About four weeks ago, we got the first teaser trailer for Spencer, the movie where Kristen Stewart plays Princess Diana. It really was just a taste of the old Windsor waxworks and K-Stew’s British accent. Kristen has already promoted Spencer at the Venice, Toronto and Telluride film festivals and critics are unanimous: Kristen is great in the role, and she’s going to be nominated for an Oscar for this performance. The film’s release is still set for early November, but Neon released the full-length trailer and it definitely gives a better look at everything…
The only thing that sort of bugs me is the fact that Kristen’s physicality really is so different than Diana. Emma Corrin had issues with that too: both Emma and Kristen could not figure out Diana’s posture, how Diana could make herself smaller or larger depending on how she was feeling, nor did they seem to get the purpose in Diana’s stride. Kristen walks like a truck driver! But other than that, I’m impressed. Kristen’s voice work is – to my ears – very good. I’m impressed with the wig work too, which is another thing The Crown sort of got wrong – Emma ended up in some very busted Diana wigs. The fashion is totally on target, as it always is on Pablo Lorrain’s films. The costumes in Jackie were also some of the best I’ve ever seen, and much like Jackie, they’re recreating clothes which Diana actually owned and wore.
Photos courtesy of Neon/’Spencer’ and Avalon Red.
I was confused by the costumes – it clearly seems she’s supposed to be there at Sandringham during the Christmas season, but in some scenes she’s wearing the yellow dress, which would not be appropriate for December, and there were a few other dresses she was wearing that made me think “in december? really?” but maybe they were part of a dream sequence or something?
She’s tilting her head too much – that was the other thing that bugged me. I know Diana did that head tilt a lot – where she kind of aimed her head down but then looked up, and I know that’s what Kristen was going for, but I think she kind of overdid it based on the previews.
That said – I like the idea of taking a person like Diana and focusing on a very specific period of a few days in their life, and this looks really well done overall despite my quibbles above, so i’m definitely doing to see it. I am not a fan of K-Stew’s acting but I am willing to change my mind if she nails this.
I’m thinking flashbacks. Because she’s in her wedding dress in one scene too.
Wasn’t the head tilt the mark of younger, more shy Diana? I feel like 90s Diana didn’t do that as much, but I am no Diana historian.
It looks great but I don’t see any resemblance to Diana in KStew, I only see Teresa Palmer.
The resemblance is not there at all. But Kristen is a very talented actor (honestly surprisingly to me) so I might still check this out.
Is she? I’ve never seen her play anything other than moody angst, and it doesn’t sound like this movie will buck the trend either. And since it seems to match her personality, she always seems just herself in different clothes to me.
This looks to me like Naomi Watts playing Sad Charlene, and I cannot unsee it.
I’m definitely not feeling the connection to Diana. It’s not just about looks either (because really nobody looks like Diana), but I’m not feeling the Diana essence. She looks very great and aristo, but meh, not much beyond that. I find that KS has a hard time not being KS in all of her roles. Was this movie really even needed when we already had The Crown??
I saw a tweet that said the trailer just looks like Jenna Maroney (Jane Krakowski on 30 Rock) finally got in to a premier feature! It cracked me up and I have to agree, although KStew’s accent has GOT to be better than what Jenna would do.
@Tarabest – Jenna would work her ~sExUaLiTy~ into the role, lol
Its a pet peeve of mine when terrible actors get Oscar buzz for finally ‘acting right’ . They are not good actors and their previous body of work should not be ignored just because they finally decided to take it seriously for ONE role for the purpose of recognition.
This.
She’s gotten recognition before. She won the French equivalent of an Oscar for the clouds movie.
This 1000000000%
Noki: 👏👏👏
this is not the case
this is not the case
Agreed Noki.
She reminded me more of Elizabeth Banks than Diana and there’s not enough of an age difference between her Diana and Jack Farthing’s Charles but it does look sumptuous and interesting.
I am thirty and an old twihard fan since i was a teenager back then. So I have followed Kristen for many years and I have always had a soft spot for her. However, while the atmosphere of the movie is good, all i can see is K- Stew trying an english accent and lip biting in sadness..
Yeah, I only see Kristen with an accent in this- it’s the same mannerisms she used for Bella Swan.
All I see is Bella, I do not see the range needed for this role.
Exactly, wrote something similar above. She is always the same and doesn’t really have a range at all. I’ve never seen her play happy or grieving, just angsty.
Yep – Blonde, British, Bella.
Sammmme. And you see it along with the slouch, bad posture and terrible smile. She’s playing Kristen with an English accent..
But but but … I mean, this person is a terrible actor. She is stiff and awkward, which may be appealing to younger gens, but geez. And for Diana? she is graceless. That scene where she is crying seemed like a parody. 🙁
I’m sure it’s the intended style, but this is so melodramatic I actually laughed in places. It almost feels like a spoof trailer. Diana’s story with the Royal Fam was sad and dramatic enough, without them piling it on with the OTT acting. It’s too much.
That’s exactly what I thought. It was so bad I was laughing. I just don’t understand the acclaim it’s getting.
Couldn’t agree more, she is ridiculously bad. I just can’t get over the fact that so many people chose to ignore it.
This definitely looks better than initially thought it would turn out. But you are right. None of the actors actually look like the person they are playing.
I just hope they don’t make diana out as some over emotional idiot. Some of the scene’s looked a little… idk over the top?
The wise counsel she keeps getting from whoever that lady is that Mary Brown (I think it was her?) is supposed to be playing feels downright cartoonish, like a fairy Godmother giving Cinderella an on-the-nose peptalk in digestible one-liners.
It looks decent. I think people are going come out watching movie thinking the Royal Family is terrible which is all that matters.
But, are they? Diana was also part of the English aristocracy and a spoiled brat. In this case it is “potato-potato” thing.
I do not think that she sounds or looks good in this. honestly the whole thing looks like a lifetime movie? I guess it remains to be seen until the whole movie is out but based on the trailer I’m amazed that people are talking Oscar.
I guess her whisper-talking is in lieu of an actual appropriate accent? Diana wasn’t a whisperer.
I think Emma Corrin did a better work with Diana’s voice than K-Stew.
Wow, that looks good! I was on the fence before, but I def want to see it now. She seems to captures the frustration, sadness, anger really well. Agree with the points about the stomping, … but on the other hand we only saw the external physicality what she wanted us to see. This is a woman who threw herself down the stairs. You do have to build up some steam do that I think.
Anyway I don’t care about the 100 % accuracy in physicality, it seems she plausibly Interpreted the essence of Diana’s mindset at that point in time.
Maybe the yellow dress, like the wedding dress, is part of a dream sequence?
I agree with you, Duch, and I’m looking forward to watching this film.
Nope.
It looks very interesting and Kristen looks interesting in it. When a bio is done they sometimes go caricature and this doesn’t seem like that. I’m willing to give it a go.
Yeah, I will see it just because I love this kind of historical fiction like The Crown but I can’t not see K Stew. It’s clear she worked hard to try and not fall back on her same old habits and mannerisms but you still see them. You still see her awkwardness. Oh well, I didn’t have high hopes anyway and Jack Farthing is enough to get me to commit.
Also, hasn’t that trailer song been in other trailers recently or am I just dreaming?
Perfect Day gets used quite frequently in movies, TV shows, and sometimes commercials. I’m not sure whose version is being used in that trailer because it definitely is not Lou Reed.
It’s Scala & Kolacny Brothers.
https://youtu.be/eSJmbXwso0E
It was in the first trailer they released, too, and it feels loud and obnoxious and like the song is doing a lot of the heavy lifting because KStew can’t…
It reminds me of the song sung by the children’s chorus in the movie version of Evita.
(“Santa Evita” or something like that?)
Yes, she will win the Oscar. The movie looks gorgeous
well, then I hope the costume designer or cinematographer wins the Oscar…
I mean… All I see is KStew doing the same two faces she always does, only this time with a (pretty decent to be fair) English accent. It feels unfair almost, I can’t think of an actress today who would be able to pull off Diana fully, but Kristen is just— no. No charisma, no spark, no emotion in her face, horrid posture, just a big nope all around.
She seems like a cool person so I always feel bad for thinking this – but the lady CANNOT act. Watching some of the stuff she did that was praised by the critics made me feel like a crazy person because I JUST DON’T SEE IT.
Right? I thought I was crazy hearing everyone else say how great she is.
After seeing trailer I can with most assurance say that I haven’t seen anything worse than this in ages! You and I would have been much better in that role than her.
Kristen Stewart and oscar doesn’t compute. The scenes look over the top and redundant. A big Nope from me..
Timothy Spall and Jack Farthing!!!!
I would totally watch this if it was “Diana spends a weekend at Blandings Castle”
I don’t understand why people have such a hang up on resemblance. The important thing in films are acting and how the drama plays out. It’s not suppose to be a look-alike-contest.
I agree. And this emphasis on the actor looking identical to the person is fairly recent. It used to be about acting and capturing the essence of the person. Now it seems to be the actor getting blamed for the errors of the hair and makeup people instead of any acting being involved.
Lotta, to took the words right out of my mouth. It also seems like I have never heard any negative criticism of a male actor playing a real life figure and not “looking enough” the part. Like, no one complained that Josh Brolin wore the wrong type of ties when he played W. or that Daniel Day Lewis was too short to play Lincoln. Yet another instance where we focus on the way a woman presents instead of the way she performs.
I don’t think she captured the essence of the person. I just see Kristen Stewart as herself.
She is so stiff and graceless that I can’t see Diana.
That “will they kill me, you think?” at the end strongly suggests that this film may not be all too sympathetic to the BRF lol Looks good, honestly.
Apparently that line has been removed from the UK trailer. I found that very interesting.
It was kind of tasteless.
Just no….she can’t act.
I’m so excited to see this! She’s been so good in so many roles at this point: Clouds of Silas Maria, for which she won a César; Personal Shopper; Certain Women; Happiest Season, which she was so, so good in. I get that she’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but she has definitely had some good roles.
I can already tell I’m going to think this movie is better than it is because of the beautiful set and music. (See also: Crown, The.)
Critics love Kstew. Shes not that great of an actress, but critics will push her as the next Hepburn. Will she get an Oscar who knows, but she will definitely get nominated.
Will this jump start her career again? Who knows Oscar nominations don’t mean anything in terms of box-office success.
This actually made me laugh out loud. Do you know how rare it is to get a positive consensus among film critics? If the critics love her, it’s for a reason. And her career doesn’t need jump-starting. She has worked steadily since Panic Room, when she was 12.
@Merricat
after I learned about all the shenanigans that go into Oscar campaigning and how Weinstein pushed “his girls” to the top, I am no longer buying the “consensus” angle.
Your opinion. Critics don’t speak for the general public anymore. And as for her career, she’s an inide darling and that’s fine, but she hasn’t crosses over to mainstream public.
I’m sorry, but the emperor has no clothes for me, this sucks so much, how can this be considered as an Oscar contender?!
And I find the song and the (otherwise excellent) choir performance choice to be especially cheesy and predictable. Really Hollywood in a bad way, sorry not sorry
Yes, I’m with you. I just think The Crown, with its series format allowing it hours and hours to build stories and characters, has just queered the pitch for any royal films. Not to mention that all the Crown actors, imo, are much better than KStew.
Me too, I don’t even know who else is an Oscar contender, but I just know someone MUST be better than this, unless it’s a particularly bad year.
Au contraire, this year oscar race is especially tough.Best Picture, Cinematography, Sound, and Best Actress are tight this year, and Spencer is predicted to go into several board nom.
If Kristen is indeed gunning for BA nom, her competition right now is JChastain and maybe JHud. Even then, Kristen got the best reception out of the three.
100%
Ugh, that yellow dress. She was wearing those ugly drop-waisted dresses early in her married life, during her pregnancies, not toward the end.
It’s also got a shot of her in her wedding dress, so presumably there is at least one dream or reminiscing sequence.
Nope. The strongest of nopes! I just don’t understand why she does that head tilt/body tilted thing throughout. Diana did that, but not as exaggerated. I almost thought her head would meet her hip at some point. It’s just so cheesy and breathless. Too overwrought for me. I’m sure it’ll have its nominations, but it’s a no for me.
I have yet to see anyone get Diana’s mannerisms right, they seem so forced and Stewart’s is no different. I think she is a mediocre actress at best. Every project she’s in I pass on regardless of who else is in the film, this will be no exception.
To be fair, I always found Diana’s mannerisms kinda forced too? I haven’t seen hours and hours of footage of her, but in the interview with Bashir, for instance, it comes across as an act.
Bashir was an act though, her mannerisms, makeup, what she said – it was all very carefully planned out. That’s not how Diana talked and acted in her everyday life . I think that’s part of the issue – actresses watch the Bashir interview to prepare for the role, when she was so much more than that.
@Becks1
That’s what I thought, too – surely she didn’t always act like that, most “normal” people act a little off in interviews, especially when stakes are so high and especially if she was also kind of coerced into that interview. I’d imagine to portray her in a private setting, they’d need to watch some private footage, when she’s relaxed with her boys, for example, not when she’s performing for the public?
I thought the trailer was something Saturday Night Live put together. Oh well, it still doesn’t intrigue me or capture me so I probably won’t see it.
Based on the trailer *alone* and the scenes chosen for the trailer *alone*, all I see is Kristen Stewart pretending to be Amanda Peet as Betty Broderick (Dirty John Season 2 – fabulous!) in a dream sequence where she pretends to be a princess.
Kristen has come far from her twilight days. I am debating to see this film or the house of Gucci.
This may be an Oscar nod to her assuming she can make the viewer think she is Diana. The trailer is does not have me convinced she can pull it off.
House of Gucci’s on my list. New story. New people. As much as I admired Diana, unless there’s some information, I’ll pass.
I’ve been watching Kristen on screen since she was a little girl…have seen everything she’s done because I throughly enjoy her acting…and I’m looking forward to this…not only for Kristen…but also for Hawkins & Spall…two of my ALL TIME FAVORITES❣
I like how the Director views historical women so far…so this one will be an all around treat❣
I think this will work. This is the same director who did Jackie, right? So it’ll be more about Kristen doing her take on Diana well, rather than doing a perfect impression of her.
Diana seems really challenging for people to directly imitate. It comes off as over-the-top when people “act” her mannerisms.
I think KStew’s wigs look busted here and nothing like Diana’s actual hair.
I want to like this, but it is impossible for her to disappear into a role…you know…act.
Does not look as good as I had hoped but I will watch. It certainly seems Emma Corrin was the superior Diana, but I agree with a comment above that this will be like Jackie in that it’s the actress’ own take rather than an exact impression.
It looks like she nailed it! It must be a very challenging role. Unfortunately, I can’t get past the physical differences. Diana had such kind eyes and a very gentle disposition. Her physical features played into her whole vibe. I don’t see that here.
why is always running and where is she going?
They got the tiara and the ring both wrong. How do you do that? I can buy really good replicas of both the ring and the tiara online, and yet the costume dept. couldn’t find either.
Also, I’m not buying KStew as Diana at all.
I think the look of the film and framing of the trailer made it like a horror movie. Like The Shining, but Buckingham Palace instead of the Overlook. Which is kind of intriguing. Because the director and writer are really speculating here on what happens behind doors, even inside his character’s minds, perhaps this movie can be (and is) taken for just sheer entertainment. An imagining based on some people the world has a lot of preconceptions about. A lot of movies do this, and I think this is another one. I guess it’s hard to take the desire for verisimilitude out of the equation, but perhaps if you’re willing to suspend a lot of belief and give into this director’s vision, you can enjoy it. If it appears on any of my streaming services I might give it a go, though I haven’t watched any of the Royal Family stuff in general, apart from a documentary or two.
I sometimes like Stewart’s performances. And this is so different a role. I give her credit for taking it on.
All shots either look like Kristen or Kristen playing Sienna Miller playing Diana. And every time she speaks it’s a whisper. Was that the only way she could do the accent?
This just seems bad.
What a mess.
And it’ll probably get noticed well for the oscars, sure.
I have to say Stewart’s acting is excellent. I love the costumes and scenery too. I think this will be a good movie and Kristen has certainly surprised me. I wasn’t expecting to like this film, but I will give it a try now.
They all sort of whisper at each other. It’s so laughable. Is Kristen Stewart’s British accent more British sounding when she whispers?
Lol!!
I am not feeling it at all. She looks nothing like Diana – i literally watch that and am like, “oh, that’s kristen stewart…” . Also, they didn’t get the hair right. It looks too much like a bob.
Only if Jessica and Franny McD split the vote.
If Tragedy of Macbeth is as good as the trailer looks, I think Frances is gonna get number four.
Tessa and Ruth will be the wild cards for Passing. And they will knock each other out because they are both leads.
This. I think Jessica C has the edge, if only because she’s a former nominee and very well respected, but doesn’t have a win. But I also think Macbeth looks amazing AF, and the voters like the Coens, this is Joel’s first solo ride, and they love Francis, so she could get number 4 (it premiers tonight at the NYFF and the reviews out already are really good).
I wouldn’t be surprised if KS is nominated, but that would be her ‘win’ I think. And I’ll wait to say anything about her performance until I actually see at some point when I can stream for free lol, because I’m not paying for this.
The movie looks interesting and Diana was a fascinating character. But, what peeves me are the countless women with dynamic lives and stories that won’t get a movie or television show because studio heads keep going to the same damn well about the same people.
Are we learning anything new?
No?
We don’t need another movie then.
She looks like Camilla. Maybe a better looking and prettier version, but there’s a resemblance. It’s a little distracting.
In the scene where she’s wearing the red coat, the acting looks kind of bad to me. And the crying scene doesn’t look great either. I’m no expert though.
This movie does not look as interesting as I thought it would be. Though I’ll still probably watch to figure out if I got my initial assessment wrong. Maybe I’ll just admire the English countryside — the only reason to watch these types of movies.
The character of Diana does seem a little annoying and self-absorbed in the trailer. Not sure if that’s what the director was gunning for.
I hope I’ll actually be able to hear the characters. If this winds up on Netflix, I guess I’ll have to use closed-caption.
I’m into it *shrugs* Kstew won me over in the Charlie’s angels movie and now I’m just down for whatever journey this movie crew wants to take me on. Is it Oscar worthy? Hell if I now!! I’m confused almost every year by the Academy’s picks for best this and that. But I’m pretty sure I’ll be entertained.
Cant wait to watch it. Hoping her performance lives up to expectations.
2 words
Sandy Duncan
I can’t unsee it
Kristen doesn’t look anything like Diana and her British accent in that show white movie was terrible, so I’m skeptical. However I want this film to be a huge success and win loads of oscars for the sole purpose of pissing off Prince Charles, so bring it on.
I really liked Jackie and Portman’s performance, so looking forward to his take on Diana. I’m a bit tired of the whole thing with the Crown but this film looks intriguing. Her accent is quite good, bits of Diana inflection and not distracting. Her physical features are so not like Diana’s so hope they performance will draw one in.
I really liked Jackie and Portman’s performance, so looking forward to his take on Diana. I’m a bit tired of the whole thing with the Crown but this film looks intriguing. Her accent is quite good, bits of Diana inflection and not distracting. Her physical features are so not like Diana’s so hope they performance will draw one in.
Kristen’s walking is a bit strange. Diana moved very gracefully.
If none of the stuff in the movie actually happened, I don’t really see the point of the movie being made if the main actor doesn’t really capture the character’s essence either. The whole effort seems a bit pointless, though I can see why Kristen was attracted to this particular film as an individual character study of Diana. Still, if she didn’t capture the essence, then the story as fiction fails. At that point, I would start wondering why she resembles Camilla instead.
I’m just not feeling it at all. This is not Oscar worthy
The hair is not right at all. Diana never had a round bob.
Never been a fan of K-Stew and this trailer didn’t change my opinion. The first thing that struck me is: why is she tilting her head to one side and raising the shoulder? I know that in the early years, Diana was labeled “Shy Di” but I got none of that from K-Stew’s performance — she looked like she had a stiff neck and shoulder. Her accent is fine but she neither sounds like Diana nor looks like her.
I simply don’t think she has the acting range to play Princess Diana. But then again, I didn’t think she had the acting chops to play Bella Swan, LOL!
Kristen (lip biting and mouth breathing) and Julia Robert’s (hand wringing and pacing) both take me so out of a story with their mannerisms. They just keep playing dress up versions of themselves. I intend on seeing this film to give her another chance, it looks lush and entertaining.