Kirsten Dunst in 'Marie Antoinette'

KIRSTEN DUNST's vulnerable portrayal of the legendary French queen has prompted critics to suggest the character is a hybrid of both Diana and notorious socialite PARIS HILTON.

Coppola, however, believes there is no link, and insists 18th-century France is nothing like the current celebrity-obsessed world.

She says, "I know people who have seen the movie and have compared her to Diana and Paris, but I don't see that connection because they belong to a unique phenomenon of our time.

"I just liked uncovering the human side of this famous, notorious queen. I got the ANTONIA FRASER book and then thought about the challenge of making a period movie. There's so much more to her story. I wanted to focus on the teenage years because that's what really struck me.

"Imagine what it would be like to be 14 and sent to marry someone who's not interested in you - all of the stuff she went through and how she turned to partying and frivolity as a way to make herself feel better or as an escape. It was fun but overwhelming too."

Source: WENN