By: Kimberley Bond
The psychological drama Spencer had already raised eyebrows even before its theatrical release, with the film showing an unrelenting look at Diana’s turmoil during one Christmas at Sandringham.
Kristen Stewart’s portrayal of the Princess of Wales shows Diana at some of her most vulnerable moments; her performance is feral and wild, as she struggles with the regimented nature of a royal Christmas. While it’s not a particularly sympathetic portrayal of the royal family, Diana comes across as hugely troubled, with the film quickly drawing criticism.
A former friend of Diana told The Telegraph that the late princess would be “horrified” by her portrayal in the film, while other royal commentators have been left unimpressed by how the royal family has been depicted.
But Spencer’s director Pablo Larraín is not phased by any potential backlash the film may receive, stressing that he used his poetic licence as a director to form his interpretation of events.
In an exclusive interview with RadioTimes.com, Larraín explained: “I’m not responsible for how people react to this film, and I shouldn’t be held so. The film is an invitation to see a different interpretation, and it’s a fictional take on events.
“It’s something that I think people are welcome and open to respond to the film.”
Larraín said he hoped that his somewhat different take on the ‘people’s Princess’ may open people’s minds about other interpretations of Diana, and consider what may have lay beneath the surface.
“I feel that by people watching different interpretations, there’s a chance these people can have empathy, which is what I saw in Diana,” he said. “It’s this level of empathy I feel which what allowed Diana to become not only a pop icon but also a woman who we all felt we could kind of relate to.
“I understand that people might feel protected but the reason why people do that is because they love Diana. They love what they did and the humanity she shared.”
It was the public’s fascination with Diana which spurred Larraín, who previously worked on 2016’s Jackie, to make Spencer.
“I grew up seeing my mum obsessed with Princess Diana. As I got older, I realised it’s not just my mum,” he explained.
“So I delved into Diana and who she was. I bought a number of books and did my research. It seemed the more I learned, the less I knew about her. That was something interesting, I think. The main motivation of the film was to try and approach that mystery in her humanity.”
Spencer is out now in cinemas. Visit our Movies hub for more news and features, or find something to watch with our TV Guide.