Jonny Lee Miller is the latest actor to join the cast of The Crown season 5, as UK Prime Minister John Major. Netflix's hit historical drama follows the reign of Queen Elizabeth II with all the scandals in between. The Crown season 4 spanned from 1979 to the early '90s and mainly revolved around Prince Charles' early relationship with Princess Diana, their fairytale wedding, and the first cracks in their marriage.
The Crown season 5 will feature a new set of cast members, which includes veteran actress Imelda Staunton as the Queen, Jonathan Pryce as Prince Philip, and Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana. Aside from the royal family, British prime ministers play a central role in The Crown as the series attempts to depict Queen Elizabeth's working relationship with the Parliament. Season 4 saw X-Files star Gillian Anderson take on the role of Margaret Thatcher, who was often at odds with Her Majesty on certain policies. Now, it seems season 5 will feature another Prime Minister.
Miller joins The Crown's new ensemble as John Major, Netflix announced via Twitter. The 48-year-old actor is known for his role as the modern-day Sherlock Holmes in the long-running CBS drama Elementary. Miller also starred in successful films such as Trainspotting (1996) and Hackers (1995). Take a look at Netflix's announcement below.
While Netflix's curt announcement did not reveal any details to the extent of Miller's role, viewers of The Crown can derive clues from history. Prime Minister Major's tenure lasted only seven years, from 1990 until his resignation in 1997. Despite the character's short stint, Miller will certainly have big shoes to fill as he comes in after Anderson's impressive performance as Thatcher. Anderson's work was widely praised and earned the actress several recognitions, including a Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild award.
While Major's tenure was short and not as impactful as other British prime ministers, Miller enters the show at a pivotal moment. The Crown season 5, the series' penultimate installment, is expected to dramatize some of the most scandalous and shocking events in the British royal family's history. During this period, Prince Charles and Princess Diana's marriage crumbled and ultimately led to divorce, but not before the two parties gave out bombshell interviews to the media. Princess Diana's untimely death in 1997 was both truly tragic and changed the monarchy forever. These events will surely make for one exciting and explosive season as The Crown nears its conclusion.
Source: Netflix/Twitter