Netflix’s The Crown continues to find replacements for its original cast. From season 3 onward, the royal drama will move forward in the lives of Queen Elizabeth and her family and as such, older actors are required to bring the characters to life in their middle years. Previously, Olivia Colman had been brought in as the successor of Claire Foy, with Tobias Menzies stepping into Matt Smith’s shoes as Prince Phillip. Princess Margaret, meanwhile, previously played by Vanessa Kirby, will now be portrayed by Helena Bonham Carter.
It doesn’t end there, though, as Deadline has revealed the latest new addition to the cast, and it comes in the form of Ben Daniels. Most recently seen on FOX’s The Exorcist, he’ll take on the part of Lord Snowden AKA Anthony Armstrong-Jones, Margaret’s husband who was played in season 2 by Matthew Goode.
The Crown is just the latest entry on Daniels’ lengthy resume. He held a sizable role in another Netflix hit, House of Cards, as well as featuring in a minor part in Star Wars Anthology film Rogue One. In a statement released earlier this week, he said the following about his casting:
“After being glued to the first two seasons of The Crown I am beyond thrilled to be joining the cast of this incredible piece of television. Snowdon was such a dynamic and complex man, I’m really looking forward to playing him.”
Filming on the third season of the drama is expected to start in July. Helena Bonham Carter recently revealed that she’s been so busy with other projects though that she hasn’t had any time to prepare for playing Margaret yet, but hopefully she and Daniels get along to make the process of sinking into the character even easier. That said, the couple had a complicated marriage in real life, with one addicted to a party lifestyle and the other known to be unfaithful.
The Crown season 3, set to take place in the 1960s and explore the royal family’s reaction to a changing world, is expected to arrive on the streaming service in 2019. As soon as we have an exact premiere date, we’ll be sure to let you know.