Naomi Watts on Surviving a Royal Film Fiasco
Naomi Watts opens up about her challenging role in the ill-fated film Diana, revealing how she recognised its flaws early but chose to see the project through despite mounting criticism.
There’s a particular sting when a film you’ve pinned your hopes on falls flat, but it’s quite another matter when you’re the one on screen, watching the whole thing unravel from the inside. For actors, the outcome is always a gamble; you might pour everything into a part, only to find that some things—like a script that simply won’t cooperate—are beyond salvaging.
Naomi Watts has certainly had her share of triumphs, not least her mesmerising performance in David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive. That role, with its layers of ambition and regret, showcased her range in a way few others have. Yet, even the most accomplished careers are peppered with the odd misstep, and for Watts, one such detour arrived a decade later, earning her a Razzie nod she’d probably rather forget.
From Acclaim to Critique
It’s a curious thing, watching someone who once dazzled audiences in Mulholland Drive end up in the running for a Golden Raspberry. But that’s what happens when a script refuses to be rescued, no matter how much talent is thrown at it. In 2013, Watts took on the daunting task of portraying Princess Diana—a figure whose every move has been dissected endlessly. The resulting film, directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel, was met with a chorus of disapproval. No amount of dedication could turn the tide, and Watts herself admits she saw the writing on the wall early on. Still, she pressed ahead, bracing herself for the inevitable backlash.
By the time doubts crept in, it was far too late to bow out gracefully. The role of the ‘People’s Princess’ had already been accepted, and with it, the weight of public expectation. Diana’s story, from her fairy-tale wedding to her untimely death at 36, remains etched in the public consciousness. In a candid moment with Harper’s Bazaar, Watts confessed,
“I got seduced by the fantastic character. Diana did a lot of things that had positive and negative results. She was multifaceted.”
Weathering the Storm
Watts went on to reflect,
“Ultimately 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.”
Like a captain refusing to abandon ship, she stayed the course, even as the project veered off track. That same year, her appearance in the much-maligned Movie 43 didn’t help matters, making 2013 a year she might prefer to gloss over. Redemption, however, wasn’t far off; her next major outing, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), would go on to sweep the Oscars in 2014.
Taking on Diana was always going to be a risk, and in the end, it didn’t pay off. But that’s the unpredictable nature of the film industry: you can give everything to a role, yet if the script is beyond repair and the direction falters, even the most committed performance can’t keep the whole thing afloat.