The 54-year-old actor, who portrays King Charles on the Netflix drama, also explains the reason why he didn't like filming the particular scene with his son Senan West.
- Dec 4, 2023
AceShowbiz - Dominic West didn't want his son playing the role of Prince William in the final season of "The Crown". The 54-year-old actor portrays King Charles on the Netflix drama when the royal was Prince of Wales and his 14-year-old son Senan West came onboard to play his onscreen son on series five, however, Dominic didn't want to act alongside Senan in the final season which features a heartbreaking scene in which Charles breaks the news of the death of the teenager's mother Diana, Princess of Wales.
In an interview with Radio Times, Dominic explained, "I didn't fancy doing the scene at Balmoral, telling a boy his mother has died. They invited Senan back because he did such a good job but I did slightly baulk at that. It was unfair of me, because he did want to do it."
Rufus Kampa and Ed McVey took on the role of William on series six with the pair playing the royal at different stages of his life. Dominic previously insisted he urged he enjoyed working with his son on his acting debut and he urged Senan to make the most of such a golden opportunity. He told Town and Country magazine, "[I told him] 'Do you know how lucky you are? Bloody lucky!'"
He also urged him to learn from acting opposite Imelda Staunton, who plays Queen Elizabeth. Dominic told Senan, "This woman's amazing. Listen and enjoy and learn." Dominic added of working with Senan, "What was great [was it was] shortcut to a sort of tactile intimacy that you have with your kids that no one else has."
He went on to defend the show's portrayal of the royals, insisting it has long been the norm to scrutinise the country's rulers. The actor added, "Who wears the crown has been a legitimate subject for dramatisation since well before Shakespeare. We're bowing to these people, who are they? What are they doing? Do they deserve our reverence? Frankly, the monarchy's been through wars. If we can't get through a TV show, then it's not on very firm foundations."
