The Crown's Princess Diana star admits portraying her was a 'unique challenge'
The Crown’s Elizabeth Debicki has spoken about playing the heartbreaking role of Princess Diana in the run up to her sudden death.
The Aussie star, 33, said she stuck closely to writer Peter Morgan’s “emotional blueprint” for Diana. She said: “I think it’s a unique challenge as an actor, to portray those days. It’s his interpretation and it made emotional sense to me, so I clung to that. Because, obviously, it’s devastating and it’s fraught and we can never know.”
The sixth and final series of the Netflix drama, shows a blossoming relationship between Diana and Dodi Fayed – to the delight of his dad, then- Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed. At the end of series five, Dodi, played by Khalid Abdalla, proposed to his US girlfriend but she is soon off the scene. Diana and Dodi, are seen on holiday with William and Harry, on a super yacht in Saint-Tropez, in July 1997.
A month later the couple and their driver were killed during a car chase through a tunnel in Paris. Viewers will see their black Mercedes enter the tunnel, followed by paparazzi on motorbikes, but not the crash on August 31, 1997. The story cuts to the aftermath of the tragedy. And, in scenes likely to enrage William and Harry, Diana’s ghost is thought to visit her ex-husband Charles and the Queen.
The Crown will show Diana's holiday with Harry and William (Daniel Escale/Netflix)She thanks Charles for crying after she died, calls him handsome, and declares she loved him “so deeply, so painfully”. She is also said to have a message from the afterlife for the Queen, saying she has “taught us what it means to be British” but suggesting it may be time for change.
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The drama, released in blocks of four and six on November 16 and December 14, covers 1997 to 2005, including Tony Blair ’s election triumph, Wills and Kate’s early relationship and Charles and Camilla’s marriage. Dominic West, 54, and Imelda Staunton, 67, return as Charles and the Queen. Staunton said: “I love her stillness and her ability to not be thrown by everything that must have constantly… gone on around her.”
West said of Charles: “I think he’s got real sadness to him and real compassion and what’s great about The Crown is that you see these public figures in private. I suspect in private he’s quite emotional.” Rufus Kampa plays a young William and Fflyn Edwards is Harry. In August, the makers of The Crown insisted their episode covering the death of Princess Diana is “sensitive and thoughtful”.
Executive producer Suzanne Mackie said: “With the Diana story, I think, there was no question that we would be, firstly, meticulous in our research and secondly and most importantly is to be sensitive and thoughtful. Elizabeth Debicki [who plays Diana] was so so thoughtful and considerate and loved Diana so there was a huge amount of respect from us all. I hope that’s evident.”
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