As the world mourns Queen Elizabeth II’s death, celebrity impersonators consider the future
"It's all going to be very weird," says one now-retired doppelgänger
Aux News Elizabeth II
As you’ve surely already heard, well, everywhere, Queen Elizabeth II died last Thursday, prompting an international outpouring of grief, ridicule, and disbelief over the reality of certain British traditions that will likely continue for weeks if not months to come. The impacts of this unprecedented historical event on the economy are evident; brands are hustling to pay their respects online, the Queen’s face dystopically adorns digital billboards across the UK, and the country has entered a two-week period of mourning in advance of the funeral, which will see businesses, schools, and even hospitals shut down to pay their respects. But through all this news coverage, one profession has been woefully left out of the conversation: won’t anyone think of the celebrity impersonators?
One brave soul is finally speaking out. 89-year-old Mary Reynolds, who has made a career out of her resemblance to the Queen for the past 34 years, has decided to retire her color-blocked suits “out of respect” for the late monarch. “The only way I would dress up as the Queen would be in a black dress,” she told PA Media (via Newsweek).
Reynolds has portrayed the queen in multiple film and television roles over the past three decades, including the 1990 comedy Bullseye! and a season 25 episode of Doctor Who. But now, the lookalike will be stepping out of the spotlight for good. “It’s been a great privilege to look like her because I think she’s so incredible,” she said. “I mean, it’s a change of an era now, it’s all going to be very weird.”
Like the rest of the world, Hollywood will have to adapt to this new reality, one in which we will inevitably have to endure an endless parade of portrayals of Her Royal Highness that just feel… off. We have no doubts that Imelda Staunton will do the role justice in the next season of The Crown (whenever it resumes production)—but it just won’t be the same.
25 Comments
I expect in the next few months to hear about a Netflix movie where the premise is that Elizabeth didn’t die, but rather her consciousness was downloaded into a young clone body and she’s being trained as an assassin.
Why do downloaded clones always become assassins? Don’t they ever become electricians or paralegals or artisanal doughnut makers?
They have a lot of anger issues from people asking them “so, what’s it like being a downloaded clone?”
But remember, the clone can only be five feet tall.
With the strength of ten gorillas?
My nipples are getting hard just thinking about it.
If I have to be five feet nothing, I’ll stay human.
What about laser beam eyes?
Yeah, and big chainsaw hands! BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
And the Barbeau-bot has crime fighting jugs!
Who says they aren’t also those things?
Well, all you hear about is the assassins.
Look, the army of clone plumbers just knuckle down and get on with things, and more power to them, frankly.
Made me think of the guy who impersonated Pope John Paul II. His name was Gene Greytak, he passed in 2010.
Jerry Haleva hasn’t been getting much work lately, has he?https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0355062/
Yeah, I think of the guy who impersonated John Paul II pretty much every day myself.
I don’t think of him that much.
He never thinks of you.Because he’s dead, probably.
“One brave soul is finally speaking out. 89-year-old Mary Reynolds, who has made a career out of her resemblance to the Queen for the past 34 years…Reynolds has portrayed the queen in multiple film and television roles over the past three decades, including the 1990 comedy Bullseye! and a season 25 episode of Doctor Who.”So, did she start 34 years ago with Doctor Who and finish 32 years ago with Bullseye! or are you simply too fucking lazy to go past the first two credits she has? Doctor Who was the first of FIVE times she faked The Queen and FOUR of those times were pre-1997.I mean, for fuck’s sake, the LAST credit she has as The Queen on imdb is over a decade old.https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2479409/
“The world” is doing a lot of work here.
Craig Ferguson was my favorite Prince Charles impersonator.
Well it’s not as if all the Elvis impersonators hung up their jumpsuits when he died is it?
“Poor Vaughn Meader!”
The Queen and the royal family are such a good image for the country, and although many of my comments on this site are filled with sarcasm – this isnt. One reason to be proud to live in this country is the Queen. -JamesU, West Midlands, United Kingdom, 4/6/2013 6:19
Vulture has a very nice interview with Scott Thompson. He took a lot of care with his portrayal of Elizabeth on Kids On The Hall even if it was utterly silly.https://www.vulture.com/article/queen-elizabeth-scott-thompson-kids-in-the-hall.html