Kristen Stewart reveals she feels ‘haunted’ by Princess Diana, after playing her in biopic

Kristen Stewart has revealed she still feels “haunted” by Princess Diana, years after portraying the late royal in Pablo Larraín’s 2021 biopic Spencer.

The actor admitted she initially thought the casting choice was “insane” and even urged Larraín to hire someone else. But the director stood by his decision, and the gamble paid off. Spencer went on to receive widespread critical acclaim and earned Stewart an Oscar nomination for Best Actress.

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Speaking in a new interview with The Telegraph, Stewart recalled her reaction to landing the role. “I told Pablo he was insane and he should probably hire someone else, but he refused to accept that,” she said.

She explained she was unsure she could convincingly portray Diana due to their differences. “There were some massive distinctions between her and me. It was the statuesque thing. It was the eye colour, I have green eyes; she has very famously blue eyes that match her ring,” she said.

Despite those doubts, Stewart immersed herself fully in the role, and says Diana’s presence has stayed with her ever since. “I can’t drive round this city [London], and Paris for that matter, without thinking about her,” she shared. “All the love that poured out of this woman… I can cry about her at any moment.”

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Larraín has previously said he saw an overlap between Stewart and Diana’s lived experiences, pointing to a shared energy and understanding of intense public scrutiny. Stewart, who became a global star as a teenager following the success of Twilight, said she could relate to Diana being “plucked to death [by paparazzi]”.

By the end of filming, Stewart said the emotional toll of the role was significant. “I did feel a bit like a shell, and I think she did too. That was the point,” she explained.

Her transformation into Diana was aided by voice and movement coaching, alongside a carefully curated wardrobe of Chanel pieces. “The clothes were part of the armour,” Stewart said. “They allowed me to step into her physical space and create images of her in this prison of a castle yet wearing lavish, stunning pieces of clothing. That is a poem in itself.”

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