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1 year ago
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Vanessa Kirby joined Joaquin Phoenix at the premiere of their new movie Napoleon at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square in London on Thursday.
The Crown star, 35, looked as elegant as ever as she was seen smiling for snaps with her co-star, 49, on the red carpet of the star-studded event.
Joaquin stars as Napoleon Bonaparte in the biopic, which depicts the French leader's rise to power, while Vanessa portrays his first wife Empress Joséphine.
For the glitzy premiere, Vanessa cut a glamorous figure in a stunning one-shouldered red gown with a train that billowed out behind her.
She let her outfit do all the talking as she posed up a storm for the camera, making sure all eyes were on her as she stormed the red carpet.
Wow! Vanessa Kirby joined Joaquin Phoenix at the premiere of their new movie Napoleon at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square in London on Thursday
Gorgeous: The Crown star, 35, looked as elegant as ever as she was seen posing for snaps on the red carpet of the star-studded event
Vanessa was also seen smiling for snaps with Joaquin, who cut a suave figure in a black suit for the occasion.
Joaquin was seen sweetly planting a kiss on Vanessa's head as the co-stars posed together for their big night.
Also on the red carpet were Rolling Stones star Ronnie Wood and his wife Sally, who looked as loved-up as ever as they posed arm-in-arm for the cameras.
Napoleon marks the first time Joaquin has been reunited with director Sir Ridley Scott since starring in Gladiator in 2000.
Napoleon Bonaparte, later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a Corsican-born French military commander and political leader.
He gained fame during the French Revolution and led successful campaigns during the Revolutionary Wars.
The film explores Napoleon's climb to power through his relationship with his wife Josephine.
It was previously titled Kitbag which referred to the saying: 'There is a general's staff hidden in every soldier's kitbag.' The expression means it is possible for any soldier to become a general.
Beauty: For the glitzy premiere, Vanessa cut a glamorous figure in a stunning one-shouldered red gown with a train that billowed out behind her
Pals: Joaquin was seen sweetly planting a kiss on Vanessa's head as the co-stars posed together for their big night
Celebrating: Vanessa was also seen smiling for snaps with Joaquin, who cut a suave figure in a black suit for the occasion
Stunner: She let her outfit do all the talking as she posed up a storm for the camera, making sure all eyes were on her
Incredible: Vanessa was a vision in her all red ensemble as she showed off her stunning garment
Fashionista: Vanessa captured attention as she stormed the premiere, which had the colours of the French flag across the floor
Getting glam: Vanessa was seen being given a helping hand arranging her stunning gown on the red carpet
All smiles: She appeared to be in jovial spirits as she waved for the cameras for the night
Star-studded: Vanessa led the stars at the very glitzy affair as she celebrated her movie's release
Glitzy: Vanessa added to her features with a smokey-eye make-up palette and lashings of mascara
Bombshell: Vanessa kept her accessories minimal as she let her dress do all the talking
Amazing: Vanessa showed off her incredible figure in her gown and swept her blonde locks back into a tight up-do
Good look: Vanessa added some glitz to her ensemble with silver earrings
Kiss: Joaquin sweetly planted a kiss on Vanessa's head as they posed together
Napoleon: What did the critics say?
The Daily Mail
Rating:
'For me, though it is marginal, this one gets a thumbs down.'
Empire
Rating:
'This is a historical epic which is constantly on the lookout for subtle ways to undercut historical epics.'
The Guardian
Rating:
'Ridley Scott dispenses with the symbolic weight attached to previous biopics in favour of a spectacle with a great star at its centre.'
The Times
Rating:
'Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby are the double act from heaven trapped in a marriage from hell in this new eye-gouging spectacular historical epic.'
The Independent
Rating:
'This is a two-and-a-half-hour spectacle that translates brutal history through Scott’s brawny, cannily modern style.'
The Telegraph
Rating:
'The director’s 28th feature is a magnificent slab of dad cinema, with Phoenix a startling emperor and Vanessa Kirby brilliant as his wife.'
Speaking about the film, Ridley said: 'Napoleon is a man I've always been fascinated by.
'He came out of nowhere to rule everything –but all the while he was waging a romantic war with his adulterous wife Josephine.
'He conquered the world to try to win her love, and when he couldn't, he conquered it to destroy her. No actor could ever embody Napoleon like Joaquin.'
Ridley's long-awaited Napoleon biopic has garnered glowing reviews in both Britain and the US.
However, French critics slammed the film as 'deeply clumsy' and 'boring' ahead of its release on November 22.
Historian Patrice Gueniffey, writing in Le Point, slammed the film as 'the film of an Englishman... very anti-French' and criticised the director for having 'wokist biases'.
A reviewer for GQ said the film left them 'bored', adding there was something 'clumsy' but 'unintentionally funny' about seeing French soldiers shout 'Vive la France' with American accents.
Canadian French-language newspaper Le Devoir led with the headline 'Not Waterloo, but not Austerlitz either,' referencing Napoleon's futile last stand in Belgium and his tactical 'masterpiece' against the Russians in today's Czechia.
The article described Joaquin's Napoleon as a 'petulant man-child who doesn't really seem to know what he's doing'.
Criticism of the film's direction comes after director Ridley has passionately hit back at claims of inaccuracies from historians including Dan Snow.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today Programme, French academic Dr Estelle Paranque acknowledged the film's inaccuracies but insisted that 'it is a movie, it is not a documentary'.
Friends: Vanessa was seen smiling and laughing with Joaquin as they socialised at the event
Gentleman: Joaquin was seen gesturing for Vanessa to go ahead of him at the event
Funny: Vanessa was seen gesturing Joaquin to stand alongside her for pictures
Dapper: Joaquin cut a suave figure in a black suit for the occasion
Big night: Vanessa and Joaquin also posed with director Ridley Scott at the premiere
Leading man: Joaquin takes on the titular role of Napoleon in the hotly-anticipated biopic
Milestone: Napoleon marks the first time Joaquin has been reunited with director Sir Ridley Scott since starring in Gladiator in 2000
Smart: Ridley cut a smart figure in an all-black ensemble as he celebrated his film's release
Couple: Ronnie Wood looked trendy as he stepped out with his glamorous wife Sally
Smitten: The couple, who tied the knot in 2012, appeared to be as loved-up as ever
Good form: Sally looked incredible in a white sequinned gown as she posed with her arm around Rolling Stones legend Ronnie
Sweet: The couple sweetly held hands as they took to the red carpet together
Close: Ronnie looked smart in black trousers, a white shirt and a black waistcoat as he posed with Sally
Laughing: Ronnie and Sally gave each other a look of love as they posed holding hands
Family: The couple share twins Gracie Jane and Alice Rose, six
Fun times: Jon Snow cut a suave figure in a beige suit and a colourful green and yellow tie
Vibrant: Strictly's Krishnan Guru-Murthy put on a colourful display in a yellow paisley shirt, black trousers and a grey blazer
Debonair: Dan Walker cut a dapper figure in a purple suit, which he teamed with a white shirt
Sophisticated: Radio presenter Jenni Falconer looked smart in a black waistcoat and slim-fit trousers, which she styled with pointed heels
Stylish: She toted her essentials in a small black handbag to complete her chic outfit
Eye-catching: Ria Hebden made sure to turn heads in a cream jewelled dress as she posed with her husband Mark
Style: Daisy Keliher dazzled in a royal blue velvet suit with a studded bra top
Sparkling: Amber Doig-Thorne showed off her style in a red sequinned mini dress, which she wore with a matching cape
Dazzling: Joséphine de La Baume cut a quirky figure in a black hooded dress covered with sequins
Fun: Michael McIntyre put on an animated display
Pretty: Lady Victoria Hervey looked chic in a black midi dress
Winter ready: Richard Herring and Catie Wilkins wrapped up warm in wool coats
Sparkles: Lucy Worsley opted for a silver sequinned dress
Reviews: Ridley's long-awaited Napoleon biopic has garnered glowing reviews in both Britain and the US (pictured: Joaquin as Napoleon)
Cast: Joaquin stars as Napoleon Bonaparte in the biopic, which depicts the French leader's rise to power, while Vanessa (pictured) portrays his first wife Empress Joséphine
Reality: Napoleon Bonaparte, later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a Corsican-born French military commander and political leader
But, speaking of the depiction of the execution of Marie Antoinette, she said: 'It did annoy me a little because he made her kind of fearless and a bit feisty, and at the time honestly she was not.'
However, director Ridley hit back at accusations of historical 'inaccuracies'. In an interview with the New Yorker, he told a critic to 'get a life' when pressed.
'There are 400 books written about him. Maybe the first one was the most accurate, the next one is already doing a version of the author,' he said.
'By the time you get to book 399, guess what, there's a lot of speculation.'
English (US)