Dominic West says his head was ‘split’ acting opposite his real-life son as Charles and William on The Crown-Tori Brazier-Entertainment – Metro

Dominic described it as ‘very moving’ acting opposite his teenage son, Senan (Picture: Daniel Leal/AFP)

Dominic West has said it was ‘very moving’ acting opposite his real-life son Senan on season 5 of The Crown as he shared that he had also felt his ‘head split’ between real life and their characters in more emotional scenes.

West stars as Prince Charles in the latest batch of episodes available on Netflix, opposite Elizabeth Debicki as his late ex-wife Princess Diana.

Other newcomers after the cast change include Imelda Staunton and Sir Jonathan Pryce as the late Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, Lesley Manville as the Queen’s sister, Princess Margaret, Olivia Williams as Camilla Parker-Bowles and Jonny Lee Miller as former Prime Minister Sir John Major.

The season covers events from 1990 until 1997, including the end of the Wales’ marriage, as well as their lives as parents to sons William and Harry.

Senan, 14, whose casting was announced last November, appears in the final episodes of the season as an older, teenage version of William, inheriting the role from Timothee Sambor, 11.

The Wire star West, 53, revealed that he had never seen his son act at all ahead of working with him on the show.

Senan, Dominic and Catherine West at The Crown season five’s world premiere on Tuesday night (Picture: David M. Benett/Dave Benett/WireImage)

A portrait of the royal family from the drama, showing Senan next to his father (back row, far left) (Picture: Keith Bernstein/Netflix)

‘It was very moving because he had never acted before because Covid had stopped any school plays,’ West told Metro.co.uk and other press ahead of the season premiere.

‘I hadn’t seen him act and he had this amazing innocence to him that was extraordinary to watch, as well as the fact that obviously he’s my boy!’

Delving into the pros and cons, he shared that while physical intimacy was easier, it was harder for him to play opposite his son in more emotional scenes.

The new season covers 1990 to 1997, and the further breakdown of Charles and Diana’s marriage (Picture: Netflix)

‘It’s very difficult when you act with children to have a physical intimacy, but with [Senan] it was not a question, which made it much easier. 

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‘But then I found when it was more emotional, when the scene was more difficult, it made it much more difficult because you were slightly split in your head between, “Okay, we are acting this part but that’s a bit weird, isn’t it? I’m talking about your mum but not your real mum.”

‘So that I found quite difficult but generally it was really moving and I think he enjoyed it – he didn’t look like he was, but actually he was loving it!’

The Crown, seasons 1-5, is available to stream on Netflix now.

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