Dominic West Is Glad The Crown Is Over For One Reason
Dominic West, who portrayed Prince Charles on Netflix's "The Crown," isn't losing any sleep now that the acclaimed series is over. On the contrary, the opposite is true. The actor was brought in to take over the role of now-King Charles for his predecessor, Josh O'Connor, in "The Crown" Season 5, and he continued to portray the real-life figure through the beloved, Peter Morgan-created series' 6th and final season. In the weeks since Netflix released the final episodes of "The Crown" in December 2023, the show's fans have been understandably busy mourning its conclusion, too, but not West.
According to People, the actor opened up about how relieved he feels now that "The Crown" is over during a recent appearance on BBC Radio 4's "Today." While promoting his new theater production of Arthur Miller's "A View from the Bridge," West confessed that he finds it refreshing to be able to spend less of his time discussing the British royal family. "It's such a relief to now go back to theater and not have to talk about the monarchy anymore," he jokingly remarked.
In the same interview, West admitted that he felt a lot of stress over the level of attention and scrutiny he received for his performance on the Netflix series. "All reactions worry me. You know, I read all the reviews and I spent two days in bed," West said. "So yes, I'm a sensitive soul. I worry about what people think."
Dominic West 'loved' being a part of The Crown
Dominic West's comments suggest that working on "The Crown" was more of a stressful than a pleasant experience for him. That said, lest fans of the series think otherwise, it's worth noting that the actor has also acknowledged some of the more positive aspects of his time on the Netflix series. Indeed, while speaking with one of the hosts of BBC Radio 4's "Today," West pointedly complimented the work of "The Crown" creator Peter Morgan. "You don't turn down a Peter Morgan script very easily," he noted. "He's such a great writer and it's such a great show and I love being on it."
"The Crown" Season 6 notably ends in the mid-2000s with the marriage of West's Charles to Camilla Parker Bowles (Olivia Williams). It not-so-subtly foreshadows the September 2022 death of Charles' mother, Queen Elizabeth II, but it doesn't actually go so far as to recreate his May 2023 coronation as king of the United Kingdom. Despite that, it seems like West still found great joy in getting to immerse himself fully in his real-life character's royal world.
"I loved wearing the clothes. I loved driving the cars, and I loved having people bow to me. It's an absolutely wonderful feeling," he laughingly revealed, before adding, "I miss it." Given just how popular "The Crown" was, as well as the length of its seven-year run, it seems safe to assume that West isn't the only one who feels the series' absence right now — even if he isn't quite as heartbroken over its conclusion as some of its fans.