Keira Knightley objects to invoking Princess Diana to market 'The Duchess'
Keira Knightley is unhappy that images of the late Princess Diana are being used to promote the upcoming English release of her costume drama "The Duchess."
That film genre is a fave of Oscar voters, of course, so this might put Keira Knightley back in the derby. Keira Knightley picked up her first Academy Award nod in 2005 for her role as the 19th century heroine of Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" And last year she starred in the best picture Oscar nominee "Atonement," a tale of love and lies set against the backdrop of WW II London.
The film tells the compelling story of Georgiana, the Duchess of Devonshire, an 18th century socialite who was Diana's great-great-great-great aunt. Their lives were eerily similar — teenage brides of powerful men who were more interested in their mistresses than them. In the English trailer, a voiceover says, "Two women related by ancestry and united by destiny" as pictures of Diana appear. And the print ad tag line — "There were three people in her marriage" — is a play on a famous phrase uttered by Diana.
Yet, as Knightley tells the UK Daily Mail, "I was only 11 when Diana died, so I don't really know much about her story. It didn't even occur to me to portray Georgiana as Diana, as I wasn't conscious of the similarities, and nobody suggested I should. I was always Georgiana, never Diana."
And the director, Saul Gibbs, confirms this: "I can guarantee that when we were making the movie, Diana's name was never mentioned. It didn't govern the shooting of the film or the performances. The story is about Georgiana, and no one else. It doesn't need to be linked to anyone else because she was an exceptionally interesting person in her own right."
The film opens in England Friday, unspools as a gala presentation at the Toronto filmfest two days later, and will be released on Sept. 19 stateside.
Photo credit: Paramount Vantage
a lot of respect for knightley for coming out on that - it's disgusting that they think they can advertise using images of the late princess, with such a loose link. the film itself has nothing to do with diana, and so to use her face just because the antagonist happens to be a distant relation is nothing more than a thoughtless publicity stunt. well done keira.
also - lea? learn to spell.. and by the by, keira was in no way implying she should have had a role as diana? she was saying that she was playing the actual character.. you know, like real actresses do?
Posted by: rachel | August 31, 2008 at 03:05 PM
shut the hell up keria knightly, u wud never be asked to play the part of Diana cos u are a ugly twisty little bitch, who shud be thankin her stars for been involved with a film linked to the amazing Princess Diana
Posted by: lea | August 31, 2008 at 10:19 AM