Entertainment
The Crown under fire for filming Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana ‘lying in open casket’ after death-Pierra Willix-Entertainment – Metro
‘It is obscene and should be banned from broadcast’.
The Crown’s next season is facing criticism for another controversial scene (Picture: Netflix)
The Crown has generated plenty of controversy for its retelling of certain parts of history, but a decision to show Elizabeth Debicki lying in an open casket as she plays the deceased Princess Diana has sparked outrage from those on set.
Australian actress Elizabeth took over the role of the People’s Princess in season 5 of the Netflix drama, which was released last month.
Filming is currently underway for the sixth and final season, and has already been spotted filming the final moments of Diana’s life as she and partner Dodi Fayed were being chased by paparazzi in Paris.
Now there are reports that production has gone one step further and are currently filming scenes that show ‘distressing’ moments including Diana being covered in blood in hospital, and in an open casket after her death.
Some on set on Tuesday revealed just what unfolded as they watched on.
‘They actually made Elizabeth climb into a coffin and play dead as Diana,’ one witness told the Sun.
Elizabeth Debicki has been seen lying in an open casket on set (Picture: PA)
‘Viewers will see a French priest administering the last rites for Diana as she is pronounced deceased.’
They added that Prince Charles — played by Dominic West — enters the room and is in a ‘floods of tears’.
In the scene, he reportedly notices that Diana is missing an earring and focuses on making sure it is found while he is hysterical and ‘grief envelops him’.
‘Diana’s two sisters then join Charles and there is wailing and more tears around the dead body in the open coffin,’ the source said.
As one onlooker said, ‘everyone was very uncomfortable during the shoot’.
‘The bosses went way over the top to chase ratings,’ they claimed.
‘It is obscene and should be banned from broadcast.’
Elizabeth took over the role of Diana in season 5 of The Crown (Picture: Netflix)
Other scenes filmed in a Paris hospital theatre are said to show Diana ‘lying on a table with medics frantically surrounding her’.
The production are said to have hired real surgeons for the scenes, while nurses are also seen around the lifeless body.
‘There is blood everywhere — on the surgeons’ gowns and gloves, and on the door,’ they added.
The Netflix drama has already been seen filming the crash which claimed Diana’s life (Picture: Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)
The source added that some cast members were ‘visibly upset at what they were being asked to do’.
They also said that there were concerns that Prince William and Harry could be affected by the graphic scenes.
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In October a Netflix spokesperson said the exact moment of the crash impact will not be shown and that the death of Diana would be handled with the ‘utmost respect and care’.
Debicki also added that creator Peter Morgan and the entire cast and crew were also doing ‘their utmost to really handle everything with such sensitivity and truth and complexity’.
Metro.co.uk has contacted Netflix for comment.
The Crown is streaming on Netflix.
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