The explosive mix of British royalty and the media is once again in the spotlight with the release of the Netflix drama “Scoop,” which delves into the disastrous interview Prince Andrew gave in response to allegations of sexual misconduct in 2019.
Starring Rufus Sewell as Andrew and Gillian Anderson as journalist Emily Maitlis, the drama recreates the tense moments of the interview that ultimately led to Andrew stepping back from public duties and reaching an out-of-court settlement with his accuser, Virginia Giuffre.
The show’s portrayal of the interview is remarkably tense, even for viewers who have seen the real thing. Sewell, who spent hours being transformed into the prince with makeup and prosthetics, captures the contradictions in Andrew’s character, portraying him as a man whose self-image is dependent on the acquiescence of those around him.
Anderson, known for her roles in “The X-Files” and “Sex Education,” believes that the drama highlights the importance of independent journalism in holding authority to account and seeking the truth.
With another TV drama based on the interview set to be released later this year, the story of Prince Andrew’s media disaster continues to captivate audiences. As Anderson puts it, the royal family may have learned a valuable lesson from the ordeal: “the royal family should never do an interview at all.”