Natalie Dormer has declined to promote The Lady, the upcoming Left Bank Pictures series for BritBox/ITV in which she plays Sarah Ferguson.
Dormer, best known for her work in Game of Thrones, made the decision following a fresh revelation about Ferguson’s links to Jeffrey Epstein, the billionaire sex offender who died in prison in 2019.
Ferguson, the ex-wife of Prince Andrew, apologized to Epstein a month after publicly disowning the man she privately described as a “dear friend,” per an email seen by the Mail on Sunday.
“I know you feel hellaciously let down by me from what you were either told or read and I must humbly apologise to you and your heart for that,” she wrote.
Dormer signed up to play Ferguson in March, while the lead in the series is Mia McKenna-Bruce, who stars as Jane Andrews, the former royal aide and dresser. The Lady charts the rise and fall of Andrews, whose rags-to-riches fairytale fell apart when she was convicted of murder.
In a statement, first shared with Variety, Dormer said: “When I agreed to take the role in The Lady, I knew portraying the script’s Sarah Ferguson would require nuance. People are layered, their journeys are full of highs and 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 behavior, which I believe is inexcusable. For that reason, I will not be taking part in the promotion of the project.”
She continued: “In keeping with my commitment to the well-being of children, I have donated my entire salary from this project to the National Association for People Abused in Childhood and the Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse (hosted by Barnardo’s).”
Based on true events surrounding Andrews’ story, the partly fictionalized drama is Left Bank’s first royal project since Netflix smash The Crown concluded. Dormer said Left Bank was an “extraordinary company to collaborate with and I’m grateful for the time we spent together.”
After Ferguson’s email was published, and children’s charities severed ties with the Duchess of York, her spokesperson said she “really regretted any association” with Epstein. The rep added that Ferguson wrote the email in a bid to counter legal threats from Epstein.
A spokesperson for The Lady has been contacted for comment.
The post Natalie Dormer Pulls Out Of Promoting BritBox/ITV Series ‘The Lady’ After Revelation About Sarah Ferguson’s Links To Jeffrey Epstein appeared first on Deadline.
