Paul Bettany in talks to play Prince Philip in The Crown
By Ariba Bhuvad
The Crown: Paul Bettany may be trading in his superhero days for the royal treatment.
Looks like the days of playing Jarvis/Vision may be behind Avengers actor, Paul Bettany. The star is currently in talks to take on the role of Prince Philip on Netflix’s The Crown. He would take over for Matt Smith who embodied this role over the last two seasons alongside Claire Foy, who played Queen Elizabeth II.
Smith has portrayed Philip from the years beginning with his and Queen Elizabeth’s marriage in 1947, to 1964 and the birth of the royal couple’s fourth son, Prince Edward.
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The Crown hopes to cover multiple decades of Queen Elizabeth II’s life, therefore this transition comes as a result of the story’s progression. Creator Paul Morgan has alluded to this shift in casting for quite some time, especially as they cover the later years of the monarchy.
Season 3 has already cast Olivia Colman (Broadchurch), who will take over the role of Her Royal Highness. Helena Bonham Carter has also been cast in the role of Princess Margaret, replacing Vanessa Kirby. No official news has been released regarding the return of The Crown for multiple seasons.
With Bettany making his Star Wars debut this May, when Solo: A Star Wars Story hits theaters, adding the role of Prince Philip to his already impressive resume would be quite the feather in his cap…or jewel in his crown, to pardon the terrible pun.
Next: Claire Foy is leaving ‘The Crown’
While the world awaits on official casting news, seasons one and two are now available to watch on Netflix.
H/T – Entertainment Weekly