The Crown’s Josh O’Connor stars in striking shoot with Jessie Buckley

He is best known for playing Prince Charles in Netflix hit The Crown. 

And Josh O’Connor has taken on another career-defining role as he is set to star in Romeo and Juliet alongside Fargo’s Jessie Buckley. 

The actor, 30, and Jessie, 31, talk about the National Theatre stage production, which will be released as an 90-minute movie on Sky Arts in April, in March’s issue of British Vogue.  

In a unique hybrid approach that is a first for the National Theatre, the vast stage of the Lyttelton was temporarily transformed into a film studio for three weeks.

While Shakespeare never revealed Romeo’s age in the play, it is assumed he is older than Juliet, 13, because he carries a sword. 

Of being cast as older versions of the characters, Josh said: ‘I suppose the reason you’d cite for having young actors play those parts, and the reason they’re young in the play, is because it’s an accessible answer to the naivety of love.

‘I think it’s more interesting to imagine their love isn’t naive, that they’ve been in love before, so what is it about this love that makes it so intense?’

To which Jessie chimed: ‘I’ve never bothered myself about the age thing. It doesn’t feel important to me. Every time you fall in love, you don’t know what the hell you’re doing.’ 

The pair posed for a photo as the characters, with Jessie wearing a metallic gold print dress, while Josh donned a mustard blazer and pink jumper. 

Speaking about the production, Josh told the publication: ‘It definitely feels different to anything I’ve ever done.

‘There’s lots about this experience that I feel the film world would benefit from. That’s the most exciting thing.

‘I genuinely believe that if more time and money was spent on rehearsal for film, the shoots would be far less painful and the films would be better.’ 

Meanwhile, Jessie, who first rose to fame on BBC’s I’d Do Anything before going on to star in Fargo and Chernobyl, said: ‘What’s so beautiful is these two worlds were meeting and creating something together from the get-go.’  

The pair are joined by Adrian Lester, who plays the print, Lloyd Hutchinson as Lord Capulet and Colin Tierney as Lord Montague.    

The stage show was adapted by Emily Burns with direction by Simon Godwin and filmed over a period of three weeks. 

Romeo and Juliet will be available to watch in the UK on Easter Sunday, April 4 on Sky Arts.  

The British Vogue March Global Creativity issue is available via digital download and on newsstands now.