November 2016 marked the premiere of The Crown, Netflix's historical drama that won over audiences in no time and simultaneously became one of the most expensive TV productions in the history of the streaming platform. This TV series was created by Peter Morgan from his film The Queen and his stage play The Audience, and throughout its seasons depicts several stages in the life of Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-reigning monarch in British history, as well as the political, social and economic events that took place during her reign.
The Crown has been on the air for five seasons, and despite its historical inaccuracies, it has been widely acclaimed by critics and favored by audiences. Along the way, it has won many accolades, including over 20 Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards for Best TV Series. A sixth season of the show is now in development and is scheduled for release by the end of this year, per Esquire, focusing on events that took place in the early-21st Century.
Said season, which will also serve as the series finale, is the only one in the entire show to be developed after Queen Elizabeth II's death. But the fact that The Crown is approaching its final season is not the end of its journey, as production company Left Bank Pictures and Netflix are already discussing the production of a prequel to this beloved show, which has fans buzzing with anticipation.
As each season of The Crown portrays a different time frame, the cast rotates periodically to add new actors who can portray the characters as they age. This has allowed major stars to join the show, leaving their mark on the characters and treating audiences to their unique performances. Here is a look at what the actors from The Crown's first season are doing today.
Claire Foy
Claire Foy had already been in the industry for a few years before joining the cast of The Crown, but it was her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II that crowned her as a major star, launching her career to fame and earning her an Emmy and a Golden Globe Award, among many other accolades. After her time in The Crown, the actress remained very active in the industry, joining highly relevant projects in both film and television.
In 2018, she was cast to co-star in Damien Chazelle's biopic First Man, a film that brought her great acclaim, and went on to land roles in The Electrical Life of Louis Wain and My Son, starring alongside Benedict Cumberbatch and James McAvoy, respectively. She also excelled in Women Talking, Sarah Polley's film inspired by true events and co-starring Rooney Mara, Jessie Buckley, and Frances McDormand.
In 2021, Foy joined the cast of another successful TV project: the miniseries A Very British Scandal. In it, she played Margaret Campbell, Duchess of Argyll, alongside Paul Bettany. In recent years, she has treated audiences to some great performances, and will continue to do so in the near future, as she is expected to appear alongside Andrew Scott, Paul Mescal, and Jamie Bell in Andrew Haigh's upcoming film Strangers (per Variety).
Matt Smith
By the time he joined the cast of the Netflix drama to play Prince Philip, Matt Smith was already well-known for playing the eleventh incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who. This role, played from 2010 to 2013, turned him into the youngest actor to ever play the character, and earned him widespread critical and audience acclaim that only grew stronger once he joined The Crown.
Much like Foy, Smith was able to build on his brilliant performance in this Netflix production, and following his run in it, his career took an even bigger leap. Over the past few years he landed roles in films across all genres, such as Edgar Wright's Last Night in Soho, The Forgiven, and Morbius, the 2022 superhero film starring Jared Leto. But, undoubtedly, Smith's biggest project after The Crown is House of the Dragon, the prequel to HBO's Game of Thrones that premiered last year to great acclaim. In it, he stars alongside Emma D'Arcy, Milly Alcock, Paddy Considine, and Rhys Ifans.
Vanessa Kirby
Vanessa Kirby spent the first few years of her career excelling in theatrical plays, and gradually transitioned to film and television projects beginning with her debut in the 2012 British film The Rise. Her role as Princess Margaret in The Crown is what earned her international praise, a few nominations and awards and all the opportunities within the industry that kept cementing her as a great actress.
After starring in the show, Kirby joined the cast of Mission: Impossible playing the double role of Alanna Mitsopolis and White Widow, and also landed a role in the Fast and Furious franchise. However, her most acclaimed performance after the Netflix series came in 2020, as the lead actress in the film Pieces of a Woman.
The future looks promising and packed with projects for this actress, who is expected to hit theaters again soon in Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One and Napoleon, Ridley Scott's drama film starring Joaquin Phoenix due in November.
Eileen Atkins
With a career spanning almost seven decades, Eileen Atkins has become one of the biggest names in the acting world, excelling in film, television, radio and on stage. Over the years, she has taken part in all kinds of projects, and even served as screenwriter and creator of many others. After joining the cast of The Crown to play Queen Mary, Atkins moved on to take roles in films such as Paddington 2 and Nothing Like a Dame, a 2018 documentary co-starring Judi Dench, Joan Plowright and Maggie Smith.
Furthermore, she was part of the main cast of Dominic Minghella's medical TV series Doc Martin until its tenth and final season in 2022. In the near future, the actress is expected to star in Wicked Little Letters, a comedy featuring Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley.
Jeremy Northam
Before joining the cast of The Crown to play Anthony Eden, Jeremy Northam was already well-known for his role in the 1996 film Emma and his portrayal of Thomas More in the series The Tudors. And while the actor was not as active in the industry in recent years, he did take part in some relevant projects, such as the 2015 film The Man Who Knew Infinity, starring Dev Patel and Jeremy Irons, and Official Secrets, a British drama starring Keira Knightley, Matt Smith, and Ralph Fiennes.
After a period of time away from films and television, Northam is expected to make a comeback in Matt Brown's upcoming film Freud's Last Session, sharing the cast with Anthony Hopkins and Matthew Goode.
Victoria Hamilton
Like many of the cast members of The Crown, actress Victoria Hamilton took her first steps in the industry performing on stage, and over the years, she landed roles in film and television. Before earning the part of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother in The Crown, Hamilton gained certain notoriety in the early 2000s for her portrayal of a different monarch, Queen Victoria, in the television series Victoria & Albert.
After starring as Queen Elizabeth in Netflix's show, Victoria appeared in projects of all sorts, such as the 2021 film The Trick and the BBC series Life, starring Alison Steadman and Peter Davison. In 2020, she joined the cast of the drama show Cobra to play Anna Marshall. The show, which also stars Robert Carlyle, David Haig and Richard Dormer, is expecting a third season later this year.
Ben Miles
In The Crown, Ben Miles plays British Royal Air Force officer Peter Townsend, a role that turned into one of his best-known ones along with his performances in the TV series Coupling and The Forsyte Saga. In recent years, the actor has been very active in TV, taking part in projects such as Collateral, The Romanoffs, and The Capture, a show in which he co-stars alongside Holliday Grainger, Cavan Clerkin, Ginny Holder and Ron Perlman.
In 2022, he joined Andor, the fourth live-action series in the Star Wars Universe starring Diego Luna. 2023 has proven to be a busy year for Miles, as besides starring in the Apple TV+ miniseries Hijack, he was spotted in Jon S. Baird's Tetris, and is expected to appear alongside his former The Crown co-star Vanessa Kirby in Napoleon.
Greg Wise
Actor and producer Greg Wise rose to fame back in 1995, playing the role of John Willoughby in Ang Lee's film Sense and Sensibility. In this production, he also met Emma Thompson, who later became his wife. Over the years, Wise got roles in all kinds of productions, although in recent times he has not been as active in the industry as he used to be. His most recent projects so far following his role as Louis Mountbatten in The Crown are the 2019 film Military Wives, directed by Peter Cattaneo, and his participation in the 19th season of the dance contest Strictly Come Dancing.
Jared Harris
In the first season of The Crown, actor Jared Harris plays King George VI, although over the course of his career he has gained notoriety for many, many roles. Among his most popular projects are the television series Mad Men, Fringe, and Chernobyl, an HBO production for which he was widely acclaimed and earned a Satellite Award for Best Actor.
In recent years, Harris has been active in both television and film, starring in productions such as the Apple TV+ series Foundation and the films Morbius and The Sea Beast, among a few others. Looking forward, he is expected to star in the third installment of Sherlock Holmes, reprising his role as Professor James Moriarty, although there is still no release date set for this production.
John Lithgow
Rounding out this list is John Lithgow, the highly acclaimed actor who plays Winston Churchill in The Crown's first season. Lithgow has been participating in the entertainment industry for over 50 years, and his performances have earned him nominations for the most prestigious awards. Even so, he is still very active in both film and television, and in recent times he has been featured in highly popular projects, such as the films Pet Sematary and Sharper, in which he co-starred alongside Julianne Moore, Sebastian Stan, Justice Smith and Briana Middleton.
Furthermore, in 2022 he joined the main cast of The Old Man, an FX TV drama series that has already been renewed for a second season. Lithgow has a number of major projects lined up for the next few years: he is expected to star in Martin Scorsese's upcoming film Killers of the Flower Moon, in Vicky Jenson's Spellbound, and in the thriller film Conclave, co-starring alongside Ralph Fiennes and Stanley Tucci.