Kate Moss biopic: who is actress Ellie Bamber set to star as the supermodel in new film Moss & Freud?

Kate Moss has chosen actress Ellie Bamber to play her in an upcoming biopic, telling the story of the supermodel sitting for painter Lucian Freud in 2002.

The British supermodel, 49, who grew up in Croydon before living for much of her life in Highgate, is considered a cultural icon for many, achieving success both on and off the runway, from collaborations with Calvin Klein to being one of the highest paid models in the industry.

The film will be directed by Academy Award-winning writer and director James Lucas, whilst Kate herself is set to executive produce the biopic. She also lended her hand to the casting process, and hand-picked the actress to step into her shoes.

Emmy Award winning actor Derek Jacobi will star opposite Ellie as Lucian Freud. The 84-year-old actor is best known for appearing in The King’s Speech (2010), Murder on the Orient Express (2017), and The Crown (2019) on Netflix.

It was announced in May, last year, that Kate was producing the film focusing on her relationship with artist Lucien Freud, for whom she sat for a nude portrait session when she was pregnant with her daughter Lila.

Kate said in a statement: “As this is such a personal story of mine, it has been essential that I be involved in all aspects as the project has developed. I am thrilled by the recent casting. I cannot wait to see it.”

Who is Ellie Bamber?

Ellie Bamber was born on 2 February 1997, and grew up in Surrey with her parents, Zoe and David, alongside brother Lucus.

She attended stage school from a young age and always knew that she wanted to be an actress. At the age of 12, she became the youngest member of one of the oldest music halls, the Players’ Theatre Club, in London.

Ellie has appeared on both stage and screen, and in 2016 appeared as Lydia Bennet in action comedy film, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. In the same year, she appeared alongside Jake Gyllenhaal and Amy Adams, in the psychological thriller, Nocturnal Animals.

She soon began taking on more lead roles, particularly in TV, and in 2019, she starred as Mandy Rice-Davies, in the series The Trial of Christine Keeler. Before playing Angela Kane in BBC One crime-drama, The Serpent.

The following year she was credited for starring in the main role of Dove in Disney Plus fantasy-adventure series, Willow.

Whilst Moss & Freud is currently in its pre-production stage, Ellie has already got multiple upcoming projects in post- production at the moment. This includes crime-drama Seven Sorrows of Mary, a romance drama, Prisoners of Paradise, and Red White & Royal Blue, alongside Hollywood actress Uma Thurman.

What will the Kate Moss biopic be about?

The biopic will tell the story surrounding the relationship between renowned artist Lucien Freud and model Kate Moss, at the time that she sat naked for him whilst pregnant with the child she shares with Creative Director Jefferson Hack.

The sessions were said to be taking place between 7pm and 2am three nights a week, and the resulting artwork went on to sell at Christie’s auction company for £3.5 million in 2005.

Speaking at a press conference, where she announced the film last year, she revealed that the experience of being painted by Lucien was one of the highlights of her life so far.

She added: “He didn’t really like the picture, and I didn’t really,” she continued. “I mean, I had a great time. But it’s not, like, my favourite Lucian painting.”

Lucien, who rarely painted celebrities, first approached Kate for a portrait after he read in Dazed & Confused magazine that it was one of her ambitions to be painted by him.

She opened up about the experience in a ShowStudio interview in 2014, saying that the artist taught her discipline, as he expected punctuality always. She said: “If I was five minutes late, he would kick off.”

“But only once I was five minutes late, and he said, ‘Are you on drugs?!’ And I said, ‘No, I’m pregnant!,’” she added.