Neon Offers First Look at Pablo Larrain’s Princess Diana-Biopic “Spencer” Starring Kristen Stewart

Pablo Larraín’s latest project is earning royal raves…

Neon has released the first trailer and extended clip for the 45-year-old Chilean Oscar-nominated filmmaker’s latest film Spencer, the biopic about Princess Diana that stars Kristen Stewart.

Kristen Stewart, Princess Diana, Spencer

The film will have its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival on September 3, then move on to the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

There’s been a lot of attention on the prospect of Stewart’s portrayal of the iconic Lady Di (she was last in Venice playing another real-life woman in 2019’s Seberg).

The trailer footage begins with the arrival at Sandringham for the Christmas weekend and takes us through preparations for dinner while Diana is clearly stressed in a bathroom as she’s called to the table. Other images show her strutting down a long hallway dressed to the nines in a silver gown, sitting for a family portrait, paparazzi snapping cameras, and Diana also in moments of letting loose dancing and running across the estate grounds.

In the extended footage clip, Diana and Prince Charles discuss the scrutiny that’s placed on them by the media. She says, “If they’re circling, it seems they’re circling just me.” To which Charles retorts, “Perhaps that’s because I always take care to close my curtains.”

In the tense exchange, he adds, “There has to be two of you. There’s two of me… The real one and the one they take pictures of… We are given a task… But you have to be able to make your body do things you hate.” Diana: “That you hate?” Charles: “Yes… For the country, the people. They don’t want us to be people. That’s how it is. I’m sorry, I thought you knew.”

They have their tiff across a distanced snooker table and also nip about the son’s taking up shooting outside, and her wardrobe. The scene culminates in Stewart’s Diana having a measured display of irritation at her husband who is railing on her, but with such a placid tone.

Directed by Larrain and written by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, the film takes place during the Christmas holidays with the royal family at the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, England, when Diana decides to leave the marriage.

Jack Farthing is playing Charles, with further cast including Timothy Spall, Sally Hawkins, Sean Harris, Olga Hellsing and Thomas Douglas.

Prior to filming, Stewart admitted to nerves and excitement ahead of taking on the biopic. “The accent is intimidating as all hell because people know that voice, and it’s so, so distinct and particular,” she told InStyle. She continued, “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. I haven’t been this excited about playing a part, by the way, in so long.”

Neon and Topic Studios recently set a November 5 domestic release.

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