‘The Crown’ star Dominic West says his Lily James affair rumor helped him relate to King Charles role
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM: Dominic West and Lily James made news for their PDA controversy in 2020. This controversy helped West find common ground with King Charles while playing the British monarch in the popular television series 'The Crown'.
In an interview with The Sunday Times published on Sunday, April 21, West, who plays King Charles III in Netflix's historical drama 'The Crown,' discussed his experience portraying the former British prince.
How Dominic West's rumored affair with Lily James helped his Charles III role in 'The Crown'
With six seasons, the historical drama series mostly focuses on the reign of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
West, who stars in the show as Prince Charles III, caught the attention of the media in 2020 when he was spotted in Rome with his 'The Pursuit of Love' co-star Lily James. That incident apparently assisted him in his career.
"I'd had a very acute understanding of what it's like to feel the horror of your name or your photograph coming up in the newspapers," West told The Times.
He added, "There is that dreadful freezing moment when something is being revealed about you. I think anyone can understand how that feels," per Fox News.
West referred to the allegations of infidelity that surrounded him and James after they were spotted in a seemingly affectionate manner in October 2020. They also appeared in pictures riding scooters across Rome, Italy, and eating lunch.
"I'd been through it a couple of years previously, and it must have informed how I approached (the role)," West said. "That gut feeling of horror isn't something you get inured to."
West described the romance rumors as an "absurd situation," adding that although it was difficult for his wife and children, they eventually managed to joke about it.
"It was deeply stressful for my wife and my kids, but there were lighter moments," he stated.
Dominic West claims he and wife Catherine FitzGerald now joke over Lily James PDA scandal
Dominic West and his wife Catherine FitzGerald, 52, have since overcome the 2020 scandal when he was photographed getting cosy with his 'The Pursuit of Love' co-star Lily James.
"I hesitate to speak on my wife's behalf because it was obviously horrible, particularly for her. But we do joke about it sometimes," West remarked in The Times interview.
"Because whenever we went out together, the papers would always say we were ‘putting on a show of unity'."
He added: "Even if we’d just been rowing about parking the car or whatever, even if that couldn’t be further from the truth. And so when we go out we do sort of say, ‘Shall we go and have a show of unity up in London?’"
West and FitzGerald went outside their house during the controversy and shared a kiss in front of the media. They emphasized in a letter placed outside at the time, "Our marriage is strong and we’re very much still together."
West has been married to Irish aristocrat Catherine since 2010 and they share four children: sons Senan, 15, and Francis, 14, and daughters Dora, 18, and Christabel, 8, per Us Weekly.
While filming for 'The Crown', when it came to his relationship with Camilla Bowles (played by Olivia Williams) during his marriage to Princess Diana, Charles (played by West) was under intense scrutiny.
