After a pretty exciting 2020 that saw Kristen Stewart go from battling sea monsters in Underwater to capturing the hearts of the internet in Happiest Season, one wouldn’t be blamed for wondering what’s next when it comes to the actor’s slate. And it just so happens that her current project is another huge leap, as Stewart is in the middle of filming the Princess Diana biopic Spencer. This was announced today, along with the reveal of how she looks as the late humanitarian and former royal, and believe us when we tell you, she’s absolutely unrecognizable in her latest role.
In an official release from Neon, the studio behind Spencer’s production, director Pablo Larraín's latest film has been officially announced as underway. And included with details on what the project’s plot entails, is our first look at what looks like a truly transformative performance. Here’s your first look at Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana in Spencer:
Even with full knowledge that we’re looking at Kristen Stewart in the photo above, this introduction to her version of Princess Diana is already an impressive A+ effort. The more you look at the image, the harder it is to try and see the unique features that identify the former Twilight star as who is on screen. It’s a seamless transformation that’s, quite frankly, put Spencer’s lead actor on that rarified plain of Charlize Theron tier transformation.
This is only the beginning of Spencer’s impressive pedigree, as Stewart is part of a team that has this project already sounding like an awards contender. Co-starring Harry Potter veteran Timothy Spall, The Shape of Water’s Sally Hawkins, recent Mission: Impossible franchise villain Sean Harris, and featuring a script written by Steven Knight, you can see the sort of ensemble that this project has brought together to potentially challenge next year’s nomination field. As far as the plot specific to this look into the life and times of Princess Diana, here’s where and when Spencer’s story will find its focus:
December, 1991: The Prince and Princess of Wales’ marriage has long since grown cold. Though rumours of affairs and a divorce abound, peace is ordained for the Christmas festivities at Sandringham Estate. There's eating and drinking, shooting and hunting. Diana knows the game. This year, things will be a whole lot different.
Spencer already sounds like another film that made noise for Pablo Larraín, as this sounds like exactly the sort of movie one could expect from the man who brought us the Natalie Portman-led drama Jackie. Much as the latter film explored the grief of former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Spencer seems to be Kristen Stewart’s platform to put on one hell of a performance, dissecting the moment where Diana decided to split with Prince Charles.
Considering all of the ingredients we’ve mentioned above, Spencer is ready to take another intimate moment in history, and turn it into an emotional drama that takes the audience through every step of the process. And with Kristen Stewart already looking like the absolute image of Princess Diana, we’re already awaiting the next look at her performance in the role with great anticipation. Spencer plans to debut in theaters this fall, and is currently planning to shoot in the UK and Germany; so we might not have to wait too much longer, if everything goes as planned.
