In The Sceptred Isle, the British actor will play the prime minister facing a pandemic that he has long minimized.
Kenneth Branagh is Boris Johnson. But do they look alike? The team of This Sceptred Isle, a British series on the coronavirus crisis, made sure that it did. In this production by British television channel Sky, the actor takes on the role of the blond Prime Minister, braving the joint storms of a global pandemic and Brexit.
“No, you’re not dreamingSky tones on Twitter. “This is Kenneth Branagh as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the first day of filming This Sceptred Isle ”. And the actor seems, it is true, unrecognizable. Known for his roles in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets , Good morning England or, more recently, Dunkirk , Kenneth Branagh had already played the game of physical transformation to play the role of William Shakespeare in All is true. Considered one of the best actors of his generation in the United Kingdom, the 60-year-old Northern Irishman has been nominated 5 times at the Oscars, notably for his Hamlet and his Henri V.
This Sceptred Isle takes place in 5 episodes and will begin with the arrival in Downing Street of Boris Johnson, then will tell the appearance of the first cases of Covid-19 in the United Kingdom, at the beginning of 2020. This year was eventful for the conservative leader, between his contamination by the virus, which saw him spend three nights in intensive care in April, then the birth of his son Wilfred two days after returning to business.
How did Boris Johnson deal with the pandemic?
Boris Johnson has been criticized for playing down the pandemic, which has killed more than 97,000 people in the UK, the worst toll in Europe. The series is based on the testimony of relatives of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Health, scientists advising the government and caregivers. Tim Shipman, political journalist at Sunday Times, played the consultants.
“Our series links countless true stories – from Boris Johnson in Downing Street to those on the frontlines of the virus around the country – chronicling the efforts of scientists, doctors, caregivers and leaders to protect us from the virusMichael Winterbottom, who co-wrote the series with Kieron Quirke, said in a statement.
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