“When I joined The Crown, it was obviously a pretty big deal. It’s a great feeling to know that millions of people watched it.”
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With the sixth and final season of the Netflix historical drama The Crown in the rear view mirror, Viola Prettejohn emerged as the unexpected yet brilliant revelation of the show. At just 20 years old, Viola has garnered widespread acclaim for her portrayal of a young Elizabeth Windsor in the concluding chapters of the Netflix epic. Viola's standout performance unfolds in poignant flashback scenes, offering viewers a glimpse into the teenage years of Her Majesty—a time before the weight of the nation rested on her shoulders. Beyond her royal endeavors, Viola has graced the screen in projects like Joss Whedon’s historical fiction The Nevers, and the highly anticipated irreverent comedy horror Generation Z. Viola provides a sneak peek into the excitement and unpredictability Generation Z promises, describing it as "absolutely wild" and "completely bonkers," thus undoubtedly capturing our attention. We’ll be watching.
The Crown Season 6 is available on Netflix now.
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Violeta Nicola __ How did you step into acting? Was it a dream, or it just happened?
Viola Prettejohn __ It was a bit of both, actually. I had always loved acting, and I'd done it at school, but, at the time, doing it as a job didn't seem realistic. I just fell into it because my drama teacher put me up for open casting for a film. Then I got an agent and kept on going, and here we are today.
VN __ You have worked on some pretty incredible projects, including The Crown. How did it feel to be a part of shows like The Crown?
VP __ When I joined The Crown, it was obviously a pretty big deal. It’s a great feeling to know that millions of people watched it. There's overwhelmingness that hits at the beginning when you're not on set yet, but once you're doing the work, you tend to forget about it. That’s a good thing because I feel you wouldn't be able to do as good of a job with that weight on your shoulders.
VN __ You played young Princess Elizabeth on The Crown. How was playing a person from the past different from interpreting fictional characters?
VP __ I was nervous! Not really because I was portraying a real person but more so because I was portraying the Queen. There are many people out there who care a great deal about the Queen, so I wanted to do her justice. I was rather lucky because the scenes I played were from a time in her life we didn’t have much evidence of what she was like, so that allowed me some creative freedom. I was interested in exploring where she was going as a character rather than as the Queen. That was her night of freedom. One night where she gets to explore who she really is and let go of it.
VN __ In The Nevers, your character is Myrtle Haplisch, and the production boasts many special effects. Do you have any favorite scenes with special effects?
VP __ There was one scene where my best friend in the show was a giant, and I had to leap into her arms and hug her. It ended up taking the whole day putting the scene together because, from an effect standpoint, it was very complicated having the two characters interacting. I had to leap off a huge platform and hug this massive dummy, and then she had to catch a little dummy of me. It was all these different layers of elements that you don't really think about. I got to be lifted on wires and it was really fun.
VN __ You will also star in Generation Z. Is there anything you can disclose about this project?
VP __ I wrapped up Generation Z about 2 months ago. It’s really exciting and completely bonkers. It's an absolutely wild show. It’s one of my favorite things I've ever done. It's one of those things where you turn up on set every day and you can't really quite believe what you're doing. It was just so much fun, and I loved the cast so much. Everyone has to watch it!
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VN __ How does it feel to be a young woman in the entertainment industry?
VP __ Because there have been so many things that happened in recent years, people in the entertainment industry are trying to adapt to how the business has evolved. There's more opportunities out there than there were when I began acting. But then I started very young and when you're that young, there isn't as much going on because there aren't as many parts for 14-year-olds. Now that the strike has ended, everything sort of exploded, especially in the UK which has become a hub for screen acting. It is such an exciting time to be an actor.
VN __ What genre or type of character would you like to interpret in the future? More historical or fantasy?
VP __ I'm at a place now where I want each new project I take to be different; I want to explore more genres and I would love to do a horror or a thriller.
VN __ What aspects of a story would intrigue you when you first read a script?
VP __ Anything that is out there. If you see a big stunt and you think, “Oh, I will never get to do that in real life.” Or you read some lines, which are outrageous and think, “I would never get to say that to anyone because they’d hate me, and they'd probably never talk to me again.” That’s why I loved Generation Z so much as there were a lot of lines and scenes which were completely improbable. It’s sort of cathartic in a way: unleashing all your inner rage.
VN __ What would your dream role look like?
VP __ It's hard to think of your dream role because the goal is to have a career where you feel you've explored many facets of the human experience. But I had been thinking about it recently because we were having this conversation on the set of Generation Z. I don't know if this will last, but right now, I have a weird fixation on wanting to play a pop star. I think it's because I would like to know what it feels like to stand on stage in front of an audience and perform.
VN __ What are some of the most valuable life lessons you have learned, and how have these lessons shaped you both personally and professionally?
VP __ As far as shaping me as a person, I'm very young so I am still figuring that part out. As for advice, I've learned to take things a week at a time. I try not to think too far in the future because you either get disappointed or overwhelmed.
VN __ As you continue to evolve in your career, are there any artists or fellow creatives you would like to collaborate with?
VP __ I would be honored to work with Willem Dafoe. He has such a presence on screen. It's just completely unmatched; he was made for the screen. And to complete the dream Paul Tom Sanderson directs us. I realize it is the biggest long shot in the world. But you never know!
Photographer Mark Cant, Stylist Angelica Stenvinkel, Makeup Andrew Denton at Premier, Hair Brady Lea at Premier, Photo Assistant Ethan Humphries, Talent Viola Prettejohn, Press Public Eye