Having recapped The Serpent Queen, of course, I first looked at other versions of Catherine de’ Medici onscreen. But her nemesis Diane de Poitiers also deserves another look. And while she has gotten at least one feature film dedicated to her life story — and another one on the way — Diane otherwise doesn’t show up too much in movies and TV shows. Her ‘career’ at the French court was shorter, and she didn’t figure into as many key points in French history. Diane was a lady-in-waiting first to Queen Claude around 1517-24 and then to Queen Eleanor from 1530. Her husband died in 1531 and by that same year, the King’s son Henri was wearing Diane’s colors in tourneys so they had some kind of relationship. Henri married Catherine de’ Medici in 1533, and it’s speculated that Diane became Henri’s mistress in 1534. She wielded incredible power at court when Henri became King in 1547, she raised his and Catherine’s children, she managed property, she commissioned buildings and artwork, she even wore parts of the crown jewels. But that ended when Henri died in 1559. Thus, Diane de Poitiers only turns up onscreen in relationship to Catherine and Henri’s court in these few portrayals.
The one iconic thing about her look is that she wore only black and white after her husband died. This was supposedly meant as mourning but also symbolic of the moon goddess Diana, and it’s a striking combination that turns up frequently in 16th-century images (Queen Elizabeth I of England was fond of the combo as well). Unfortunately, there are few period images of Diane herself.
Mid-16th c., Diane de Poitiers, Duchesse de Valentinois, from the workshop of François Clouet, Musée Condé.
Associated with Diane de Poitiers, possibly painted from the Clouet drawing.
How do the few frock flicks do?
Ariane Lancell in If Paris Were Told to Us aka Si Paris Nous Etait Conté (1956)
It’s a brief scene in this French history epic, & she’s not named onscreen, but the King calls her off to his bedroom, so maybe that’s supposed to be Diane? (Photo by Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images)
Lana Turner in Diane (1956)
This movie was a passion project for Lana Turner, & while it was a box-office dud, it’s filled with gorgeous costumes by Walter Plunkett.
This gown is a solid attempt to recreate that one painting of Diane.
Going for a 16th-c. moon goddess vibe.
Annie Ducaux in La Princesse de Clèves (1961)
The gown looks great, but THAT HAT.
It’s even worse from the side.
Yolande Folliot in “Le Connétable de Bourbon,” Les Grandes Conjurations (1978)
Possibly a docu-drama, this TV series recreated moments in French history. Her hair is an odd Victorian-1970s mix.
Sylvie Granotier in Cellini: A Violent Life aka Cellini: Una Vita Scellerata (1990)
I’m not positive this is Diane, but when I watched this scene online, this character is being really bitchy to Catherine de’ Medici, so she seemed right. The gown is is rather Disney princess IMO.
Diana Quick in Nostradamus (1994)
Diana Quick was also Julia in Brideshead Revisited (1981). And here we see the rise of Diane de Poiters: Team Head Necklace.
Anna Walton in Reign (2013-14)
The weirdest depiction of Diane — she has an adult son with Henri, who’s named Bash (!), & she’s a pagan & her witchy associations get her driven from court.
Don’t even ask about the costumes. Not worth the trouble.
Ludivine Sagnier in The Serpent Queen (2022)
Team Head Necklace!
This portrayal was peak “Diane is a scheming bitch who tries to ruin Catherine de’ Medici’s life.” Of course, the show is supposed to be from Catherine’s POV.
They went all in on the black & white costuming, even if it wasn’t terribly historically accurate.
Isabelle Adjani in Diane de Poitiers aka The King’s Favorite (2022?)
This is coming soon in France & TBD elsewhere. I’ve seen the title listed as both Diane de Poitiers and The King’s Favorite.
Some of the promo pix look appealing with decent historical costumes.
But then … why is Diane wearing a woo-woo crystal tiara?
And so.many.head.necklaces!
Is she German in this flick? WTFrock?
Who’s your favorite Diane de Poitiers on TV or movies?
Those photos of Adjani looking young and dewy had me hightailing to Wikipedia: the gal is effin’ 67 years old!
You can tell though. She looks like she can’t blink.
The Adjani flick was panned by critics and viewers in France, I’m afraid it’s pure snark week material!
We have plans…..
I love Ludivine Sagnier as Diane in “The Serpent Queen”; she’s a charming, effervescent, but tough-as-nails antagonist for Catherine.
Out of all the Diane’s, Ludvine Sagnier’s the one who looks the most like what I’d imagine the historical Diane during her ascendency to have looked like as well as the correct age mature and not freakishly vampiric as certain others on the list (ahem).
Legend had it that Diane drank a daily tonic of gold chloride mixed with diethyl ether, with the idea that it would keep her looking young and beautiful. Unfortunately, it not only causes anemia (which would explain the porcelain complexion) but It likely killed her. When her remains were found in 2009, her hair contained more than 500 times the normal amount of gold, and her bones were much more fragile than they should have been, as gold aggravates osteoporosis. Don’t try this at home, kids!
Unless the Isabelle Adjani miniseries is about a time traveler who accidentally kills Diane de Poitiers, then has to build a Diane de Robotiers to prevent a catastrophic butterfly effect in the historical record, I’m not buying that anyone in the 16th century was that smooth.
Also, the IMDb entry plot description describes her as an “emeritus huntress.”
I’m not a fan of Adjani, especially with that expressionless plastic face but at least they casted an actress who is older than the actor who play Henri II ! That’s a progress !