look at the TV Drama That Will Enrage Trump
— Netflix’s Indian Matchmaking Only Scratches the Surface of a Big Problem
— How Olivia de Havilland Learned Hattie McDaniel Defeated Her at the 1940 Oscars
— See Ryan Murphy and Sarah Paulson’s Ode to an Iconic Villain: Nurse Ratched
— From the Archive: Inside Olivia de Havilland’s Notorious Lifelong Feud With Sister Joan Fontaine
Looking for more? Sign up for our daily Hollywood newsletter and never miss a story.