THE Crown star Gillian Anderson has bluntly refuted calls for a disclaimer tagged onto the Netflix series – insisting the plotline could have been “so much worse.”
The X Files actress joined the cast of the iconic show for the current season four, playing the UK’s first female Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher.
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While Gillian‘s role made a striking debut – dividing Netflix viewers with some claiming her portrayal of the Iron Lady was “over the top” – it was the explosive nature of Prince Charles and Diana’s relationship, including the latter’s eating disorders, which caused controversy.
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden praised the royal drama as a “beautifully produced work of fiction”, but said viewers could be in danger of mistaking it for fact without a warning at the beginning of each episode.
Yet in response, the streaming giant gave the thumbs down to any notion of specifying that – while the plot is based on the real-life UK royal family – some of it’s specific content wasn’t genuine, in the form of a disclaimer.
Gillian, who previously dated show creator Peter Morgan, is in firm agreement with the pay-for broadcaster and recently addressed the debacle in a chat with InStyle.
She told the magazine: “It’s so obvious that we’re doing a TV show and that these are characters based on real-life people.
“To me, it just felt like drama for the sake of drama. But I get that there are a lot of people invested.
“Yes, there’s a lot of stuff that could have been written about — but was not — that is so much worse than what ended up in the show.
“There has been kindness extended in certain areas where it didn’t have to be.”
Gillian’s co-star Emma Corrin has also blasted the calls for the disclaimer as “mad.”
In December, The Celeb Report Online reported how Netflix revealed a fresh statement on The Crown‘s controversy.
Its head honchos stated to Mail on Sunday: “We have always presented The Crown as a drama, and we have every confidence our members understand it’s a work of fiction that’s broadly based on historical events.
“As a result, we have no plans – and see no need – to add a disclaimer.”
It comes amid concerns fictional scenes for the fourth series written by the The Crown’s creator Peter are doing damage to the monarchy because viewers believe they are true.
A friend of Prince Charles even referred to the portrayal of the Royal family as “sinister” and “highly sophisticated propaganda”.
Speaking to the Mail on Sunday, the Prince’s pal reportedly said: “It is quite sinister the way that Morgan is clearly using light entertainment to drive a very overt republican agenda and people just don’t see it.
“They have been lured in over the first few series until they can’t see how they are being manipulated.
“It is highly sophisticated propaganda.”
The fourth series of The Crown, which was released last year, portrays Princess Diana‘s eating disorder and Prince Charles’ affair with the then Camilla Parker Bowles.
As her marriage to the heir to the throne crumbles, Diana, played by Emma Corrin, 24, is seen violently vomiting into a toilet on multiple occasions.
But some scenes – including the false suggestion that the affair between Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles continued throughout his marriage to Diana – have been invented.
