That time Kate Moss was painted by artist Lucian Freud A film portrays the unlikely friendship between the supermodel and the artist
At the Rome Film Festival, a film was presented about a slice of Kate Moss's life. The artistic interlude that saw her as the subject of a painting by the artist Lucien Freud, grandson of psychoanalyst Sigmund, who faced the not-so-easy task of capturing her true essence. This happened in the early 2000s, with sittings that lasted nine months. For the supermodel, it was a moment of complete vulnerability in which she entrusted herself to Freud both artistically and personally, facing something entirely new in a career already spanning fourteen years, one filled with outfits, runways, covers, and fashion shows. And tabloids, many tabloids.
Playing the model in «Moss & Freud» is Ella Bamber, seen in the series Willow and the Prime Video rom-com «Red, White & Royal Blue», while the painter and future friend of the model is portrayed by Derek Jacobi, an iconic figure of British cinema, theatre, and television.
Moss behind the scenes of herself
@carlosdeburgos La modelo Kate Moss tendrá su propia película biopic “Moss & Freud”, con la actriz británica Ellie Bamber interpretando su experiencia siendo pintada por Lucian Freud. Un casting y vestuario decididos por la propia leyenda de la moda, con una historia ambientada en los 00’s y plagada de escándalos que pronto llegará al los cines. #katemoss #noticias #movie #cine #pelicula sonido original - Carlosdeburgos
Direction and screenplay were handled by James Lucas, with Kate Moss serving as executive producer, offering herself to ensure as much authenticity as possible, both in the inner worlds that met and in the era depicted in the film. The fashion universe is not overlooked, in fact it becomes central in several moments, especially when the work aims to recreate the context in which the Moss comet traveled, desired by all, yet seemingly never truly "seen."
For Lucien Freud too, working with the fashion icon was a first: very selective in his choice of subjects, throughout his career the painter had avoided portraying celebrities, making an exception after a coincidence of shared curiosity drew him closer to Moss's more intimate side. Between the two, a sincere affection was born during a delicate period for Moss, who was pregnant with her daughter Lila Grace Hack. A friendship that began with the model’s expressed desire to be painted by Freud and ended with the Naked Portrait 2002, which was sold at Christie’s in 2005 for 3.5 million dollars.
Lucien Freud and the unexpected muse
«Moss & Freud» is a biopic that seeks to honestly portray the delicacy of an unusual relationship between a 28-year-old model and an 80-year-old artist. It also captures the flashes and frenzy of the fashion and entertainment industry in which Kate Moss was immersed, offering a fashion and lifestyle snapshot shaped with a clear vision by James Lucas. Yet, while it discreetly portrays the model’s recklessness and the patience she gained from knowing and spending time with the painter, the film remains within the canonical boundaries of the cinematic landscape, especially within the biographical genre.
It’s certainly a moment in the lives and careers of both Moss and Freud worth exploring, or discovering if unfamiliar, but it evokes less emotion and impact than the famous portrait itself, born of love, understanding, and a tender conjunction of affections.