Michael Sheen Transforms into Prince Andrew in First-Look Photos

Amazon Prime’s A Very Royal Scandal is set to premiere next month, and on Tuesday, they unveiled the first images of Michael Sheen portraying Prince Andrew. The series will detail the Duke of York’s infamous Newsnight interview, which has since been described as a “car crash.”

The highly controversial interview, conducted by Emily Maitlis, aimed to shed light on Prince Andrew’s affiliations with Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted paedophile. During the 45-minute conversation, Prince Andrew made startling claims, such as his inability to sweat and the assertion that during the time he was alleged to have met Virginia Guiffre, he was actually at a Pizza Express in Woking with his daughter, Princess Beatrice.

For this three-part series, Michael Sheen, known for his role in Twilight, has taken on the role of the royal, showcasing a striking transformation. Two stills from the show feature Sheen as Andrew, reenacting the interview and giving a speech. The actor’s portrayal, complete with flat grey hair and a blue suit, captures the essence of Andrew, even down to the crossed legs during the interview.

The cast also includes Ruth Wilson as Emily Maitlis, Joanna Scanlan as Andrew’s former private secretary Amanda Thirsk, Alex Jennings as Sir Edward Young, the late Queen’s private secretary, and Claire Rushbrook as Sarah Ferguson. Eanna Hardwicke joins them as BBC Newsnight editor Stewart Maclean.

Amazon Prime’s series, premiering on 17 September, is the second project this year focusing on the interview. Earlier this year, Netflix released Scoop on 5 April 2024, featuring Rufus Sewell as Andrew, Gillian Anderson as Emily Maitlis, and Billie Piper as Sam McAllister. The Scoop cast was rounded out by stars such as Keeley Hawes, Connor Swindells, and Richard Goulding.

One notable distinction between these projects is that Emily Maitlis serves as an executive producer for Amazon Prime’s version, whereas she had minimal involvement in Netflix’s adaptation. “I’ve left them very much to do their own thing because I think the last thing they want is me peeking around the edges offering my [views],” Maitlis shared. She noted that Netflix’s version is based on a fictional account, exploring different angles and aspects compared to Amazon’s presentation.

Addressing any rumored rivalry between the two versions, Maitlis dismissed the notion, saying, “I think that probably is overplayed, overstated. This [the Amazon series] will be a very different beast.”

She added, “I’m sure there’s room for both. It’s unreal that there is all this interest and all this excitement.”

Source: Getty Images, Netflix