When it was announced that Kristen Stewart had taken up the role of Princess Diana in the new movie “Spencer,” people were beside themselves with excitement. And now that Stewart’s images in costume have surfaced, it is crystal clear that the actress has undergone a 360-degree change for the role.
The first trailer was released in August 2021 and gave fans the first taste of Stewart’s British accent, which only further aroused worldwide interest.
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“Spencer” depicts the story of Diana “as she spends the Christmas holiday with the royal family at the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, and decides to leave her marriage to Prince Charles.” The movie was set in December 1991, a year before Charles and Diana announced their breakup.
As the press release noted, “The Prince and Princess of Wales’ marriage have long since grown cold. Though rumors of affairs and a divorce abound, peace is ordained for the Christmas festivities at Sandringham Estate.”
Diana’s Wardrobe Was Recreated
One of the first things that initially jumped out to fans about “Spencer” is its exquisiteness. From the set to the cinematography to the lighting to the sets again, everything is enthralling. And, of course, this didn’t exclude the costumes.
Designed by Jacqueline Durran, a two-time Oscar winner, the wardrobe in “Spencer” is, in one word, breathtaking.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Durran admitted that she got this done due to a lot of research. Since most of what Diana wore could be found online, she got to work, recreating some looks and birthing her new styles.
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“The idea was that we were never slavishly replicating all of Diana’s looks, but we were riffing on the idea of them,” she explained.
Her favorite recreations include the red houndstooth suit, the yellow sailor attire, and even Diana’s popular wedding gown. It’s safe to assume that fans of Diana’s fashion will enjoy the costumes in this movie.
Here’s How Stewart Prepared For The Movie
Stewart took her preparations for the movie very seriously. The “Twilight” star revealed to Instyle that she worked with William Conacher, a dialect coach, to get Diana’s accent right.
“People know that voice, and it’s so, so distinct and particular… In terms of research, I’ve gotten through two and a half biographies… It’s one of the saddest stories to exist ever, and I don’t want to just play Diana — I want to know her implicitly.”
She also read up on the famous British princess because she didn’t know who she was intimately. “I’m from LA and didn’t grow up in England,” she admitted. “Before this, she was not something that was at the forefront of my mind because I lived so far away from it all.”
Stewart scoured interviews, films, listened to podcasts, did tons of research, and tried to immerse herself in Diana’s life. By the end of the process, she had developed an obsession with Diana, as reported by Sky News.
“She was the most famous woman in the world. I have tasted a high level of that, but really kind of nowhere near that monumental, symbolic representation of an entire group of people,” she shared.
The Cinematography In Movie Was Intentionally Shot To Feel Eerie
An important member of the production team that should be discussed in the inception of “Spencer” is the cinematographer. As reported by Vanity Fair, cinematographer Claire Manthon shot the film in a 16mm film.
“It evokes ghostliness on the level of the image,” she mentioned to Vanity Fair. Most indoor scenes were represented using warm, natural light and misty, atmospheric lighting on the outdoor scenes.
Also, having Kristen Stewart play the lead role helped Mathon achieve her desired effect. She used plenty of extreme closeups to try and freeze a lot of Stewart’s expressions.
“I often had the feeling that I was almost touching her,” she said. “I could feel her breathe, and I was watching every single little moment.” It’s no wonder that fans have reported the movie to feel a little ghostly.
No Mention Of Diana’s Death For A Reason
Before the film’s release, Pablo Larraín answered a nagging question many fans had about the movie. It was about whether Spencer would get into Diana’s death?
In his response, he has decided that the movie would steer away from that particular information.
“She died years after where our story is set, and so we don’t deal with that,” the director told Deadline. “It’s only three days of her life, and in that very small amount of time, you’re able to get into a wider, bigger perspective of who she was. We all know her fate… and we don’t need to go there.”
Larraín’s choice not to portray or mention Diana’s death is very noble as it gave the audience the chance to focus on the happiness the princess felt as she spent time with her two sons, without having to worry about a failing marriage
