Working on 'The Crown' is like creating a painting: Benjamin Caron

" Crown" is t a biopic r is it a "lookalike show", says co-director Benjamin Caron, comparing series on British royals, planet's most famous and endlessly written about family, to creating a painting or portrait. idea is to get to essence of characters and find what is "bubbling under surface", Caron said about Emmy-winning Netflix series, which premiered in 2016 and has been praised for its unflinching yet balanced portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II, her family and her long reign.

" series is t a biopic or a lookalike show. We are trying to get essence of se well-kwn figures. Working on this show is like creating a painting or a portrait," Caron told PTI in an interview. director, who has been attached with series since its inception and has directed first few episodes of upcoming third season, said royals have always been written about. But " Crown" stands apart with its great writing and unbiased approach, he ded.

"I work with se incredible actors and writers and we try and find out what's wrong. We kw what's bubbling underneath. A great piece of writing is never what's on surface, it's always what's bubbling underneath," Caron said. As a director, he tries to approach show with an open mind and understand where se characters come from. "I look at story with character arc in my mind and n it's like directing a play."

series' first season (1947-1955) covered Queen Elizabeth's (Claire Foy) marri to Philip (Matt Smith), Duke of Edinburgh and disintegration of Princess Margaret's (Vanessa Kirby) engment to Peter Townsend. Season two (1956-1964) portrayed Suez Crisis, retirement of Queen's third prime minister Harold Macmillan and birth of Prince Edward. third season, also directed by Christian Schwochow, Jessica Hobbs and

Samuel Dovan, will span years from 1964 to 1977 and touch upon Cold War, and royals apting a more liberal approach, Caron said. Oscar winner Olivia Colman has been cast to play Queen, w in her forties, alongside Tobias Menzies as Prince Philip, while Helena Bonham Carter essays role of Princess Margaret. "One of best things with characters we have is that everyone has ir own interpretation of se people, ir feelings and ir motivations. We are all in a way  invited to play along with ir stories.

"As long as we are able to bring truthfulness to scenes and really understand where y're coming from, audience will believe us. I don't really have sort of access to royal family but I try and make m as truthful as possible," he said. show tries to portray royal family in an unconventional way and Caron credits creator Peter Morgan's in-depth research for it.

" royal family has always been written about. When I was kid, I used to re so much about m. Artists have always been interested in understanding this part of our history. We all are very much a part of that ongoing conversation around this family and it will continue. "Audiences are expecting us to bring something to portrayal of se characters which is beyond conventions. And fortunately we are in Peter Morgan's hands, who has a great track record with Queen," he said.

Morgan is best kwn for writing 2006 film " Queen" on Elizabeth II, starring Helen Mirren in title role. " Crown" returns with its third season on Netflix on vember 17.