The Crown’s Gillian Anderson shares a glimpse of her first day on set

The Crown star Gillian Anderson has given fans a behind-the-scenes glimpse of her first day on set, as fans lauded her portrayal of Margaret Thatcher.

The actress, 52, was clearly excited to begin filming in the collection of throwback snaps, which she shared with fans following series four’s release on Sunday.

Gillian has received universal praise from fans for her portrayal of Prime Minister Thatcher after series four was released on Netflix, with many already tipping her for awards success.

In one snap, Gillian couldn’t contain her excitement as she posed in front of her dressing room mirror.

Another image showed the door to her on-set trailer emblazoned with the name of Margaret Thatcher, clearly encouraging stars to embody their roles in the period drama.

Gillian’s third image showed her sitting in the makeup chair surrounded by photos of the late Prime Minister Thatcher, while the final snap offered a glimpse of her character’s famous fashion sense, with a pleated skirt and sensible heeled shoes.

Since The Crown’s fourth series was released on Sunday, fans have flooded social media with praise for Gillian’s performance.

The actress will play Thatcher throughout her time in office in the 1980s, with focus on her turbulent relationship with the Royal Family.

While most simply praised Gillian Anderson for her eerily perfect performance as Thatcher, complete with her famous drawl, others already tipped her for a win at the Emmy Awards in 2021.

One gushed: ‘Gillian Anderson is the most underrated actor in the biz today. Her range is right up there with Meryl Street.’

Another added: ‘The Emmy already got Gillian Anderson’s name etched on it.’

A third also wrote: ‘Gillian Anderson is eating the f**k outta this role, I’m sorry but it’s true.’ 

One fan tweeted: ‘Gillian Anderson as Margaret Thatcher is simply sublime,’ with one also posting: ‘Gillian Anderson as Margaret Thatcher is legendary!’

‘Gillian Anderson’s portrayal of Margaret Thatcher is brilliant! God I love this show and its portrayal of historical events!’ one fan posted, with another adding: ‘Gillian Anderson absolutely BECOMES Thatcher.

‘Does Gillian Anderson deserve an emmy for her performance as Margaret Thatcher? yes yes yes,’ a giddy fan also tweeted. 

This would not be the first time an actor received critical acclaim for their performance as a Prime Minister in The Crown, as John Lithgow was awarded with an Emmy and a Golden Globe nomination for his performance as Winston Churchill.

The Crown’s fourth series focuses on Thatcher’s rise to power and her dramatic social reforms in the 1980s, which divided the country as it led to nationwide poverty and the 1984 miners strike.

The series also saw the debut of actress Emma Corrin as Princess Diana, depicting her romance and eventual marriage to Prince Charles and how their relationship came to a turbulent end.