The staring. The inclination of the head. The uneven shoulders. Kristen Stewart plays the late Princess Diana in “Spencer”, a biopic about a weekend in 1991 when British royalty decided that her marriage to Prince Charles was not working.
The star of “The Happiest Season” became the former Lady Diana Spencer in the film directed by Pablo Larraín. And judging by Wednesday’s first look, the actress is again proving her chameleon skills and applauding the pessimists who didn’t find her cast funny during the summer.
It is a testament to the film’s creative team, that is, its costume and makeup departments, headed by Jacqueline Durran (“Little Women” 2019) and Wakana Yoshihara (“Murder on the Orient Express”).
“‘Spencer’ is a plunge into an emotional imagination of who Diana was at a crucial turning point in her life,” said Stewart in a statement. “It is a physical statement of the sum of its parts, which begins with its given name; Spencer. It is a distressing effort for her to return to herself, while Diana struggles to maintain what the name Spencer means to her. “
Joining the “Twilight” alumnus in the biopic are actors Timothy Spall (“Mr. Turner”), Sally Hawkins (“The Shape of Water”) and Sean Harris (“Mission: Impossible – Fallout”).
The main photography started in the independently produced film, set in December 1991 and focuses on a Christmas weekend at the Sandringham royalty estate in Norfolk, after Diana and Princess Charles’ marriage had cooled down and case rumors and divorce abound.
Larraín’s film is written by “Peaky Blinders” screenwriter Steven Knight. It is currently being filmed in Germany before moving production to the UK. “Spencer” is set to debut in the fall, before the 25th anniversary of Diana’s tragic death in 2022.
The film has already hit some public relations hurdles, causing controversy with Stewart’s initial cast announcement in June. Then, in November, he launched a casting call for actors to play Diana’s eldest son, Prince William, who said that British actors don’t have to apply for the role “due to the new Brexit rules of January 1, 2021 ”.