The most remarkable versions of Princess Diana we've seen on screen

(CNN) -- Princess Diana lived such a high-profile and public life that it's no wonder writers and directors have tapped her into television and film for as long as the world knew her name.

The life of the princess was brief but intense: she was a 19-year-old aristocrat when she became engaged to Carlos, a 20-year-old princess when she became one of the most famous women in the world, and a 36-year-old divorcee and mother of two children when he died in a car accident in Paris. And in the years before and after her death, in 1997, filmmakers have used the most dramatic elements of her life to tell stories, most recently Pablo Larraín's auteur drama "Spencer," starring Kristen Stewart as the princess of the people

However, it's easier to capture Diana's shy smiles and glowing eyes than her inner pain and silent defiance. Her physical gestures alone don't make for a great performance. Many have played the late Princess of Wales on film and television, 12 by People's count, with varying degrees of success. Take a look at some of the most memorable Dianas we've seen on screen.

Naomi Watts, "Diana" (2013)

Watts certainly lived up to it in this otherwise dull adaptation of Diana's later life, but the extremely serious film was "smashed by British critics," CNN reported at the time. of its release. Although the film dramatizes some of the most iconic moments of the Princess of Wales, such as her walk through a minefield in Angola as part of a campaign against landmines, the film was criticized for its lack of drama and sentiment, among other things. important qualities.

A reviewer for The Guardian, in a one-star review, openly wondered if the film was "an MI5 plot to smear Diana's name and make her look plastic and absurd." Although some complimented her on her accent, most critics were "dissatisfied" with Watts' performance.

Emma Corrin, "The Crown" season 4 (2020)

Corrin's young Spencer, perhaps the most painful screen adaptation of Diana, was written as the series' most likeable figure. Throughout the season, viewers watched Diana go from being a vibrant and naive aristocrat to a fierce mother and defensive wife (or ex-wife, as we will presumably see Diana divorce Carlos in the next season of "The Crown"). Her performance was so moving, and the reaction to the royalty the show portrayed so negative, that the UK Culture Secretary pleaded with Netflix to add a notice letting the public know the show was a work of fiction. Corrin won a Golden Globe for this performance.

Jeanna de Waal, "Diana: The Musical" (2021)

Though the musical in which he stars -- shot for the streamer with plans to open on Broadway later this month -- was universally maligned when it premiered on Netflix, de Waal at least injects some warmth into the ballad-esque ballads. the 80s with lyrics that fall short. Holding back even as he launches himself from the stage and rips her emerald gown to reveal a white lace Maddonna petticoat, de Waal manages to pull off something with lyrics like "Harry, my redheaded son / You'll always be the best." A reviewer for RogerEbert.com called her performance "capable, if a bit stiff", even in the scenes where Diana is intimate. It's a curious choice, especially for an art form as imaginative as musical theatre.

Diana's temperament may be hard to translate into song: Drag queen extraordinaire Katya also played Diana in a musical number on "RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars," a performance RuPaul found wanting. Unlike de Waal, however, Katya's drag Diana was allowed to “rock out” a bit, even throwing her tiara on.

Kristen Stewart, "Spencer" (2021)

It was the "they don't" that reverberated around the world. Stewart only uttered two words as Diana in the trailer for "Spencer," most of which focused on their quiet breakup at the Royal Family's lavish and haunting Sandringham estate, but those who doubted the "Twilight" star "I could manage to imitate Diana's accent they were wrong. Director Pablo Larraín called Stewart a "force of nature" in the role of Diana, setting the stage for an often fantastical film that CNN's Brian Lowry said is more of a fable that gives itself some freedom than a fable. Reliable biopic (the ghost of Anne Boleyn makes an appearance at one point). Though her film will likely divide audiences looking for a candid tale of the people's princess, Stewart is already in the ring for an Oscar for her top-notch performance in "Spencer."

The Dianas of TV shows and movies

Several women have played Diana in TV movies over the past 40 years, including "Dynasty"'s Catherine Oxenberg (twice, 10 years apart) and "Star Wars" star Genevieve O'Reilly. Many of those movies and miniseries were critical flops, but only one was adapted from Diana's biography: "Diana: Her True Story," a 1993 miniseries starring Serena Scott Thomas. Her Diana was icy and aloof, the film focused heavily on her marriage to Carlos, and she exclusively wore bowl-shaped wigs. The hair was not good, but the reviews were relatively good: in a positive review, Variety called the series "engaging and entertaining", though Entertainment Weekly questioned its negative portrayal of Carlos, a "selfish, pessimistic and brooding drifter"; after all, this was Diana's story.

Coming Soon: Elizabeth Debicki, "The Crown" Season 5 (2022)

We haven't seen anything of Debicki's Diana beyond photos taken on set, but she does bear a strong resemblance to the princess (although, at over six feet tall, Debicki is a few inches taller than hers). The Princess of Wales). She will play Diana for the final two seasons of "The Crown", taking over from Corrin. We'll likely see Debicki don Diana's black strapless dress and relive Di's revealing interview with Martin Bashir, who was investigated decades later by the BBC on allegations that he misled Diana by using false documents to get the interview. (And with any luck, Debicki will also rock baggy hoodies and biker shorts, a casual look popularized by Diana long before Kim Kardashian and young TikTokkers tried it.)