Lesley Manville Gets Helena Bonham Carter's Approval for 'The Crown's Fifth Season
As we anxiously await the fourth season of The Crown, which is expected to premiere later this year, we'll need to be prepared to say goodbye to some of the series' actors. Like after season two, there will be a cast change for the show's fifth season, reflecting the aging characters. At that point, we will bid farewell to Helena Bonham Carter as Princess Margaret, and welcome Lesley Manville to the role.
The role of Princess Margaret, the Queen's younger sister, has been pivotal to the hit series. Originated by Vanessa Kirby in seasons one and two, Carter played the glamorous princess for seasons three and four. Luckily, Carter is looking forward to passing the baton.
"Lesley, I feel like I should hand her the cigarette holder that I used, as a baton. Over to you, woman," Carter recently joked, per RadioTimes.
In all seriousness, Carter thinks Manville is an excellent choice for the role, and that she will enjoy the opportunity. “She’s going to have a great time with her [Margaret], and I’m so chuffed it’s her," Carter said. "She’s a great actress, and she’ll have great fun."
Despite how much fun Carter had playing Margaret, she wasn't always so sure about the role. In fact, the Academy Award nominated actress even had a few nerves while preparing for the part.
“I was really scared at first, and I wasn’t immediately like, I’ve got to do it," Carter recalled. "When you play somebody who everyone thinks that they know, you’ve got that hanging on your shoulder, then you’ve got another person [Kirby] who’s just won a BAFTA, and a great performance, on the other shoulder. So it was pretty scary."
Despite her trepidation, Carter took on the role and, by all accounts, succeeded. “Helena has the rare combination of spirit, intelligence, vulnerability, and the vivid, electric talent required for this role,” series creator Peter Morgan told T&C last November.
It will indeed be interesting to see what Manville will bring to her role as an older, though not necessarily wiser, Princess Margaret. She will be the last person to play Margaret on the show, as The Crown will end after six seasons. Manville herself certainly can't wait. “I’m really giddy with the excitement,” she exclaimed.
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