Imelda Staunton in real life (left) and Staunton as Queen Elizabeth II on "The Crown" (right).
Pacific Press/Getty Images; Alex Bailey/Netflix
Imelda Staunton will play an older Queen Elizabeth II in seasons five and six of "The Crown."
Netflix suspended filming of the royal drama following the monarch's death on September 8.
Staunton has played charming divorcées, whimsical pixies, and society matrons throughout her long career.
Janine in "Crush" (2001)Staunton plays a police superintendent in the early aughts rom-com.
Photo by Andy Butterton - PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images)
Staunton is a loyal friend and hopeless romantic in the movie about love and friendship. She helps her friend Kate (Andie MacDowell) navigate tough situations while maintaining an open heart.
Vera Drake in "Vera Drake" (2004)"Vera Drake" has themes that are still a part of mainstream discourse today.
New Line Cinema
Staunton plays a woman from the working class who breaks the law by providing access to abortions in this period piece. The story is set in 1950s London.
Dolores Umbridge in "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" (2007) and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1" (2010)Dolores Umbridge is the Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher at the fictional Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Warner Bros.
Staunton brought an eerie chill to her role as the prejudiced educator with no patience for muggles.
Mrs. Lovett in "Sweeney Todd" (2012)Staunton is a well-respected theater actor.
Knotgrass in "Maleficent" (2014)Staunton was one of three pixies.
Disney
Staunton's frazzled energy as a princess-guarding pixie marks the moment perfectly.
Sandra Abbott in "Finding Your Feet" (2017)Sandra Abbott branches out after she catches her husband being unfaithful.
Entertainment One, StudioCanal UK
She worked with her close friend Timothy Spall on this rom-com about facing the second act of your life after a setback. Her character reconnects with family, seeks new creative outlets, and opens herself to a new relationship after her husband commits infidelity.
Mary in "Flesh and Bone" (2020)Staunton plays Mary in the ITV mini-series.
PBS
Staunton shines as the nosy neighbor Mary in "Flesh & Blood." The character spills secrets that impact a trio of recently bereaved siblings.
Lady Maud Bagshaw in the first "Downton Abbey" film (2019) and its sequel, "Downton Abbey: A New Era" (2022)Staunton plays Lady Maud Bagshaw, a cousin of the Crawley family with a grudge against its matriarch.
