Why was Kristen Stewart cast as Princess Diana? Actor says role still ‘haunts’ her

Washington: Actor Kristen Stewart has said her portrayal of Princess Diana in the 2021 film Spencer continues to stay with her, describing the late royal as a presence she still feels deeply years after the film’s release.

In an interview quoted by People magazine, Stewart reflected on the emotional toll of playing the Princess of Wales and said she still feels “haunted” by Diana.

“I still am. I can’t drive ’round this city, and Paris for that matter, without thinking about her,” Stewart said. “All the love that poured out of this woman… I can cry about her at any moment.”

Princess Diana died in a car crash in Paris in 1997 at the age of 36.

Stewart in Spencer

Stewart starred as Diana in Spencer, directed by Pablo Larraín and written by Stephen Knight. The film imagines a crucial Christmas weekend in 1991, when Diana spent time with the royal family as her marriage to the then Prince Charles was breaking down.

Why Kristen for the role?

Looking back on the role, Stewart said she initially questioned Larraín’s decision to cast her, recalling that she told him he was “insane” and suggested he find someone else, citing differences such as height and eye colour. Larraín, however, insisted that the casting was about “spirit”, not physical resemblance, according to People.

Stewart’s performance received widespread acclaim and earned her a nomination for Best Actress at the 2022 Academy Awards. She said Larraín saw parallels between their lives, particularly the intense pressure of constant public scrutiny.

ALSO READ | Prince Harry, on the brink of tears, says tabloids made his wife’s life a misery

She added that by the end of filming she felt “a bit like a shell”, a state she believes Diana herself experienced. In an earlier interview, Stewart described Diana as having an “unstoppable light”, saying the role helped her grow personally and briefly imagine what it was like to make people feel good in the way the princess did.