A Tangle of Kissing Snakes – Style

“Kommersant Style” is about the new season of the mini-series “Feud”, which tells about the writer Truman Capote and his relationships with ladies from high society. Spoiler: there will be a lot of beauty and drama.

In the second season of Feud: Capote vs. the Swans, we will see all the luxury of New York in the 1960s. This is the glamorous story of writer Truman Capote, his friendship with high society, with ladies whom he liked to call “swans” for their exoticism and charm. Wealth and sophistication do not prevent them from being so-called frenemise, that is, making friends the way beautiful, wealthy women can: cruelly, passionately and uncompromisingly.

The showrunner of the series was Ryan Murphy, known for his impeccable work, be it one season of American Horror Story, or the series Pose, Dahmer and Ratched. The main cast also inspires confidence: Diane Lane, Calista Flockhart, Naomi Watts, Demi Moore, Chloë Sevigny. The names of the directors of the episodes are also noteworthy: Gus Van Sant, Max Winkler and Jennifer Lynch manage to transport viewers into the atmosphere of the Big Apple of the middle of the last century – perfect.

A little background: the author of Breakfast at Tiffany’s (Capote is played by actor Tom Hollander) revealed the most intimate details of his girlfriends’ lives in the pages of Esquire: the 1975 story “Basque Coast, 1965” was an excerpt from Capote’s last novel, Answered Prayers, which was published in full only in the 1980s, shortly after his death. This story dramatically destroyed Capote’s relationship with the ladies, leading to the “feud” that the series chronicles. Although Capote tried to regain their favor, he was never able to make peace with them – in real life, as in the series, the “swans” did not forgive him. And while the eight-episode series took some artistic liberties, the main characters were still real people. So who are they?

CZ Guest (or Lucy Douglas, née Cochrane: February 19, 1920 – November 8, 2003), was married to Winston Frederick Churchill Guest – cousin of the English Prime Minister Churchill, socialite, style icon, “face” of the covers of Time magazine, girlfriend of Ernest Hemingway and Andy Warhol. CZ Guest was named to the New York Costume Institute’s list of the world’s best-dressed women back in the 1950s, and maintained her position until a year before her death, when she received the Fashion Icon Award along with designer Oscar de la Renta. CZ Guest plays Chloë Sevigny.

Babe Paley — Of all the swans, Capote’s favorite was Barbara “Babe” Cushing Mortimer Paley (July 5, 1915 – July 6, 1978), fashion editor at Vogue, socialite, wife of CBS founder William S. Paley. The daughter of a renowned neurosurgeon, Babe spent her youth in Brookline, Massachusetts, with her two sisters—the trio were nicknamed the “Fabulous Cushing Sisters,” and all married into prominent American families, including the Roosevelts and the Astors. Her impeccable style and organizational skills have earned her a reputation as the ideal socialite. Capote said that “Babe’s only flaw is perfection.” She is played by Naomi Watts.

Anne Woodward or Evangeline Lucille Crowell (December 12, 1915 – October 10, 1975) was a socialite, dancer, model and radio actress. She first met William Woodward Sr., a wealthy banker from a prominent wealthy family, while working as a dancer at the FeFe nightclub in Monte Carlo. It was rumored that she became his mistress even before she married his son, William Woodward Jr. In the series, she becomes the first victim of Capote’s tendency to gossip. She is played by Demi Moore.

“Slim” Kate, née Mary Ray Gross (July 15, 1917 – April 16, 1990), socialite, fashion icon, the personification of the American elite – she appeared in Harper’s Bazaar magazine at the age of 22 and, like other “swans”, often headed lists of the best dressed women. Kate’s father owned successful canneries in Monterey. Clark Gable and Ernest Hemingway were fond of her, and she was married three times. She is played by Diane Lane.

Lee Radziwill, born Caroline Lee Bouvier (March 3, 1933 – February 15, 2019) was a leading figure in high society. The younger sister of former First Lady Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis (and therefore John F. Kennedy’s daughter-in-law), Radziwill wanted to become an actress and worked as an interior designer, but as we’ll see in the series, she didn’t like being told what to do. She was best at being gorgeous: she and Capote traveled with the Rolling Stones on their 1972 tour in 1972, she was inducted into Vanity Fair’s International Best Dressed Hall of Fame, and her home was frequently featured in glossy interiors magazines. She is played by Calista Flockhart.

Irina Kiriyenko