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Arts & Culture

Babe Paley’s Granddaughter Criticizes Feud: Capote vs. the Swans

There are just two episodes left in Feud: Capote vs. the Swans, but Babe Paley’s granddaughter has had enough. Belle Burden writes about her experience watching her grandmother’s life dramatized on the FX show in a new opinion essay for the New York Times.

She expresses her discontent with how the show’s creators—executive producer Ryan Murphy, writer Jon Robin Baitz, and director Gus Van Sant—portrayed her grandmother. Burden emphasizes the theft of her grandmother’s narrative and compares the creators to Truman Capote, who similarly distorted her grandmother’s life in his writing.

While the creators of Feud never claimed to aim for historical truth, Burden points out several inaccuracies in the portrayal of her grandmother. She wishes that the show’s creators had consulted the family to create a more nuanced and accurate depiction of Babe Paley.

Burden’s essay sheds light on the emotional impact of seeing one’s family portrayed on television and the frustration of witnessing factual inaccuracies for the sake of entertainment. She expresses her disappointment in the show’s representation of her grandmother and the lack of consideration for her family’s perspective.

As the series approaches its conclusion, Burden’s critique invites reflection on the responsibility of creators when depicting real-life figures and the potential consequences for the individuals and families whose lives are portrayed.

Naomi Watts portrays Babe Paley in Feud: Capote vs. the Swans.