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Actress Kristen Stewart has said she'd love to reprise her Oscar-nominated role as Princess Diana.
The Spencer actress told Rob Licuria of Hollywood gossip website Gold Derby that she would be interested in playing Diana again at a different point in the princess's life.
"If I played her at a different time in her life, it would be different. It was bottomlessly fascinating," said the actress also known for playing Bella Swan in the Twilight Saga. "I would be so into doing another one. I want to play her again."
Nominated for a 2022 Academy Award, Stewart's performance as Diana in the Pablo Larraín movie Spencer drew some criticism from fans of the royal for its horror-like cinematic style and surrealist plot devices.
The movie is a fictionalized portrayal of a Christmas weekend at Queen Elizabeth II's Sandringham House where Diana's marriage is shown on the verge of its final collapse.
On playing such a beloved figure, Stewart told Licuria, "She was a wonderful person... I loved learning about her. I really loved being affected by her. Her energy is stunning."
Stewart's portrayal has been commended by critics leading to nominations for best actress in the Golden Globes and the Academy Awards but the actress was notably snubbed by the British Academy of Film and Television.
The BAFTAs are the U.K's leading film and television awards which take place before the Academy Awards each year, with nominees closely echoing its American counterpart. There was widespread speculation as to whether Stewart would receive a nomination in Diana's home country especially considering that BAFTA's president is Diana's own son, Prince William.
When the 75th BAFTA Film Award nominations were announced in February, Stewart's name was notably absent.
The portrayal in Larraín's movie follows Diana's recent depiction in Netflix's fourth season of The Crown.
The series, which follows the life of Queen Elizabeth II and her family, was met with a wave of opposition in the U.K with the then-secretary for digital, media, culture and sport, Oliver Dowden, calling for a warning at the beginning of each episode stating that it was not a factually accurate portrayal of historical events. He told The Mail on Sunday:
"It's a beautifully produced work of fiction, so as with other TV productions, Netflix should be very clear at the beginning it is just that... Without this, I fear a generation of viewers who did not live through these events may mistake fiction for fact."
To which the streaming giant responded: "We have always presented The Crown as a drama, and we have every confidence our members understand it's a work of fiction that's broadly based on historical events. As a result, we have no plans—and see no need—to add a disclaimer."
When faced with similar criticism, Spencer Director Larraín told The Independent: "I'm not chasing controversy. I'm just trying to chase something that feels real. I think the movie does a proper depiction of Diana's internal distress. And that's what I care about."
Despite some criticism, Stewart's performance has been widely celebrated, in particular her ability to replicate Diana's vocal style. Speaking to Licuria, she said: "If I was watching an interview and she did something in it and it got me, I'd be like, 'We need to find a moment for that and try and get that feeling.' And her voice is just so particular. She has such an incredible way of speaking and it's always different."
Stewart is nominated for her first Academy Award in the category of Best Actress against Hollywood heavy-hitters, Nicole Kidman, Olivia Colman, Jessica Chastain and Penélope Cruz. The awards ceremony will take place on March 23 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
About the writer
James Crawford-Smith is a Newsweek Royal Reporter, based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on the British royal family ... Read more