'I was only 11 when Diana died': extended Keira Knightley interview
Updated on 01 September 2008
Stephanie West talked to Keira Knightly about her new film, The Duchess, in which she plays Georgiana Spencer, an ancestor of Princess Diana.
Keira Knightley spoke of the "extraordinary character" of The Duchess, describing her as "a woman who is incredibly intelligent and loving of life and an idealist at the beginning of the film."
"She's someone who tries to grab happiness with both hands, and every single time sort of gets ripped away from it," she says.
She's asked the ultimate. She's asked to choose between her children and between the love of her life. It's absolutely tragic."
But also, I found her incredibly inspiring. I think that she is a survivor and she comes through it in the end," she adds. "I think most people wouldn't."
"I think she was an extraordinary character and sort of one that people would be chasing around in the streets and wanting to look like and emulate.
"I didn't realise that the cult of celebrity had been around that long. I imagined that it was a very modern phenomenon. She was constantly in newspapers in either derogatory ways or very positive ways."
When asked about the parallels with the life of Princess Diana, Ms Knightley replied "I don't know enough about Diana to really know exactly what the parallels are."
"I'm very aware of the images, but as far as the actual story - I mean I was 11 when she died so I don't really know, I don't think I can really comment on it."
"I thought that Georgiana herself was interesting enough, and the dynamics in her relationships were interesting enough to warrant a film about her regardless of any kind of comparison to anybody else."
"Marketing is nothing to do with me. You are going to have to ask whoever it was at the film company that thought that was a good idea about that."
Interview with Dominic Cooper
Keira Knightly's co-star, Dominic Cooper, talks about his role as Earl Grey in the film.
Interview with Saul Dibb
The Duchess director, Saul Dibb, talks about the making of the film.
Watch the trailer here:
