If you want an autograph from The Crown alum Claire Foy, make sure you don’t offer her a blue pen.
A disgruntled fan discovered that fact when Foy, 39, arrived at Rockefeller Center in New York City on Friday, December 15. In a viral video, the Emmy winner is seen denying the request while she was being escorted by security.
“I don’t do blue, sorry,” Foy said in the clip. The surprised autograph seeker responded, “What?” Foy repeated, “I don’t do blue,” while numerous paparazzi snapped her photo. As the British actress continued walking, the startled fan could be heard groaning, “Oh, come on.”
However, moments later, Foy stopped to sign an autograph for another person who had a black sharpie.
Several people criticized Foy for ignoring the first fan.
“That is the weirdest thing,” one user wrote. “No blue, wonder what the reason is?” “I loved her so much since the crown,” a second person commented. “But was pretty disappointed in her here.”
Other fans defended Foy, claiming that blue ink was actually easier to imitate than black to create fake memorabilia.
“Most celebrities and athletes are taught not to do blue ink cause you can scan and forge the signature on other things and sell them,” one fan explained.
Philadelphia 76ers basketball star Patrick Beverly previously stated on the “The Pat Bev Podcast with Rone” in December 2022 why he does not sign autographs with a blue pen.
“I was taught, maybe after my third year, that you’re not supposed to use a blue pen because they can use that signature and slap it on another jersey and sell that, but you can’t do that with a black pen or gray pen,” he said.
Foy portrayed a young Queen Elizabeth II in The Crown, earning her two Emmys, two SAG Awards and a Golden Globe. After the first two seasons, the role was played by Olivia Colman in seasons 3 and 4, followed by Imelda Staunton for seasons 5 and 6.
Foy told People that she has no regrets about leaving the show, which she returned to for several guest appearances over the years.
“I’ve got a lot of love for the people who are still doing the show, but for my own sanity, I ended the show when I ended it,” Foy said in an interview earlier this month. “I let it go and moved on and I think that’s quite healthy.”
Foy has been acting professionally since 2008 and has over 30 TV and film credits. She is best known for her work in The Crown, however she does not want to be solely known for starring in the Netflix series.
“I don’t feel like I’m defined by playing Queen Elizabeth,” she continued. “It’s a huge honor that people liked that character and therefore see me as that character. So, I’m not trying to actively go against that.”
The actual Queen Elizabeth II’s press secretary Dickie Arbiter did not approve of Colman and Staunton’s performance, but he was full of praise for Foy’s portrayal of his former boss.
In an interview with Deadline published on Sunday, he described Foy as “brilliant” in the series.
The final episodes of The Crown debuted on Netflix on Thursday, December 14.
