Prince Andrew’s famous “Newsnight” interview will be back on screen in “A Very Royal Scandal.” The Prime Video series tells how the BBC show’s reporters and producers obtained the powerful interview, as well as the perspective of Prince Andrew and his immediate family.
If this sounds familiar, well, Netflix made a very similar movie called “Scoop” earlier this year. With three-hour-long episodes, however, “A Very Royal Scandal” has more time to explore the lead-up to the interview and, in particular, the aftermath. It certainly spends more time with the royal family and is backed by interviewer Emily Maitlis herself, based on her 2019 book Airhead: The Imperfect Art of Making News.
And of course, it features a new cast of well-known British actors playing the roles of the royal family and BBC diaries. Check out our handy guide to ‘A Very Royal Scandal’ and its real-life counterparts below.
Ruth Wilson as Emily Maitlis
Ruth Wilson plays Emily Maitlis, a former Newsnight journalist known for her steamy interviews, who conducted a 2019 interview with Prince Andrew about his affair with Jeffrey Epstein at the centre of A Very Royal Scandal. After leaving the BBC in 2021, she now co-hosts The News Agents podcast. She was also recently portrayed by Gillian Anderson in Netflix’s “Scoop.”
Golden Globe winner and three-time BAFTA nominee Ruth Wilson is best known for The Affair, Luther, Her Dark Materials, I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House and Saving Mr. Banks.
Michael Sheen as Prince Andrew
Michael Sheen plays Prince Andrew, Duke of York, who rose to fame for his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and resigned from public office after his disastrous Newsnight interview. Prince Andrew is a member of the British royal family and the third son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. He was portrayed by Rufus Sewell in Scoop.
Sheen is an Emmy, BAFTA and Golden Globe-winning actor who has portrayed a number of real-life characters, including Tony Blair (“The Queen”), David Frost (“Frost/Nixon”) and Chris Tarrant (“The Test”). He is also known for playing Lucien in Underworld and Aro in Partnership, as well as Masters of Sex, The Good Fight and The Sandman.
Claire Rushbrook as Sarah Ferguson
Claire Rushbrook plays Sarah Ferguson, aka Fergie, the Duchess of York and ex-wife of Prince Andrew, and is an author, philanthropist and television personality.
Rushbrooke is best known for Secrets and Lies, My Fat Mad Diary, Whitechapel, Sherwood and Home Fires.
Admire Swinton Byrne as Princess Beatrice
Honor Swinton Byrne plays Princess Beatrice, the eldest daughter of Prince Andrew, Duke of York and Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, and is Vice President of Partnerships and Strategy at software and data company Afiniti.
Swinton Byrne is best known for playing the role of Julie in The Souvenir and The Souvenir: Part II. Her credits also include The Crown, I Am Love, and Drift. She is also the daughter of actress Tilda Swinton and playwright John Byrne.
Sophia Oxenham as Princess Eugenie
Sophia Oxenham plays Princess Eugenie, the youngest daughter of Prince Andrew, Duke of York and Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York.
Oxenham has just received a BAFTA nomination for his performance in The Extraordinary and is also known for Poldark, Dracula and The Curse.
John Hopkins as Jeffrey Epstein
John Hopkins Jeffrey Epstein, an American financier and sex offender who was arrested on sex trafficking charges, became infamous for his criminal activities, wealth, and connections to powerful people including Prince Andrew. He remains an interesting figure in the public eye after he was found dead in his prison in 2019.
Hopkins’ credits include Midsummer Night’s Dream, Poldark and Catastrophe, as well as several video game credits including Erend in the Horizon franchise and Lucas Gray in the Hitman games.
Joanna Scanlan as Amanda Thirsk
Joanna Scanlan played Amanda Thirsk, Prince Andrew’s former private secretary, who managed his official duties and played a key role in preparing for the disastrous Newsnight interview.
Scanlan is a BAFTA Award-winning actress known for After Love, Getting On, The Thick of It, Notes on a Scandal and Wicket Little Letters.
Claire Culbraith as Sam McAlister
Claire Culbraith plays journalist and lawyer Sam McAlister, who produced Prince Andrew’s Newsnight interview. Netflix’s “Scoop,” also released this year, told the interviewer’s story from his perspective as a key player, but in getting the interview, starring Billie Piper. She told her story in the book “Scoops: Behind the scenes of the BBC’s shocking interviews”, who was the inspiration for the Netflix movie and, as of 2024, is a senior executive. LSE Faculty of Law.
Culbraith is best known for “Grease,” “Tell Me Everything,” “Family Ball,” “The River” and “Unforgotten.”
Lydia Leonard as Esme Wren
Lydia Leonard plays the BAFTA-winning journalist and producer Esme Wrenwho also produced Prince Andrew’s Newsnight interview. Prior to joining the BBC, Wren spent 12 years at Sky News and, after leaving Newsnight in 2021, has since been an editor at Channel 4.
Leonard’s credits include The Crown, We Are Lady Parts, Last Christmas, Gentleman Jack and Absentia, as well as providing the voice of Lana Beniko for several Star Wars video games.
Eanna Hardwick by Stuart McLean
Anna Hardwick plays the role of a journalist Stuart McLeanwho was deputy editor of Newsnight when Prince Andrew interviewed him and later became editor. He left the post shortly afterwards and in 2023 took up the role of head of the BBC’s Africa Bureau.
Hardwick is known for the films Vivarium, Destiny: The Winx Saga, The Lakelands, Smother and Ordinary People.
