Diana meets Anne Boleyn: Actress Amy Mason reveals she appears as Henry VIII’s wife in new Kristen Stewart biopic Spencer which ‘delves into the late princess’s mental state’
- Actress Amy Manson appears in new Kristen Stewart Diana film as Anne Boleyn
- Anne Boleyn, the second of Henry VIII’s six wives, was beheaded in 1536
- Manson said her appearance ties in with ‘Princess Diana’s mental state’
- Stewart has already won plaudits for her ‘uncanny’ performance as the late royal
The character of Anne Boleyn will appear in the new Princess Diana biopic, adding a bizarre supernatural twist to the film.
Actress Amy Manson, 35, best known for sci-fi series The Nevers, revealed in an interview with Good Housekeeping that she has been cast as Henry VIII’s wife opposite Kristen Stewart, 31, as Diana in Spencer.
‘I play Anne Boleyn, which is weird I know because it’s hundreds of years difference [between them]. It is amazing,’ she said.
‘I can’t say too much about it! It’s definitely nothing like we’ve seen before – it’s nothing like The Crown… It really delves into Princess Diana’s mental state around a certain time in her life.’
Historical figure: Actress Amy Manson best known for sci-fi series The Nevers, revealed she has been cast as Henry VIII’s wife opposite Kristen Stewart, 31, as Diana in Spencer
Oh my, it’s Di! Stewart, 31, has already been praised for her ‘uncanny’ resemblance to the late princess in stills released from the set of Spencer, pictured
There is the potential for other historical figures to appear in the film too. Timothy Spall and Sally Hawkins have been announced as cast members but their characters not yet revealed.
‘They’re playing unexpected characters like mine,’ Manson teased.
Stewart, 31, has already been praised for her ‘uncanny’ resemblance to the late princess in stills released from the set of Spencer.
The film, directed by Pablo Larraín, is set over three days during one of Princess Diana’s final Christmases at Sandringham in 1991, although the meeting never took place in real life.
The script, written by English screenwriter Steven Knight, who has also written Peaky Blinders, follows the moments Diana realised she ‘needed to veer from a path that put her in line to one day be queen’.
Royal mystery: It is not known how Anne Boleyn will be incorporated into the story. The second of Henry VIII’s six wives, Anne was executed for treason and other charges in 1536
The film has already faced criticism from royal experts because Princess Diana had already broken away from the family at the time the film is set.
According to royal biographers Robert Jobson and Ingrid Seward, Diana had stopped visiting the estate before the period in which the drama is set.
Speaking on True Royalty TV’s The Royal Beat, Robert Jobson said: ‘I don’t even think she was there that weekend. She wasn’t even at Sandringham, on this supposed weekend.
‘The film will suggest this is where the decision was made to divorce, but she never made that decision. I didn’t think she was at Sandringham after 1990 and this was set in 1991.’
Spitting image: After a prior image stunned fans by showing Kristen’s resemblance to the late Princess (right), this photo (left) made it clear the actress has embodied the royal’s soft gaze
Ingrid added: ‘The film is based on three days at Sandringham, and the period that it is based on, Diana wasn’t going to Sandringham anymore.’
Their comments follows widespread criticism of Netflix drama The Crown, which saw politicians, experts and friends of the Royal Family call for a disclaimer to warn viewers that the show twists the truth.
It is not known how Anne Boleyn will be incorporated into the story.
The second of Henry VIII’s six wives, Anne was executed for treason and other charges in 1536.