Jonny Lee Miller To Play Former British Prime Minister John Major In 'The Crown'
Sick Boy from “Trainspotting” has received the royal seal of approval. Sort of.
British-born actor Jonny Lee Miller — aka Angelina Jolie’s ex-husband — has been cast as former British Prime Minister John Major in the fifth season of Netflix’s hit show “The Crown.”
Jonny Lee Miller will play John Major in the fifth season of The Crown. pic.twitter.com/woMcTQtUmb
— The Crown (@TheCrownNetflix) June 25, 2021
Miller, 48, rose to prominence with his 1995 role in “Hackers” alongside his future wife Jolie. His 1996 turn as Simon “Sick Boy” Williamson in the film adaption of author Irvine Welsh’s novel “Trainspotting” about the Edinburgh drug scene turned him into a household name.
Filming for the fifth season of “The Crown” is set to start in July.
It will reportedly cover the 1990s when the royal family was rocked by the divorces of Diana and Charles and Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson — and Diana’s death in 1997.
The queen went so far as to describe 1992 as “an annus horribilis.”
Major succeeded Margaret Thatcher in leading the United Kingdom from 1990 until 1997, when he lost the general election to then-Labour leader Tony Blair.
Miller joins other new cast members Elizabeth Debicki (as Princess Diana), Dominic West (Prince Charles), Imelda Staunton (Queen Elizabeth II), Jonathan Pryce (Duke of Edinburgh) and Lesley Manville (Princess Margaret).
The announcement caused quite a stir on Twitter:
Doppelgangers pic.twitter.com/F8m3l5O65o
— Mugs Games (@mugs_games) June 25, 2021
The casting of The Crown has always been amazing. This is their biggest gamble yet. Lol I just don’t see it. But I’ll bet they’ll pull it off. They just don’t miss.
— Mark Jones (@markjVFXGAMING) June 25, 2021
... and in s6 Jamie Dornan will play Boris Johnson. https://t.co/8M6MkvANja
— Adam Roberts (@arrroberts) June 25, 2021
Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson in discussions to play Gordon Brown in Season 7. https://t.co/VpQi3rYeLA
— Nick Hern Books (@NickHernBooks) June 25, 2021
There's people out there getting annoyed at black actors in period dramas cos 'it's not historically accurate' and here's Jonny Lee Miller cast as John Major 😂 https://t.co/jJk8twcYgJ
— Nooruddean (@BeardedGenius) June 25, 2021
Have you guys... Like... Seen a picture of John Major
— a different baldwin (@iscotchdotca) June 25, 2021
You already made me have weird feelings about Thatcher and now you want me fancying John Major?? https://t.co/PKcPNGZabD
— Emma Kelly (@TooManyEmmas) June 25, 2021
Yeah why not pic.twitter.com/Y3S5gD91fk
— John 💜 NHS supporter (@nobbysoldboots) June 25, 2021
Hair and Make Up must be one hell of a department. With a clean shaven face and some hair gel I think it might work, we'll have to see
— Meagan🇮🇪 (@SugarWereGolden) June 25, 2021
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This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.