Josh O’Connor has said the impact of losing your anonymity is sometimes “underestimated” as he reflected on how his life changed after starring in The Crown.
The British actor, 33, won an Emmy and a Golden Globe for his portrayal of the King during his younger years in the Netflix royal drama.
He featured in seasons three and four, playing opposite Emma Corrin who portrayed Diana, Princess of Wales in the latter.
This week on #GQHYPE: Josh O’Connor is the king of the court https://t.co/VhtcDRFDp8 pic.twitter.com/oUra3FvLO5
— GQ Magazine (@GQMagazine) August 30, 2023
Reflecting on going from relative anonymity to being photographed in public and questioned on his views of the royal family, O’Connor told GQ Hype magazine: “It was a f*****-up time. I found it so impactful, people stopping me.
“You want to be in stuff that’s successful and seen, but I think sometimes we underestimate how powerful even a slight loss of anonymity can be.”
The actor did not initially want to audition for the role but he became intrigued by it after reading the season three script, which sees Charles stepping into his role as the Prince of Wales.
Asked his thoughts on the King’s coronation earlier this year, O’Connor said: “I felt really happy for (Charles) because it must feel like his whole life has led to that moment.
“I’m sure it’s the icing on the cake to put a really expensive hat on in a nice cathedral.”
Since The Crown, O’Connor has featured in a number of projects, including the 2022 Irish drama Aisha, the upcoming romantic drama film La Chimera and sports rom-com Challengers alongside Zendaya.
He added: “What I was doing in my career before The Crown – I just wanted to carry on doing that.”
O’Connor also revealed that he acted in a production of Bugsy Malone at school to impress fellow student Tahliah Barnett, who went on to become musician FKA Twigs.
“I really shouldn’t be saying this, but it’s hilarious. I was in a band called Orange Output basically to try and get Twigs to go out with me,” he added.
The actor said that he does not think she knows who he is, but when asked, Twigs told GQ Hype: “I’m very flattered that he tried to do that because I was definitely not cool and not particularly popular.”