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'Caught In Flight': Naomi Watts To Play Princess Diana In New Film

Naomi Watts

First Posted: 02/ 9/2012 8:09 am Updated: 02/ 9/2012 8:09 am

Apparently Jessica Chastain can't star in every movie. Late in 2011, Thompson on Hollywood reported that Chastain was attached to star in "Caught in Flight," a new drama about the last two years of Princess Diana's life.

"There's some talks about that," Chastain told E! on the red carpet of the Golden Globes in January, "but next I'm going to Kathryn Bigelow's new film."

About that: Ecosse Films has announced that Naomi Watts, not Chastain, will star as the late princess in "Flight," with production scheduled to begin shooting later this year.

"It is such an honor to be able to play this iconic role -- Princess Diana was loved across the world and I look forward to rising to the challenge of playing her on screen," Watts said in a statement.

When it was first discussed last year, "Flight" -- which comes from "Downfall" director Oliver Hirschbiegel -- was set to focus on Diana's long-time love affair with Dr. Hasnat Kahn, the "love of her life." There's no mention of Kahn in the new reports, however "Caught in Flight" will apparently show "how finding true personal happiness for the first time allowed [Princess Di] to evolve into a major international campaigner and humanitarian."

As for Chastain, this is hardly a setback: the Oscar-nominated actress is set to co-star in Bigelow's untitled drama about the hunt for Osama bin Laden, and was recently cast with Joel Edgerton in "The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby," an ambitious project that tells the story of a relationship, from both its sides, over the course of two films. She's also planning to lead "The Heiress" on Broadway.

Watts was last seen playing J. Edgar Hoover's faithful secretary in "J. Edgar."

[via Variety]

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Apparently Jessica Chastain can't star in every movie. Late in 2011, Thompson on Hollywood reported that Chastain was attached to star in "Caught in Flight," a new drama about the last two years of Pr...
Apparently Jessica Chastain can't star in every movie. Late in 2011, Thompson on Hollywood reported that Chastain was attached to star in "Caught in Flight," a new drama about the last two years of Pr...
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12:38 AM on 02/13/2012
She is beautiful but she looks nothing like her.
12:53 PM on 02/11/2012
I enjoy Naomi's work, but Denzel looks more like Diana than she does.
04:47 AM on 02/11/2012
she's a great talent.. but i hope she doesn't play Lady Diana... she has no resemblance to her whatsoever, it ruins the entire thing.... just like michelle williams played Marilyn Monroe...even if they're acting is spot on, if they don't resemble the character, it kills and trashes the whole thing.
09:07 AM on 02/11/2012
I agree. on both counts. Williams didn't look anything like Monroe in the movie nor was her body busty or curvy enough to pull it off.
nancynancy
Atheist.
09:25 AM on 02/11/2012
I agree with you. Naomi Watts is a very beautiful woman and could play Grace Kelly or even Marilyn Monroe. But she doesn't look anything like Diana.
11:33 PM on 02/10/2012
Sure, Naomi is good. But Tina Fey would have been killer.
10:08 PM on 02/10/2012
Watt's desrved a bigger career. She's been great in everyshing she's done and her looks are unstoppable.
06:20 PM on 02/10/2012
Okay but why is this post on the Style page and not on the Entertainment page?
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
DungBeetle
Rolling Neocons Into A Ball
06:00 PM on 02/10/2012
Love her diamond-nips.
11:19 AM on 02/10/2012
she is a classic beauty with talent who i hope we will see in films 20 years from now, love her.
02:12 AM on 02/10/2012
wow its too much Good and amazing acting Play in the role of Princess .
http://www.fcsowatch.com/archive/profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=728373
08:59 PM on 02/09/2012
Amazingly good and beautiful actress...bold and fearless too. One of my favorites and still under appreciated if you can believe that.
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Wistfulslinking
World traveller, bon-vivant, writer..
08:50 PM on 02/09/2012
Great actress, bad choice.

Chastain was perfect.
09:10 PM on 02/09/2012
I agree. As wonderful as Naomi Watts is, Jessica Chastain would have been able to portray all of Diana's flaws and attributes while still maintaining a vulnerability. But we'll see what happens...
02:11 PM on 02/11/2012
Interesting choice. Chastain would have nailed the quintessential "Shy-Di" period and the early years of her marriage, but Naomi might actually be a better choice for her last two years. She changed quite a bit, in look, style and manner. Those Testino photos in black and white were incredible, and marked quite a turning point in her image. I think Watts might do quite well on that score. But as you say, we'll have to see...
02:16 PM on 02/11/2012
Beautiful photo for Vanity Fair, though I prefer the black and whites.

http://chungkitblog.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/diana-for-vanity-fair.jpg?w=430
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stape45
Spin this!
08:12 PM on 02/09/2012
In spite of the criticisms, I'm confident that Naomi will do a great job. Yes, she's that good.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Kittenesque
06:32 PM on 02/09/2012
Diana? I am sorry, can't touch that!
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Jeffin90019
Independent, occasional absolutist
06:26 PM on 02/09/2012
How absurd. Couldn't they find a woman who was....well...young? Watts is over 45 years old and set to potray a woman a decade younger.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Smirk
Cake or death.
10:36 PM on 02/09/2012
She's 43. Diana was 36. It's not that much of a stretch.
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Jeffin90019
Independent, occasional absolutist
11:07 PM on 02/09/2012
It is only if she's playing Diana from the time she becomes engaged to Charles when she was 18.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Ugonna
07:50 AM on 02/10/2012
actually that is quite a stretch...
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Squiriferous
Back off, man. I'm a scientist.
05:46 PM on 02/09/2012
Naomi Watts isn't quite - how shall I put this? - inbred-looking enough to portray Lady Diana.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Wistfulslinking
World traveller, bon-vivant, writer..
08:51 PM on 02/09/2012
The Spencers are not "inbred", not do they appear to be so. Do read books.
09:13 AM on 02/11/2012
Diana never looked "inbred". That statement only shows ignorance.