‘Feud: Capote Vs. The Swans:’ Real-Life Character Inspirations

Season 2 of Ryan Murphy’s Feud anthology — dropping seven years after the debut of Bette Vs. Joan starring Susan Sarandon and Jessica Lange in the titular combative roles — will premiere on January 31, 2024. The eight-episode miniseries is based on the novel Capote’s Women: A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song for an Era by Laurence Leamer. 

The story chronicles the relationship between acclaimed writer Truman Capote and the league of high society women he befriended — beautiful and distinguished socialities who happened to lead lives perfect for scandalous, thinly veiled fictionalization. Thus, Capote betrayed them. Airing out their dirty laundry for all to read, Capote had New York foaming at the mouth for their most intimate secrets. When Esquire published Capote’s would-be magnum opus, it destroyed his relationship with the women he called his “Swans.” With an all-star ensemble stepping in to relay the tale, who plays who in the upcoming series? 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YabKNs66eeg

Calista Flockhart as Lee Radziwill 

Lee Radziwill was a public relations executive and interior decorator, who also happened to be the younger sister of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and thus, the sister-in-law of former president John F. Kennedy. Once considered New York City’s “leading debutante,” she attempted a career in acting with roles in The Philadelphia Story and Laura, but both highly-publicized forays into Tinseltown were met with critical condemnation. Though she did not have the performance shtick, she did have an eye for fashion and design. Radziwill was named to the Vanity Fair International Best Dressed Hall of Fame in 1996 and her Paris and Manhattan apartments were featured in Elle Décor magazine. The movie Grey Gardens also features two members of Radziwill’s extended Bouvier family, specifically her aunt and cousin. 

Naomi Watts as Babe Paley

Paley was a magazine editor and socialite whose second husband, William S. Paley, founded CBS. In 1938, Paley began her career as a fashion editor for Vogue, gaining access to the best designer brands in the process. She appeared on Time Magazine’s Best-Dressed lists of 1945 and 1946. Though she left her career in 1947, her influence on fashion remains uncontested. After she tied a scarf to her purse, millions of women went on to emulate the bold choice, which has since become a common indicator of elegance and wealth.

Diane Lane as Slim Keith

Keith was a jet-setter and fashion icon who traveled the world to participate in various high-brow gatherings. Her life changed when, at 16 years old, she traveled to Death Valley and met William Randolph Hearst and his companion Marion Davies, quickly becoming enmeshed with those at the top of the ladder. 

She was often seen at parties hosted by Hollywood’s greatest, such as Cary Grant. Clark Gable and Earnest Hemingway reportedly pursued her romantically. She holds some credit for Lauren Bacall’s discovery, reportedly showing her then-husband Howard Hawks a magazine cover with her picture on it. 

Demi Moore as Ann Woodward

Ann Woodward was a showgirl, model, and radio actress named “The Most Beautiful Girl in Radio,” while working as a nightclub dancer. She became a controversial figure following her marriage to banker William Woodward Jr, whom she was suspected of murdering in 1955 (she was never convicted). Though she claimed she mistook him for a burglar, the scandal surrounding the events led to her banishment from high society. 

Chloë Sevigny as C.Z. Guest

C.Z. Guest wore many hats. She was a stage actress, author, columnist, horsewoman, fashion designer, and, of course, a city socialite. She appeared in the Ziegfeld Follies in 1944 and wrote First Garden, which is a little tell-all book for those looking to develop some green thumbs. Later in life, she designed a small fashion line consisting mostly of cashmere sweaters but later expanded her reach to sportswear. 

Molly Ringwald as Joann Carson

An actress mostly known for Snap Judgment and Joanne Carson’s VIPs (which she hosted), Joanne Carson was married to the late-night legend Johnny Carson from 1963 to 1972. She grew close to Capote following her divorce from the late-night host, and she even kept a writing room for him at her house (where he died in 1984). 

Tom Hollander as Truman Capote

The man at the heart of the drama, Capote was a novelist and screenwriter known for his novella Breakfast at Tiffany’s and the true-crime novel In Cold Blood, both of which went on to become movies. He started writing when he was quite young, first attracting the attention of Random House with his work Miriam in 1945. He was then contracted to write the novel Other Voices, Other Rooms. He garnered a great deal of fame following In Cold Blood, which acclaimed To Kill a Mockingbird author Harper Lee helped him string together.