Comparing the 3 Performances of Queen Elizabeth II on The Crown
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Date: 2023-11-21
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Comments and reviews: 30
Mihajlo
Claire Foy is an obvious fan favorite not only because of the great job she did - and she did a wonderful job - but also because of the time period she portrayed. We have this young and enthusiastic but not very experienced woman becoming a head of a declining empire that is still recovering from a devastating war; shes a beacon of hope, a symbol of unity who is trying to fit in the Monarchy into the rapidly changing society; shes put in a place where shes fighting with these old conservative establishment hardliners but at the same time has to find a middle ground with them to preserve the Monarchy; the writers want you to cheer for this young determined woman making headway in her complex position, I mean the first two seasons couldve might as well been called the Queen instead of the Crown because she was the star of the show, it was pretty much an origin story. Now Olivia Colman portrays a mature queen who has grasped her position and is firmly holding the reins; a true experienced head of state. However, the period she depicts also sets the stage for people and events that will overshadow her, namely the Charles and Diana saga. People were eagerly waiting for S4 to see princess Diana, its not all about the Queen any more like in the first two seasons. And poor Imelda Staunton probably had the most difficult ride of the three as Charles and Dianas drama is going full steam ahead and thats what the main focus is; no one cares for the aging Queen who went from being a beacon of hope in the new world to becoming this aloof conservative symbol of establishment, the likes of which she was going head-to-head with in seasons 1 and 2. She became a supporting character in her own story, someone whos omnipresent, but kind of not very interesting or even relevant to the plot lines that are far more compelling.
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Claire Foy is an obvious fan favorite not only because of the great job she did - and she did a wonderful job - but also because of the time period she portrayed. We have this young and enthusiastic but not very experienced woman becoming a head of a declining empire that is still recovering from a devastating war; shes a beacon of hope, a symbol of unity who is trying to fit in the Monarchy into the rapidly changing society; shes put in a place where shes fighting with these old conservative establishment hardliners but at the same time has to find a middle ground with them to preserve the Monarchy; the writers want you to cheer for this young determined woman making headway in her complex position, I mean the first two seasons couldve might as well been called the Queen instead of the Crown because she was the star of the show, it was pretty much an origin story. Now Olivia Colman portrays a mature queen who has grasped her position and is firmly holding the reins; a true experienced head of state. However, the period she depicts also sets the stage for people and events that will overshadow her, namely the Charles and Diana saga. People were eagerly waiting for S4 to see princess Diana, its not all about the Queen any more like in the first two seasons. And poor Imelda Staunton probably had the most difficult ride of the three as Charles and Dianas drama is going full steam ahead and thats what the main focus is; no one cares for the aging Queen who went from being a beacon of hope in the new world to becoming this aloof conservative symbol of establishment, the likes of which she was going head-to-head with in seasons 1 and 2. She became a supporting character in her own story, someone whos omnipresent, but kind of not very interesting or even relevant to the plot lines that are far more compelling.
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outinsider
I am sure I will find something to like about all three. I've only seen two. I get the stans for Claire Foy, particularly to a generation who didn't know the early years of her reign, and whom The Crown seasons 1 and 2 provided a worthy education. My millennial generation only knew her as an unemotive figurehead who maintained a heartless institution that victimized Princess Diana. Olivia Colman brought a lot of weight without replicating Claire's performance, and definitely brought her own take on Queen Elizabeth II as only she could. The scene is season 4 where she tells off Josh O'Connor's Prince Charles is literally history speaking through her about Princess Diana. I haven't watched season 5 yet. I am hearing mixed reviews, but I also know that Imelda Staunton will bring her reserved subtle energy to her portrayal. I am not a monarchist in the slightest, and this series definitely does show the nuances and complexities of duty before everything else, and humanizes the figurehead as a person and her class as people. It doesn't mean that the monarchy isn't outdated, it just means heavy is the head that wears The Crown that stunts emotional growth, empathetic understanding of struggle, and leaves mental health causalities for duty's preservation.
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I am sure I will find something to like about all three. I've only seen two. I get the stans for Claire Foy, particularly to a generation who didn't know the early years of her reign, and whom The Crown seasons 1 and 2 provided a worthy education. My millennial generation only knew her as an unemotive figurehead who maintained a heartless institution that victimized Princess Diana. Olivia Colman brought a lot of weight without replicating Claire's performance, and definitely brought her own take on Queen Elizabeth II as only she could. The scene is season 4 where she tells off Josh O'Connor's Prince Charles is literally history speaking through her about Princess Diana. I haven't watched season 5 yet. I am hearing mixed reviews, but I also know that Imelda Staunton will bring her reserved subtle energy to her portrayal. I am not a monarchist in the slightest, and this series definitely does show the nuances and complexities of duty before everything else, and humanizes the figurehead as a person and her class as people. It doesn't mean that the monarchy isn't outdated, it just means heavy is the head that wears The Crown that stunts emotional growth, empathetic understanding of struggle, and leaves mental health causalities for duty's preservation.
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Fanny's
Claire Foy is extremely likeable.
The other two are more similar to the real life Elizabeth, I think. More cold and distant, harder to find as a personality.
I hope they bring back whoever played young Prince Philip as Harry during Meghan Times, because they look extremely similar. Will be fun to see how he deals with a different body language as well.
And that season 6 won't be as bootlicking as season 5, which was a giant anticlimax. The trailer ruled, the season sucked. And not thanks to the actors, they were all brilliant. Well, maybe not Charles. But the rest of them did a great job with a poor manuscript.
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Claire Foy is extremely likeable.
The other two are more similar to the real life Elizabeth, I think. More cold and distant, harder to find as a personality.
I hope they bring back whoever played young Prince Philip as Harry during Meghan Times, because they look extremely similar. Will be fun to see how he deals with a different body language as well.
And that season 6 won't be as bootlicking as season 5, which was a giant anticlimax. The trailer ruled, the season sucked. And not thanks to the actors, they were all brilliant. Well, maybe not Charles. But the rest of them did a great job with a poor manuscript.
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student6415
Claire Foy is the fan favorite for obvious reasons. She originated the role, was able to make it more her own, and set the high standard that Coleman and Staunton had to meet-which they did spectacularly. Foy also had the gift of time being on her side. Given that the people who watch the show were not alive yet or extremely too young to remember, theres more room for interpretation and creating the character. I feel Coleman and Staunton had more of the uphill battle. Meaning that when an actor approaches the age of the person theyre playing, theres going to more critiques and opinions about it.
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Claire Foy is the fan favorite for obvious reasons. She originated the role, was able to make it more her own, and set the high standard that Coleman and Staunton had to meet-which they did spectacularly. Foy also had the gift of time being on her side. Given that the people who watch the show were not alive yet or extremely too young to remember, theres more room for interpretation and creating the character. I feel Coleman and Staunton had more of the uphill battle. Meaning that when an actor approaches the age of the person theyre playing, theres going to more critiques and opinions about it.
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Cyberlucy
There are two scenes from S1 that inform the entire series. The last scene that you showed with the letter and the one at the end of the episode about the fog where Queen Mary drives home that she must become the living embodiment of the Crown in order to maintain the institution. This is what the whole show has been about. How QEII's devotion to duty made her think that was the direction that she had to go and then realizing after the death of Diana that she doesn't always have to be that. That times had changed and sometimes her people wanted her to be Elizabeth Mountbatten.
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There are two scenes from S1 that inform the entire series. The last scene that you showed with the letter and the one at the end of the episode about the fog where Queen Mary drives home that she must become the living embodiment of the Crown in order to maintain the institution. This is what the whole show has been about. How QEII's devotion to duty made her think that was the direction that she had to go and then realizing after the death of Diana that she doesn't always have to be that. That times had changed and sometimes her people wanted her to be Elizabeth Mountbatten.
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DRINK
Imelda is so underrated even with the small screen time she really gave it her best especially in the heartbreaking scenes of the struggle with the yacht, margaret, philip and QE. No offense to olivia but imelda is more closer to claire foys specially in mannerism. My favorite acting episode of her is probably annus horribilis season 5 while my favorite scene is her with her corgis on the ending of the episode 6.
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Imelda is so underrated even with the small screen time she really gave it her best especially in the heartbreaking scenes of the struggle with the yacht, margaret, philip and QE. No offense to olivia but imelda is more closer to claire foys specially in mannerism. My favorite acting episode of her is probably annus horribilis season 5 while my favorite scene is her with her corgis on the ending of the episode 6.
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Fama
Claire looked way too prettier than the real Elizabeth II. Olivia looked much taller and stronger in build than the actual Elizabeth II. But, Imelda looked like her twin but I preferred the performance of Claire more than the others. Btw, Olivia's topnotch acting skill made the character believable despite looking the least like Queen Elizabeth II.
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Claire looked way too prettier than the real Elizabeth II. Olivia looked much taller and stronger in build than the actual Elizabeth II. But, Imelda looked like her twin but I preferred the performance of Claire more than the others. Btw, Olivia's topnotch acting skill made the character believable despite looking the least like Queen Elizabeth II.
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simon
Imelda Staunton dressing up as H M The Queen is a joke. Miss Staunton was the village busy-body in Cranford. (Mr Carson should not have let her do this; it will ruin her career.
I have not watched The Crown as being of a certain age I have watched the truth over the last eighty years. I suppose it is made for the American market.
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Imelda Staunton dressing up as H M The Queen is a joke. Miss Staunton was the village busy-body in Cranford. (Mr Carson should not have let her do this; it will ruin her career.
I have not watched The Crown as being of a certain age I have watched the truth over the last eighty years. I suppose it is made for the American market.
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Sarla
I think all three were very good. they have all studied the Queen very well n it was a great great performance by all three. But I liked Claire Foy best as she looked more like Queen Elizabeth n super version of her Majesty. thank you so much for s wonderful educative n true values of Great Britain that were. in bygone years.
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I think all three were very good. they have all studied the Queen very well n it was a great great performance by all three. But I liked Claire Foy best as she looked more like Queen Elizabeth n super version of her Majesty. thank you so much for s wonderful educative n true values of Great Britain that were. in bygone years.
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Eszter
In season 1-2 I could believe I saw Queen Elizabeth on the screen. In season 3 and 4 I saw OC playing Queen Elizabeth with great professionalism, but I saw OC on the screen and not QEII. In season 4 ISs voice and talking was perfect, but I couldnt step away from the fact that she still looked like Dolores Umbridge.
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In season 1-2 I could believe I saw Queen Elizabeth on the screen. In season 3 and 4 I saw OC playing Queen Elizabeth with great professionalism, but I saw OC on the screen and not QEII. In season 4 ISs voice and talking was perfect, but I couldnt step away from the fact that she still looked like Dolores Umbridge.
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James
Imelda Staunton was the worst portrayal of the late Queen. She was utterly unauthentic and unconvincing. The other two actresses, Foyle and Coleman, were incredible. I truly felt like I was watching the actual queen. With Staunton, I felt like I was watching a dumpy old woman pretending to act like the Queen.
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Imelda Staunton was the worst portrayal of the late Queen. She was utterly unauthentic and unconvincing. The other two actresses, Foyle and Coleman, were incredible. I truly felt like I was watching the actual queen. With Staunton, I felt like I was watching a dumpy old woman pretending to act like the Queen.
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ProgressiveHeart
My best friend and I have been watching (all seasons) The Crown on Netflix. He brought up an interesting point. Why didnt they age the original actors (who started out as adults, obviously, rather than having different actors playing Elizabeth, Charles, and Margaret at the three stages portrayed?
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My best friend and I have been watching (all seasons) The Crown on Netflix. He brought up an interesting point. Why didnt they age the original actors (who started out as adults, obviously, rather than having different actors playing Elizabeth, Charles, and Margaret at the three stages portrayed?
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Stevie
I love Imelda as an actress but I did not like her portrayal of QEII. For me I just couldnt believe her words and actions; she just seemed so cold and unfeeling. This may have been what the real QEII was like but its not who I think she was. I did not like her. I did not feel she was very queen like.
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I love Imelda as an actress but I did not like her portrayal of QEII. For me I just couldnt believe her words and actions; she just seemed so cold and unfeeling. This may have been what the real QEII was like but its not who I think she was. I did not like her. I did not feel she was very queen like.
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Dan
There is nothing to compare, in the order of best to worse is exactly the timline of the actors that plaued lilibet from young to old, but saying that, they were all good at potraying the queen, but again, who else could play the queen as good as those 3 we had lol
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There is nothing to compare, in the order of best to worse is exactly the timline of the actors that plaued lilibet from young to old, but saying that, they were all good at potraying the queen, but again, who else could play the queen as good as those 3 we had lol
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Lord
I for some reason like Claire Foy and Olivia Coleman better than Imelda Staunton as the queen, but thats just me, i sort of lost interest mid season 5 with the crown even though i watch the hole thing but not with enthusiasm as i did the first 4 seasons.
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I for some reason like Claire Foy and Olivia Coleman better than Imelda Staunton as the queen, but thats just me, i sort of lost interest mid season 5 with the crown even though i watch the hole thing but not with enthusiasm as i did the first 4 seasons.
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Run2Yah
I think the actors did the best in S5 they had to work with and that includes Imelda. The writing just wasnt there this season. There was so much ground to cover in the 90s and a lot of key things were either glossed over or omitted entirely.
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I think the actors did the best in S5 they had to work with and that includes Imelda. The writing just wasnt there this season. There was so much ground to cover in the 90s and a lot of key things were either glossed over or omitted entirely.
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Sophie
For me it is Claire. Simply because of the accent. Sadly she didn't capture the sweetness of LIzzy's voice in her younger years, but I mean you have a voice and can't just change it, I get that. Otherwise Claire is the best: D
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For me it is Claire. Simply because of the accent. Sadly she didn't capture the sweetness of LIzzy's voice in her younger years, but I mean you have a voice and can't just change it, I get that. Otherwise Claire is the best: D
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Wosiewose
I think Claire had the best ability to convey a million different - often conflicting - thoughts and emotions in a very understated way. You could really see the struggle between Elizabeth Mountbatten and Elizabeth Regina.
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I think Claire had the best ability to convey a million different - often conflicting - thoughts and emotions in a very understated way. You could really see the struggle between Elizabeth Mountbatten and Elizabeth Regina.
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nina
My favourites: best Elizabeth: claire foy, worst: imelda staunton
Best phillip: Tobias Menzies
Best Margaret: Leslie Manville
Best Charles: Josh O Connor
Best Diana: not shure, maybe Elizabeth Debicki
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My favourites: best Elizabeth: claire foy, worst: imelda staunton
Best phillip: Tobias Menzies
Best Margaret: Leslie Manville
Best Charles: Josh O Connor
Best Diana: not shure, maybe Elizabeth Debicki
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Yolanda
privileged coterie of royals who use their money and influence not to set a high example but to embarrass the country and provide endless fodder for gossip magazines. They are a joke and a disgrace!
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privileged coterie of royals who use their money and influence not to set a high example but to embarrass the country and provide endless fodder for gossip magazines. They are a joke and a disgrace!
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La
None of them portray the Queens humour, but that's more to do with the scripts. Diana also had a great sense of humour and laughed alot. None of it portrayed. But this is all Fiction not Factual.
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None of them portray the Queens humour, but that's more to do with the scripts. Diana also had a great sense of humour and laughed alot. None of it portrayed. But this is all Fiction not Factual.
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LaReina
It made no sense for the transition to take place in 1964. One doesnt give birth in youth then morph into middle aged dowdiness. My only grievance with the transitions between Series 2 & 3.
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It made no sense for the transition to take place in 1964. One doesnt give birth in youth then morph into middle aged dowdiness. My only grievance with the transitions between Series 2 & 3.
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Krystal
They should have let Claire play the entire show. They could have used makeup to make her look older. It was hard to stick with the show when the characters kept changing. Not a good move.
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They should have let Claire play the entire show. They could have used makeup to make her look older. It was hard to stick with the show when the characters kept changing. Not a good move.
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Vicious
I'm sorry but I just can't stand Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth. I thought it was a mistake from the day it was announced. She's just not right. Dolores Umbridge is playing the Queen!
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I'm sorry but I just can't stand Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth. I thought it was a mistake from the day it was announced. She's just not right. Dolores Umbridge is playing the Queen!
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Julie
Olivia Coleman with the Prime Minister and Helena Bonham Carter and President Johnson at the white House telling the dirty limericks will always always be my favorite scene from the Crown.
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Olivia Coleman with the Prime Minister and Helena Bonham Carter and President Johnson at the white House telling the dirty limericks will always always be my favorite scene from the Crown.
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David
Clare Foy was really very good. She should have been kept on for series 3 and 4. Olivia Coleman was quite awful and nothing at all like the real Queen. Imelda Staunton is so much better.
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Clare Foy was really very good. She should have been kept on for series 3 and 4. Olivia Coleman was quite awful and nothing at all like the real Queen. Imelda Staunton is so much better.
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Al. N.
Claire by far because she has the most difficult acting job. Simultaneously, she had to show the innocence of youth while rapidly learning her new permanent and final position as Queen
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Claire by far because she has the most difficult acting job. Simultaneously, she had to show the innocence of youth while rapidly learning her new permanent and final position as Queen
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Morgan
All 3 ladies did a fantastic job Imelda has the situation of season 5 coming after she died as well as portraying an older Elizabeth people recognize more I am enjoying it thoroughly.
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All 3 ladies did a fantastic job Imelda has the situation of season 5 coming after she died as well as portraying an older Elizabeth people recognize more I am enjoying it thoroughly.
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kay
Imelda is not my favorite actor for the queen. to be honest, I didn't care for the actor playing prince Phillip or Diana, but I love the actress playing princess Margaret is amazing!
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Imelda is not my favorite actor for the queen. to be honest, I didn't care for the actor playing prince Phillip or Diana, but I love the actress playing princess Margaret is amazing!
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Neil
Claire is my favorite. The looks she would give, also how innocent she was. The second actress COLEMAN phenomenal. Haven't watched 5th season all the way through yet
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Claire is my favorite. The looks she would give, also how innocent she was. The second actress COLEMAN phenomenal. Haven't watched 5th season all the way through yet
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