‘The Crown’s’ Elizabeth Debicki says filming Princess Diana’s death ‘woke us up in the night’
Elizabeth Debicki revealed that everyone involved in filming the death of Princess Diana in the sixth and final season of Netflix’s “The Crown” felt an “immense responsibility” when it came to portraying the final days of the Princess of Wales.
“An immense, immense responsibility,” Debicki, 33, told “Entertainment Tonight” during the red carpet premiere of the show’s final season on Sunday. “It’s difficult to describe, it was something that we thought about, that we carried with us, that woke us up in the night.”
The “Great Gatsby” actress assured fans and critics of the show that they tried to tell Diana’s story right.
“We tried our very best to do [the story] properly,” she said. “My message is just — thank you for sticking with the show, thank you for watching it. I hope that we give you what you need from it.”
Debicki, who also portrayed Diana in the show’s fifth season, said transforming into the “people’s princess” was a difficult challenge.
“It was a very difficult and also very beautiful thing to be asked to do as an actor,” she told the outlet. “So as much as it was very harrowing, it was also — there was a sort of grace to it at the same time.”
As previously reported, the final season of the award-winning show has been split into two parts, with Part 1 focusing on the “relationship blossoming between Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed before a fateful car journey has devastating consequences.”
“Prince William tries to integrate back into life at Eton in the wake of his mother’s death as the monarchy has to ride the wave of public opinion,” the show’s description continues. “As she reaches her Golden Jubilee, the queen reflects on the future of the monarchy with the marriage of Charles and Camilla and the beginnings of a new royal fairytale in William and Kate.”
In October, Netflix released a trailer for the first batch of episodes that show the late princess (Debicki) battling against the fallout from her divorce from Prince Charles (Dominic West).
Netflix also gave viewers a quick peek at Prince William and Prince Harry (Rufus Kampa and Fflyn Edwards, respectively) though their roles in the final episodes remain shrouded in mystery.
Several photos released by Netflix to hype up the series finale show Debicki in several pieces of clothing that were worn by Diana prior to her demise.
One such garment is the light blue one-piece swimsuit worn by the former princess one week before her death.
The picture, which was taken in 1997, shows Princess Di at the end of a diving board under a large body of water wearing the bathing suit while staying with her lover, Fayed, aboard the family’s yacht.
Another iconic outfit that was re-created was the one worn when the princess walked across a minefield in Huambo, Angola.
Season 6 of “The Crown” will premiere on Netflix in two parts. Episodes 1-4 will drop Nov. 16, while fans will have to wait until Dec. 14 for Episodes 5-10.