Natalie Dormer, known for her roles in Game of Thrones and The Tudors, previously announced she would not take part in promotional activities for her latest series, The Lady.
The four-part drama premiered in Britain and Australia on February 23 and has since become a streaming hit.
Dormer portrays Sarah Ferguson, the former wife of Prince Andrew, in the series based on real-life events from the 1990s and early 2000s. However, the actress publicly distanced herself from the project after new details surfaced about Ferguson’s past financial ties to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
In an interview with Variety before the show’s premiere, Dormer explained her decision to avoid promoting the series. “When I agreed to take the role in The Lady, I knew portraying the script’s Sarah Ferguson would require nuance,” Dormer said in September.
She continued, “People are layered, their journeys are full of highs, lows and as an actor, my job is to lean into those elements and bring them to life with honesty and empathy.
“Since completing the project, new information has come to light that makes it impossible for me to reconcile my values with Sarah Ferguson’s behaviour, which I believe is inexcusable. For that reason, I will not be taking part in the promotion of the project.” The actor added.
Despite the controversy and Dormer’s absence from the promotional campaign, The Lady has attracted strong viewership. The drama currently ranks among the top five most-watched shows on the streaming platform Binge.