Claire Foy thinks Olivia Colman will make an "amazing" Queen Elizabeth.

Claire Foy

Claire Foy

The 33-year-old actress will step aside from her lead role in Netflix biographical drama 'The Crown' at the end of the second series to make way for the 'Broadchurch' star, and the brunette beauty thinks casting bosses have made the perfect choice.

However, Claire admitted it has been tough to keep the news quiet until it was made public this week because she was so "excited" about it.

She told 'Entertainment Tonight': "[I've known about Colman's casting for] months. It was really cruel.

"I've known for a really long time and I've been excited for a really long time. We've spoken and I just think she's the most extraordinary actress and she's also an incredibly wonderful human being, so i just think it's great. It's amazing.

"I just can't wait to see what she does with it. The part's not mine - it never was - it goes on and lives on. So, I just can't think of anyone better."

The British actress insists Olivia "doesn't need" any advice from her on taking on the role because everyone who has played the 91-year-old British monarch will have their own version of her.

She said: "[The queen has] had the most incredible career, and that's the thing, it's everyone's own experience.

"I think Helen Mirren probably had a completely different experience. The part's been done before. And Kristin Scott Thomas, and all the other people who played her in different incarnations. I just think it's not anything for me to advise. It's not mine anymore. It's hers!"

Claire and her co-star, Matt Smith - who plays Prince Philip - found shooting the second series of the drama "bittersweet" because they knew their time on the show was coming to an end.

She said: "It wasn't bittersweet really. Knowing that we were only going to do two series just meant that we enjoyed every single moment.

"That was the beauty of it, that we never took it for granted."

And as for what fans can expect from the upcoming second series, Claire warned fans it can be "hard" viewing.

She said: "You can look forward to a lot of Matt Smith in this series, there's a lot of Philip, which is amazing. It's such an incredibly story and he's brilliant [but] there's some hard moments. It's not as romantic and cheerful as the first series, unfortunately."

Tagged in