Who Is Ed McVey? All We Know about the Actor Who Plays Prince William on 'The Crown'
Since landing the role of Prince William on "The Crown," avid watchers asked, "Who is Ed McVey?" Besides being Netflix's new star, Ed McVey is also an accomplished theater actor who resembles the Prince.
Netflix's highly acclaimed television show, "The Crown," recently released teaser photos of Prince William and Kate Middleton from its upcoming season.
Actor Ed McVey will bring to life the character William while Meg Bellamy will portray Kate Middleton. Interestingly, McVey has an uncanny resemblance to the Prince.
Prince William and Kate Middleton at RAF Cranwell on April 11, 2008, in Cranwell, England. | Source: Getty Images
The famous series, with only one more season in its pipeline, projects to show royal events from the late 1990s until the early 2000s.
"The Crown" is set to introduce young Middleton from her early years in a relationship with William while studying at St. Andrews University in Scotland.
Fans of "The Crown" Say Ed McVey Looks More like Prince William than Prince William Himself
Since being cast as William, fans have become increasingly interested in McVey. They particularly noted the actor's strong resemblance to the royal and praised "The Crown" for its great casting. Several fans took to Twitter with their sentiments, with one posting:
"He looks more like Prince William than Prince William."
Many compared McVey's look on the set to William's actual photo, wearing similar clothing. "He looks like just the picture of William that we all swooned over before we found out how who he really is," another fan said.
"The Crown" Is Ed McVey's First Big Acting Project
His significant role on the famous series is McVey's first major on-screen project, and reportedly his only television acting credit thus far.
However, McVey has done several theater productions, including "Pains of Youth," "The Wild Duck," "The Last Days of Don Juan," "Rosmerholm," "Government Inspector," and "A Midsummer Night's Dream."
As a young actor, there is little information about McVey known to the public. He reportedly studied at the Drama Center in London and landed the role of William because of his talent for speaking with the Queen's English accent.
Meg Bellamy Will Play Kate Middleton on the Show - Get To Know Her
Unfortunately, McVey's on-screen love interest, Bellamy, isn't receiving the same positive attention for her casting. "William's casting is absolutely perfect. Not sure about Kate's," one Twitter user said.
"The Crown" is also a milestone in Bellamy's career as it is her first professional role. Similarly, not much is known about the Berkshire, United Kingdom-born actress.
Bellamy, who excelled in drama at St. Crispin's school, submitted an audition tape for the part and landed the highly-coveted role. She celebrated her success on Instagram, telling fans she would work hard to bring Middleton justice.
Since premiering in 2016, the television series has been a well-loved and somewhat controversial production. It received backlash and criticism after covering much of the late Queen Elizabeth's life – from her marriage to her reign – with some historical inaccuracies.
A few notable stars have well portrayed Queen Elizabeth in the series, including Imelda Staunton, who is happily married to "Downton Abbey" star Jim Carter. Staunton starred as the Queen in "The Crown's" fifth season.
Before her role in the series, Staunton starred in several other on-screen productions, including the "Harry Potter" film franchise and the "Paddington" movies. She is also an acclaimed theater star who received an Oliver nomination for her performance in "The Beggar's Opera."
Besides Staunton, Tobias Menzies also appeared in the historical drama as Prince Philip for seasons three and four. During his time on the show, Menzies won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor for a Drama Series and dedicated the award to Michael K. Williams.
Like Staunton, Menzies is an accomplished actor trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. However, unlike the Hollywood veteran, Menzies is not married.