Helena Bonham Carterhas waded into the ongoing debate around whether Netflix’sThe Crownshould come with an explicit “fiction” label for viewers' benefit. Bonham Carter recently ended her run as Princess Margaret onThe Crown, playing a fictional version of Queen Elizabeth II’s (Olivia Colman) younger sister in Seasons 3 and 4. For the past four seasons, thePeter Morgan-created series has revisited the lives of the British royal family while giving focus to Queen Elizabeth II. The series begins with the Queen’s ascent to the throne and has followed her through her reign in the 20th century.
As reported byThe Hollywood Reporter, Bonham Carter touched down on the topic in a recent episode of the official podcast aboutThe Crown. During the discussion, Bonham Carter notedThe Crownhas a “moral responsibility” to make sure it’s explicitly clear to viewers that the Netflix show is a dramatic rendering of the lives of the British royal family. In doing so, Bonham Carter goes on to say, labelingThe Crownas fiction would help viewers distinguish between “our version” and “the version.”
“It is dramatized,” Bonham Carter explains. “I do feel very strongly, because I think we have a moral responsibility to say, ‘Hang on guys, this is not… it’s not a drama-doc, we’re making a drama.’ So they are two different entities.”
The debate around whether or notThe Crownshould come with a “fiction” label kicked off when the suggestion was made by UK culture secretaryOliver Dowden, also a member of the country’s Conservative Party. As reported byThe Guardian, Dowden framed the label as a “health warning,” going on to explain in an interview that “it’s a beautifully produced work of fiction, so as with other TV productions, Netflix should be very clear at the beginning it is just that […] Without this, I fear a generation of viewers who did not live through these events may mistake fiction for fact.”
Dowden’s comments have sparked conversation in the UK, where the press has already reacted strongly to Season 4’s depiction of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (Gillian Anderson) as well as Prince Charles (Josh O’Connor) and the late Diana Spencer’s (Emma Corrin) marriage (viaThe New York Times). It’s worth noting thatThe Crownhas never portrayed itself entirely factual — something that would be evident to viewers as they watch scenes featuring members of the royal family play out behind closed doors — and where no members of the press would be allowed in reality. Furthermore,The Crownis, in fact, labeled as a “drama” on Netflix, not “documentary” or “non-fiction.” As such, one would hope that viewers are discerning enough to distinguish between the categories before pressing play.
At this time, Netflix has not commented on Dowden’s suggestion, nor has the streamer indicated if it will put a label onThe Crownin the near future.
The CrownSeasons 1-4 are now available to stream on Netflix. For more, read our interview withstars Josh O’ConnorandEmma Corrin about the latest season.
