The Crown: Gillian Anderson ‘to play Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in season 4’

Gillian Anderson has been tipped to play Margaret Thatcher in the fourth season of Netflix drama The Crown.

The actress, 50, will portray the former-Prime Minister during her 11-year tenure, which saw her in office from 1979 to 1990, reports The Sunday Times.

Anderson – who is said to be romantically involved with The Crown’s writer Peter Morgan – won’t crop up until season 4, set to air in 2020, with shooting commencing this summer. Season 3, meanwhile, is set to arrive to Netflix in November of this year.

First lady: Gillian Anderson has been tipped to play Margaret Thatcher in the fourth season of Netflix drama The Crown

Anderson – who grew up in both the UK and the US – is known for her diverse career, notably for playing Special Agent Dana Scully in The X Files.

Her role alongside David Duchovny in the sci-fi series ran from its inception in 1993 until last year – the show having returned from cancellation for rebooted 10th and 11th seasons in 2016 and 2018. She also reprised her role as Scully for both of The X Files movies in 1998 and 2008.

Meanwhile, she has also portayed an array of other characters across television and film.

She starred in Hannibal as therapist Dr. Bedelia Du Maurier, as DSU Stella Gibson in The Fall, Anna Pavlovna Scherer in War & Peace and in American Gods as Media.

Coming soon: Anderson won’t crop up until season 4, set to air in 2020, with shooting commencing this summer. Season 3, meanwhile, is set to arrive to Netflix in November

Mrs T: The actress, 50, will portray the former-Prime Minister during her 11-year tenure, which saw her in office from 1979 to 1990, reports The Sunday Times

Latest role: Anderson is currently featuring in Sex Education – another Netflix series – as therapist Jean Milburn

She is currently featuring in Sex Education – another Netflix series – as therapist Jean Milburn.

Films have included The Last King Of Scotland, Johnny English Reborn and How To Lose Friends And Alienate People. 

She is about to begin a three-month run in London’s West End in All About Eve. 

Treading the boards: She is about to begin a three-month run in London’s West End in All About Eve

Third run: The Crown’s third season stars the regenerated cast of Olivia Colman, Helena Bonham Carter and Tobias Menzies

The Crown’s third season features the regenerated cast of Olivia Colman, Helena Bonham Carter and Jason Watkins – the latter portraying another ex-Prime Minister, Harold Wilson.

Wilson served as PM from 1964 to 1970 and 1974 to 1976. He was followed by James Callaghan, before Thatcher took over. It is not yet known who will portray Callaghan or whether he will even feature.

Thatcher’s relationship with Queen Elizabeth II [Colman] was known to be sometimes frayed.

Season 4 is likely to feature political matters such South Africa’s Apartheid legislation, the Falklands War and 1984/5 miners’ strike.

Issues: Season 4 is likely to feature political matters such South Africa’s Apartheid legislation, the Falklands War and 1984/5 miners’ strike

Diverse: Anderson – who grew up in both the UK and the US – is known for her wide career, notably for playing Special Agent Dana Scully in The X Files

Anderson takes the role following various prior portrayals of Britain’s first-ever female Prime Minister. 

Janet Brown voiced Thatcher in satirical series Spitting Image in the 1980s and 1990s.

Book-turned-play-turned-TV special Anyone For Denis? saw Angela Thorne in the role.

Multi-faceted: Anderson starred as [L-R] Anna Pavlovna Scherer in War & Peace and in American Gods as Media

TV and film: [L-R] In Hannibal Anderson played therapist Dr. Bedelia Du Maurier and she portrayed Sarah Merrit in The Last King Of Scotland

Thatcher was portrayed by Patricia Hodge in The Falklands Play in 2002, by Andrea Riseborough in the TV film The Long Walk To Finchley in 2008 and featured in two feature films centred on her life: 2009’s Margaret, played by Lindsay Duncan, and 2011’s The Iron Lady, with Meryl Streep in the part.

The latter won Steep a Golden Globe, BAFTA and an Oscar for the titular role.

It also starred Colman as Thatcher’s daughter Carol. Colman will now play opposite a version of Thatcher once more, this time as Elizabeth I in The Crown, alongside Anderson.

Another PM: The Crown’s third season features Jason Watkins portraying another ex-Prime Minister, Harold Wilson