IMTERVIEWS & PRESS
SPENCER
[…] In one scene, Stewart’s Diana is playing a game of Truth or Dare with her sons in the dark, which — Stewart, Nielen and Spry explain — was largely improvised. In fact, Nielen says, the freedom to take that scene wherever they wanted to was “very crucial to the actual bond” the three shared. Stewart calls that particular moment “some of the most fun I’ve ever had making a scene.” And while Nielen agrees, he remembers another scene shooting with Stewart that he deemed his most challenging.
“The most emotionally challenging scene was the bathroom scene with me and Kristen, because the way Kristen approached that scene made it feel very real and actually made it feel like a real crisis,” explains Nielen. “It’s like seeing a friend in distress and you’ve got the lifebuoy to save them… That really made the scene feel alive and really brought the moment that William realizes that his mother isn’t OK. And she’s starting to really crack under the pressure. And he’s trying to save her, but you don’t know if it’s too late, or if you can still pull it back.” […]
A Q&A with Kristen Stewart, Jack Farthing, Jack Nielen, and Freddie Spry of SPENCER. Moderated by Jenelle Riley, Variety.
by Nicola Bambini
TRANSLATION:
Just like the traditional Christmas Cards of the various senior members of the British royal family, here is a special postcard signed by three protagonists of Spencer, the new House of Windsor film directed by the Chilean director Pablo Larraín.
“Happy New Year, from our family to yours,” reads a backstage photo posted by the young Jack Nielen, 12, the London actor who plays Prince William.
Alongside him are little Freddie Spry, as his younger brother Harry, and the film star, Kristen Stewart, as Lady Diana. […]
The biopic takes place on Christmas 1991, when Diana, a guest at Sandringham with her husband Charles (played by an English actor Jack Farthing) and children Harry and William, decided that it was time to end her marriage.
‘It’s an upside down fairy tale’, Larraín said. ‘The story of a princess who decided not to become queen, but chose to build her own identity. I always thought it must have been a very tough decision to make: this is the heart of the film. I wanted to delve deeper into the process behind Diana’s choices, as it oscillates between doubt and determination, finally choosing freedom.’
Questions for Jack Nielen (original draft)
Jordaan Sanford for Variety Content Studio
This was the first major role of your very young acting career. What was going through your mind the first time you walked onto a set so grand in size and visually stunning? Were you nervous at all?
JACK: As you might remember we were filming this movie in the middle of the pandemic and lockdowns. I think I was most nervous when there was quite a bit of uncertainty if we would be able to fly to Germany at all. I was so happy to get on that plane! The silver lining of all this was that when we arrived in Kronberg I got a quick glimpse of the set downstairs on the way to our rooms. Then we had to quarantine for 5 days upstairs in the same hotel (yes, we actually got to live on set, sort of). I had a lot of time to think about everything and when it was time to start filming everything felt quite familiar. It also helped a lot that we got to meet Kristen the day before and everyone was super kind and welcoming.
Kristen Stewart who plays your mother, Princess Diana in the film was also a child actor. Did she give you any advice or help you with anything on set? What did you learn from her?
JACK: Kristen is SO COOL!!! She is the coolest person I know. She is also super kind, friendly and always very generous with her time - always there to chat and have a laugh. She made everything seem so easy and always treated me seriously - I really liked that.
I also had the opportunity to watch other scenes being filmed on my days off. That’s when I could really relax and learn from Kristen and other actors without worrying about my own performance. It was amazing to see how they approached their particular parts. And if there is one important thing that I’ve learned from Kristen, it’s that, as an actor, you should always challenge yourself so that’s what I intend to do going forward.
You had a couple of very tense scenes with Kristen. You really had to push yourself emotionally. How did you prep for these scenes to produce such vulnerability?
JACK: Here a huge credit to my on set coach Maria who introduced me to Lee Strasberg’s method acting. We worked together to translate real life memories and emotions into what was happening in the particular scene. This made a big difference to how I was able to show what was going on at any particular time.
Also the way Kristen approaches her performance feels very real in the moment - like when you see a friend in distress you react to it. I guess this is the best way to describe this.
The scenes with you both (Freddie/Jack) and Kristen seemed so genuine and natural, almost as if no filming crew was in the room with you three. It feels spontaneous and real, did you ever go off script during your scenes with Kristen?
JACK: Pablo is an amazing director to work with and he gave us a lot of creative freedom and trust. While some scenes were scripted, others (like the candlelight game scene) were more structured than scripted so while we knew what was supposed to happen we also really had the freedom to play and improvise. We really were playing the soldier game and everyone was completely wrapped up in the moment - it felt very real. I guess you really can see this on screen.
What was your most memorable moment on set?
JACK: Gosh, that’s really impossible to pick just one! I don’t even think it’s a one particular moment. It’s rather like a mosaic of little moments that make a bigger picture. Things that make me happy when I think about them. Like chatting to Kristen between takes and looking at what we got on tape. And when Pablo would let me sit with him and watch other scenes being filmed. Or listening to Gregor (the first AD) explaining things. Or talking to the producers, Joans and Paul. Or looking how Guy would adjust things on set to make it look just right… And the morning latte from the on set cart and prep with my coach Maria before the day of filming. So many great memories!
With the new year around the corner and having already achieved so much in your young career in 2021. If you had one wish for the upcoming year, what would it be?
JACK: Oh, this is easy! I wish that in 2022 I get to spend more time on set than anywhere else! Being on set makes me really happy and there is no other place I’d rather be.
by: Rebecca Ford
photo credit: Leitz (SPENCER - behind the scenes of the soldier game)
by Glenn Whipp
