Naomi Watts Knew Her Princess Diana Film Would Bomb
The acclaimed actress opens up about starring in the universally panned 2013 biopic, revealing she sensed disaster early but stayed committed to the controversial royal portrayal.
Every actor faces career gambles that don't pay off. But few stars willingly march into what they know will be a critical massacre. Naomi Watts did exactly that with her 2013 portrayal of Princess Diana, a performance that earned her a Razzie nomination and widespread ridicule.
From Lynch's Masterpiece to Royal Disaster
The same actress who delivered a stunning dual performance in David Lynch's Mulholland Drive somehow found herself nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award. That's what happens when talent meets an irredeemable script and questionable direction.
Oliver Hirschbiegel's Diana crashed spectacularly across every metric. Critics savaged it. Audiences ignored it. The film became a textbook example of how not to handle beloved historical figures on screen.
Knowing the Ship Was Sinking
Watts admits she saw the warning signs early. Speaking to Harper's Bazaar, she revealed her conflicted feelings about the doomed project. "I got seduced by the fantastic character. Diana did a lot of things that had positive and negative results. She was multifaceted," she explained.
The actress acknowledged the production's fundamental problems. "There were problems and it ended up taking a direction that was not the one I was hoping for. With risk, there is every chance it's going to fail. If you have to go down with that sinking ship, so be it."
A Captain's Commitment
Like a ship's captain refusing to abandon her vessel, Watts stayed committed despite knowing the outcome. She'd already signed on to portray the People's Princess, the woman who captivated the world after marrying into the Royal Family in 1981 before her tragic death at 36 in 1997.
The year 2013 proved particularly brutal for Watts. Besides Diana, she also appeared in the universally mocked Movie 43. Two major misfires in one year would derail most careers.
But Hollywood rewards persistence. Watts bounced back strong in 2014 with Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), which swept the Oscars and reminded everyone why she's considered one of her generation's finest performers. Sometimes you have to weather the storm to reach calmer waters.