Kristen Stewart got into the mind of Princess Diana in her new movie Spencer.
The former child star first came to prominence after starring alongside Jodie Foster in Panic Room, before being catapulted to international stardom in the Twilight franchise.
Having grown up in the spotlight, the actress says she could identify with the late royal in some ways.
"I definitely know what it feels like to have eyes on you but for such different reasons that it's hard to compare," Stewart tells 9Honey Celebrity in a London hotel room.
Actress Kristen Stewart tells 9Honey Celebrity she can identify with Princess Diana's struggles of having 'eyes on you' but says their two lives are too different to really compare (9Honey)
"I don't have to hit any mark for the public, I don't have to uphold these ideals that are keeping my nation together, or aiming to.
"So [the] pressure's a lot different. Cameras are still there but for such different reasons it's really hard to compare."
Spencer is historical fiction, with the storyline following The People's Princess at a time when she decides to divorce Prince Charles and takes place across Christmas at Sandringham in 1991, a year after Stewart was born.
While the 31-year-old laughs at the comparison, the actress says she enjoyed the sartorial trip back to the early 90s and, more so, getting inside the mind of such a beloved but complex woman.
However the actress says their lives are not comparable because she's never had to uphold ideals for the sake of a nation, which she says is another level (Photo: circa early 1980s) (Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)
"I didn't know that much about Diana," Stewart admits to 9Honey Celebrity.
"I knew I liked her and I was drawn to her — she was a very sparkly figure in history and obviously the end of her life... the whole thing put together from an outsider's point of view is very fascinating but I'd never delved deep."
And when she did delve into the story, Stewart speaks passionately about what she uncovered.
"She was this person who wasn't allowed to be completely honest in every moment but she just felt completely honest in every moment, even when she's not telling the truth — [whether it's] verbally or in an environment where she can't reach out and tell everyone how she feels."
Stewart adds: "Her innate ability to connect with people and not just personally but to bring other people together, that was something that she was just born with."
Speaking to Diana's different approach to royal life compared to many of her predecessors, the actress says she was stunned it took generations before someone like Diana was part of the monarchy.
"She found herself in this set of circumstances that is so starkly opposite of everything I just said, everyone just says 'oh my gosh, we've never had this' — the monarchy has existed for hundreds of years and nobody's ever reached out and touched anyone.
"I think that's really fascinating."
Diana, Princess of Wales shakes hands with a Aids victim as she opens a new Aids ward at the Middlesex Hospital on April 9, 1987 in London (WireImage)
Not only did Stewart praise Diana's empathy towards others but the actress tells 9Honey Celebrity, the royal was generous in being so open about her eating disorder when it was still such a taboo topic.
Diana's battle with bulimia isn't shied away from in the movie and in fact is a big part of the film, something Stewart really wanted to do justice to.
"I think it was really important not to tokenise that because everyone knows she struggled with food and we've seen that in film a bit... [but] if that didn't seem real, it would have been actually shameful," she says.
And, according to Spencer director Pablo Larraín, the actress nailed the brief.
"She's obviously a wonderful actress... and is not only very skilful but is also very mysterious and I think they both share that, with Diana," Larraín tells 9Honey Celebrity over Zoom.
"I think Kristen can keep a secretive side, no matter what she's saying, no matter how many times she could be expressing what she feels and what she's actually feeling — there's always some very deep mystery.
"I thought and felt that she was willing to provide a very intense enigma and she did really beautiful.
"It's such a stunning performance and I'm very happy she made the movie with us."
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