Nicole Kidman’s Photos as “Grace of Monaco”: Princess Grace or Disgrace?

Grace Kelly in Rear Window

Ah, Grace Kelly. For a woman who so clearly didn’t earn her Oscar, she remains a classic star who earns my respect, tender appeciation, and dumbfounded gaze. She’s one of the few untouchable, yet vulnerable Hollywood stars (very Karen Carpenter, if you ask me), and because Rear Window is probably the greatest movie of all time, I’ll be first in line to see Grace of Monaco, a biopic of Kelly starring Nicole Kidman that comes out in December. The movie already has Weinstein backing, so it may be a frontrunner for next year’s Academy Awards. That’s right, it’s two days after the Oscars and the anticipation for next year is already building.

Though Kelly’s children have called the movie a “needlessly glamorized” and historically inaccurate movie, I’m willing to betray them and lap up Kidman’s radiance as Grace. Two new stills of Kidman as the High Noon actress have been released, and now it’s time to criticize how convincing she is. Let’s read her realness, shall we?

(Photos via The Weinstein Company)

The movie focuses on Kelly’s role in settling a dispute over tax laws between her husband Prince Rainier III and France’s Charles de Gaulle in the early ’60s. It’s relevant to note that during the early ’60s, Kelly was in her early thirties. Nicole Kidman is currently 45 years old. 

There’s always been a passing resemblance between Kelly and Kidman, but I have to say the imitation isn’t exactly striking in these photos. Kelly has such distinct eyes and perhaps even more distinct eyebrows, and here I’m just seeing Rabbit Hole Nicole in resort and eveningwear. (Not that Rabbit Hole isn’t awesome — do see it! Very underrated.)

Nicole is doing the right things with her lips in the second picture, admittedly. I can even forgive her non-lookalike features if Kidman can nail Kelly’s loveliest characteristic, which I believe is her voice. That Philadelphia Mainline sophistication, motherly warmth, and professorial elocution are all essential to a fine Kelly patois. Hopefully Kidman’s got that honey-soft delivery in her. I think I believe. Well, I believe Kidman about as much as I’ll believe Naomi Watts as Princess Diana — just enough for a two-hour runtime. 

What do you think? Is Kidman priceless as the princess? Or are you dialing “M” for “meh”?