Hollywood actor Kristen Stewart said that she was anxious about portraying Princess Diana in the film Spencer. Kristen plays the character of Diana who spends three days with the Royal Family during the Christmas of 1991. This was, of course, before she separated from Prince Charles.
Kristen told BBC News: “I had TMJ [her jaw stayed shut] to the point where I was like, completely locked up. I was like, ‘Huh, I guess I’m really nervous – I was really tripping out until we started.”
She added that she “couldn’t open my mouth for two weeks before we started shooting”.
Spencer is directed by Chilean-born Pablo Larrain who has previously directed Natalie Portman to a 2017 Oscar nomination for Jackie.
During the shooting Larrain had asked to “relax and trust the process”, BBC reported. He also told her to rely on extensive preparation for the role.
The ‘Twilight’ actor said that she came into the shooting with less knowledge about the Royal Family.
“I didn’t have the most developed or defined relationship with the Royal Family in general. I didn’t grow up following the sort of saga,” she said.
“Obviously I do live on planet earth, and her impact was so immense and emotional, even for somebody who was seven when she passed away,” she added.
Kristen also added that she had to research the character in order to drown herself in Diana’s life. She said that she read everything and watched all the interviews that she could find.
The ‘Charlie’s Angels’ actor even watched The Crown and also went through every interpretation of the series.
“I just tried to absorb her in an emotional and general way, and then trust the process, and expect her to show up,” she said.
Kristen said that the responsibility of playing such an icon is immense since there are so many opinions about the princess.
“I felt I wanted to protect her,” she said. “I had to just not focus on other people’s idea of her, and really focus on my own. And that in itself was just so distinct and specific to me.”
The actor said that she wants to her Diana justice by allowing the character to be impulsive. She described the film as a “tumultuous tone poem that also felt really exuberant and wonderful and joyous”.