Stewart knows the damage a ‘paparazzi’ photo can cause from his career, just as Diana did.
Kristen Stewart has sometimes been accused of simply playing variations of herself., as if that’s not half of what attracts us to movie stars. In Twilight (2008) brought a specific and sullen appeal to a heroine conceived as a blank slate for female readers; later in Personal Shopper (2017), when Stewart swapped her polo shirts for a rich client’s glittery dress, both the star and the character could be seen gazing at her new look in the mirror: is it me? Could it be me?
In the beginning, his new drama Spencer would seem to be a breath of fresh air for the kind of movie buff who would demand a more rigorous transformation from the Twilight: directed by Pablo Larrain (Jackie), the film is a psychological portrait of Princess Diana, who falls apart and then recovers during three days of Christmas break. Instead of hiring a British actress, Larraín chose Stewart, 31, a contemporary figure in California fashion.
But something curious happens when you see Spencer: the distance that at first seemed so great between the two women is shortened to the point of looking like the most successful choice in history. Stewart, after all, knows a thing or two about what it’s like to live in the public eye, the scrutiny of a high-profile romance. and the private moments snatched away by paparazzi.
Stewart gave himself completely to the movie, studying Diana’s posture, gestures, and accent; the resulting powerful and provocative performance, has placed her at the forefront of this year’s Oscar nominees and a confirmed Golden Globe nomination for Best Dramatic Actress.
“She’s like an actress from the 1950s or 1960s,” said the director. “What she does for the story may be on a very down-to-earth character level, but it rises to a poetic level that creates a great deal of mystery and intrigue. And perhaps that is the best formula that can be found for a performance before the camera ”.
What was your first impression when Pablo asked you to do Spencer?
R: He was very sure that I should do it, and it seemed audacious and crazy, because it does not seem the most instinctive or immediate option.
Did he tell you why it had to be you?
R: He told me: “There is something in Diana that we will never know. You make me feel like this. I’ve seen your work and I never really know what you’re thinking. ” And I also feel that way with Diana. Although I feel this overwhelming attraction to his spirit and energy, there is something that makes me lower my guard. I want to hang out with her. I want to run with her down a long corridor. I want to meet your son.
What came of Diana while you were investigating her?
R: There were so many layers to read. There were many ways he was trying to reveal himself, which weren’t necessarily a straightforward phrase. He was not allowed to say, “I am dying and he does not love me.” I think the way he expressed himself is very interesting, because there are many lenses between the person and that communication.
Diana had to be incredibly smart about her image and the way she was displayed, while still radiating utter authenticity. The actors have to do the same.
R: All the ways we interact with others have to be designed from an inner place. Therefore, it is a form of manipulation. You want someone to understand you; you want to make someone feel what you feel. It is sad to think of her in general, because she is simply the most coveted, loved and also rejected person, who hates herself. Those things shouldn’t be combined.
You step back when asked to draw a direct line between your time in the public eye and Diana’s.
R: The reason I’m a bit reluctant to acknowledge the comparison is because I’ve never been told to sit and stand still in the disruptive and dishonest way she was. I have actually lived from a place of drive and discovery, of true honesty and spontaneity.
But still, you know what a high level of public scrutiny can be. You know how photographers steal personal moments from you.
R: What if I feel like women are being treated unfairly and overly criticized compared to men in the press? Of course. It’s a conversation I want to delve into. But I became very famous thanks to the cinema, and that is different. Diana believed in an ideal that in the end became clear was a sham. I mean, if she had known that she was going to be in a loveless marriage … So when people said, “Well, she knew what she was getting into,” they were wrong.
But isn’t that a criticism that is often made of movie stars as well? Who shouldn’t complain about paparazzi, because they knew what they were sticking to?
R: Yes. I mean, if I’m very frank, I didn’t want to be famous. I wanted to be an actress. And I fully recognize that you can say, “What are you talking about? You can’t get one without the other ”. But it does feel like cruel and unusual punishment for doing something you love, and then suddenly you think, “Wait a minute, they pushed me and pulled my shirt over my head and then photographed me?” Because I didn’t choose that.
Paul is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment and general news. He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established herself as a respected voice in the industry.
