Legendary British actress is completely unrecognisable as she transforms into Margaret Thatcher

A legendary British actress, who’s received an Olivier Award and was made a Dame, has transformed to become former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher for a new project.

At first glance, she is completely unrecognisable with the late politician’s signature bouffant hair, prim-and-proper clothing and blue contacts giving a pointed stare.

However, when you look a little bit closer, you can see that it’s none other than Succession and The Young Victoria star Dame Harriet Walter.

Harriet, 74, is set to play the former Tory leader in a new Channel 4 drama called Brian and Margaret, which will depict Brian Walden and Thatcher’s last TV interview.

Steve Coogan will be playing Labour politician and interviewer Walden, who died in 2019 at the age of 86, six years after Thatcher died aged 87 in 2013.

In 1989, Walden and Thatcher’s televised TV conversation became such a huge moment in British history that some argued it contributed towards the latter’s resignation as Prime Minister.

This isn’t the first time that Dame Harriet has played a historical figure, having previously starred as Queen Adelaide – who reigned as Queen from 1830 until 1837 – in The Young Victoria opposite Emily Blunt and Rupert Friend.

She also portrayed Augusta of Saxe-Gotha in A Royal Affair, as well as Lady Margaret Beaufort in the TV mini-series The Spanish Princess.

However, she has already left us feeling incredibly unnerved by her performance as Thatcher, just from the uncanny first look images.

‘Harriet Walter as Margaret Thatcher is rather terrifying,’ an X user called Andrew remarked.

Brian and Margaret is set to air on Channel 4 next year, and will consist of two 60-minute episodes.

The drama will see Coogan reunite with Philomena director Stephen Frears, who has also directed films including Victoria & Abdul, Florence Foster Jenkins and The Queen.

Dame Harriet’s portrayal of Thatcher comes a few years after Netflix viewers watched Gillian Anderson take on the Iron Lady for the fourth season of The Crown, which was released by the streaming giant in 2020.

Lindsay Duncan depicted the optician in the 2009 film Margaret, while Hollywood legend Meryl Streep played her in the 2011 movie The Iron Lady, which earned her an Oscar.