Keira: I'm not Diana
2008-08-26 10:27
London - Keira Knightley has denied her character in The Duchess reflects Princess Diana.
The actress - who plays Georgiana Spencer, Duchess of Devonshire in the 18th century period drama - has blasted a trailer for her latest film, which compares her character to the late royal.
Spencer was a distant relation of Diana, but the film makes no reference to her.
"I am Georgiana. I am not Diana. The film is not about Diana, Georgiana is an incredible person on her own without the need to draw parallels," Keira, 23, said.
The trailer for The Duchess juxtaposes a clip of Princess Diana - who tragically died in a car accident 1997 - with one of Georgiana.
It also features the tag line "The two were related by ancestry and united by destiny" before a voiceover says: "History repeats itself".
Trailer upset director and author
Keira admits there are parallels between socialite Georgiana and Diana, but is adamant the princess - who tragically died in a Paris car crash in 1997 - was not an inspiration for her character.
"Georgina was incredibly glamorous, obviously, and politically she was incredibly influential. But also incredibly vulnerable, and she's really navigating her way through a marriage that is entirely loveless," she added.
The trailer also upsets the film's director Saul Dibb and Amanda Foreman, the author of the book that it is based on.
Dibb blames "the marketing men", while Foreman described it as "a bad joke".
"There is absolutely no reason to have done this trailer. The marketing people probably thought the only way they could get the young popcorn-eating brigade to see this film was if they made some comparison with Diana," Foreman added.
"But they did not need to and should not have done it. Trailers should be what the film is about. But in this case, the trailer is not connected to the film."
The Duchess opens in UK cinemas on September 5. - Bang Showbiz.com