A Kate Moss biopic is coming - here's what we can expect fashion-wise
Kate Moss’ close friendship with the artist Lucian Freud is set to be at the heart of a forthcoming biopic.
The supermodel previously posed for the renowned painter, who was famously choosy about which subjects he opted to commit to canvas, in the early 2000s.
It took nine months for Freud to complete the nude painting, which took place when Moss was pregnant with daughter Lila. During this time, the pair formed a close bond.
The painting eventually sold at Christie’s in 2005 for £3.5 million.
Ahead, we detail what we know about the upcoming movie, which will no doubt be a feast for the eyes as the worlds of fashion and art collide.
Who stars in Moss & Freud?
Ellie Bamber, whose previous credits include the BBC adaptation of Les Miserables in 2019, as well as The Trial of Christine Keeler and The Serpent, will be taking the lead as Kate Moss.
Meanwhile, Freud will be played by the eminent stage and TV actor Derek Jacobi, who counts two Olivier Awards and a Tony to his name. He recently starred in Gladiator II and Murder on the Orient Express.
The film will be directed by the New Zealand-based screenwriter and director James Lucas, who won an Oscar in 2014 for his short drama film The Phone Call. Kate Moss herself serves as a producer.
“After watching The Phone Call, I knew that James would convey the emotion in the storytelling in a fitting way, one this memoir deserves,” Moss told Variety. “Having been involved in the project and script development from the beginning I am now very excited to see the film come to life.
“As this is such a personal story of mine, it has been essential that I be involved with James in all aspects as the project has developed. I am thrilled by the recent casting and excited that the film will begin shooting soon. I cannot wait to see it.”
How did Kate Moss and Lucian Freud meet?
Freud, the grandson of the famous psychoanalyst, was an eccentric figure who demanded his subjects gave up plenty of time to be painted. He also eschewed capturing celebrities and public figures – reportedly even declining an opportunity to paint Princess Diana.
However, he found himself charmed by Moss, and reached out to the model after she told Dazed magazine that one of her life goals was to have her portrait painted by Freud.
Speaking about her time with the artist, Moss explained in an interview with ShowStudio’s Nick Knight: “He taught me discipline, because I could not be late.
“If I was five minutes late, he would kick off. But only once I was five minutes late, and he said, ‘Are you on drugs?!’ And I said, ‘No, I’m pregnant!’”
The nude is not the only artwork that links Freud and Moss. The artist also tattooed a pair of birds on the model’s lower back.
Speaking to Vanity Fair, she joked: “I mean, it’s an original Freud. I wonder how much a collector would pay for that? A few million? If it all goes horribly wrong I could get a skin graft and sell it! It’s probably the only one on skin that’s still around.”
Freud passed away in 2011, aged 88.
What moments from Moss’ life will we see on screen?
Few pictures have been made available from the film, as it is still in production. However, Moss herself is thought to be lending her incredible wardrobe to production, so we can expect plenty of stand-out fashion moments.
In the first official movie still, Bamber can be seen wearing a red, white and blue Union Jack jacket, which Moss originally wore down the runway in John Galliano’s spring/summer 1993 show. Moss revived the colourful garb for the late Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee festivities in 2022.
Paparazzi photos from the set in June 2024 also captured Bamber wearing the same blue sequinned dress that Moss wore to her 30th birthday party in 2004.
Is there a release date for Moss & Freud?
Currently, there has been no word on release dates or trailers, though we hope to receive more news soon.
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