The Crown star Emma Corrin is back on Instagram after a 12-month hiatus — and they’re doing it on their own terms.
The actor, who uses they/them pronouns, revealed they reactivated their account out of professional necessity, but found a deeper purpose in the process: representation.
Why They Left — And Why They Came Back
Corrin stepped away from Instagram for a year after coming out as queer and nonbinary in 2021. The decision followed a wave of online negativity that made the platform feel unsafe. “It’s actually kind of amazing how I’ve broken the habit,” Corrin told Variety. “I don’t have anything in my brain that’s like, ‘I wonder what’s happening on Instagram?’”
But in today’s industry, leaving social media isn’t always an option. “It was work [that made me return] I was kind of given no choice in the world we live in today,” they explained. “But I was like: ‘You know what? It’s not a hill worth dying on. Make the best of it’”.
Visibility Over Vilification
Despite the “vileness of the world” they encountered after coming out, Corrin sees value in being visible. “It’s really nice knowing that like, I’m a nonbinary person on Instagram and even if it’s just helping one person to see that, that’s worth it”.
Their first post back featured a photo in a Miu Miu wedding dress with the caption: “Ur fave queer bride”. Looking back, Corrin admitted it was “a scary thing in retrospect,” but said the post came from a place of euphoria. “I was feeling so euphoric about having figured something out about myself that felt so big, and I wanted to celebrate it and share it with other people who might feel the same”.
That celebration, however, was met with harsh backlash. “So much of the world — even more so now than then, which is terrifying — is not ready and does not want to hear that. And I think that it was a rude awakening to the vileness of the world”.
From Princess Diana to Pride & Prejudice
Corrin, 30, rose to global fame playing Princess Diana in Season 4 of Netflix’s The Crown, a role they’ve called “the greatest warning” about the downsides of fame. The parallels between Diana’s experience with media scrutiny and Corrin’s own haven’t been lost on them.
Now, they’re set to star in Netflix’s upcoming Pride & Prejudice adaptation.
The project aligns with Corrin’s advocacy for more authentic representation. “When those parts come up… then I think there will be more of an urgency with which these questions will be addressed,” they said of roles for nonbinary, queer, and trans people.
Breaking the Habit, Keeping the Purpose
While the return was driven by work, Corrin has found unexpected freedom in stepping away. The year off broke their reflexive Instagram checking and gave them space to protect their private identity while still advocating publicly.
“I’m incredibly honored to be the first nonbinary person, and now more than ever it is so important for people — no matter how they identify — to be able to celebrate each other,” Corrin told Variety. “It’s a balance of being super proud of the person I am and wanting to share that and advocate for that… but also making sure that I have a private part of my identity”.
For Corrin, logging back in isn’t about likes or follower counts. It’s about showing up — even if it helps just one person feel seen.