As far as interval dramas go, Schüle is a seasoned skilled. ‘It’s actually really cool because I’ve done the ‘20s, ‘50s, ‘70s, 1800s and ‘90s – all in Berlin,’ she grins. And of course, now with a golden gilt cross she’s ticked off 18th century France. Comparing the two, Schüle admits: ‘the court of Versailles, you can’t evaluate it to something in Germany.’ Getting the function, her largest but, was a bittersweet realisation: ‘I was excited but I also knew: “OK, you’re in trouble, you will have to wear a corset for six months and you will f***ing hate it”.’ Schüle even needed to discover new habits of consuming much less, extra usually so her abdomen was by no means compressed. The solely profit of the corset being that ‘it was great preparation for the character because you really suffer… they’re very, very suppressive.’
But if the corsets had been god-awful, fortunately the clothes had been sensationnelle. ‘Dior made two,’ she smiles. ‘We would call them “Dior Days”.’ Those clothes are light-as-meringue, ice white creations and the good stability of froth and type. Although on these days, Schüle says: ‘I would be even more dependent on people helping me because the dresses weren’t allowed to the touch the floor. There was a lot cloth round me that it was very difficult to go to the toilet.’
The wigs had been enjoyable too – and, blissfully, gentle (due to being hole). ‘I had to be patient because they [the wigs] started low when she was young, so it was growing as we were filming. Towards the end, I was like, “higher, higher, higher!”,’ Schüle chants to the chagrin of our fellow festive brunchers.
Filming is set in France at its most ostentatious. ‘They have so many châteaus around Paris it’s an insult,’ she laughs. ‘I’ve definitely grown very used to the sight of perfect hedges, perfect gardens… so, you know, I did get the full “princess life”.’ Filming spanned the full suite of French palaces surrounding and in Paris: the Châteaux of Versailles with its Hall of Mirrors, Vaux-le-Vicomte, Lésigny, Champs and Voisins. And, Paris itself, metropolis of love ‘n’ all that, isn’t actually Schüle’s cup of tea. ‘I never thought I’d say a line like this however I’ve grown a bit drained of Paris,’ she admits. ‘It’s fairly small so I received to know each nook and… it’s grow to be work-related to me. It’s not good, it’s soiled, however, of course it’s lovely and smells like croissants,’ she smiles.
