How do The Crown actors copy the British royals? Netflix show’s coaches share their research on the looks, poses and voices of Elizabeth, Diana and others
- Diana spoke in a minor key. Queen Elizabeth never looked tense. These are some of the mannerisms that performances coaches for The Crown had to note for actors
- The coaches walk us through their research methods, and explain why there are no impressions on the show and how they define the latest portrayal of the queen
With the final season of The Crown about to launch, the show’s performance coaches have lifted the lid on how the cast perfect their portrayals of the British royal family.
As part of the research for the Netflix drama, William Conacher says he and cast members watched footage of the royal family with no volume to capture their mannerisms.
“First thing I say is nobody needs to do an impression and I don’t believe anybody ever has on this show,” says Conacher, the supervising dialect coach.
“It’s more about analysing what the face does, what the mouth does, what the head does, and then letting your voice come through that shape.”
“If we’re talking about the queen, if you don’t open your mouth, if you don’t let your lips move much at all, do not tense, just let there be very little distance,” Conacher explains.