Honestly, the first time you see Emma Stone show up in The Favourite, she’s literally face-down in the mud. It’s a jarring image. For an actress who usually radiates that "America's sweetheart" energy, seeing her tossed off a carriage into a literal ditch sets the tone for everything that follows.
Emma Stone in The Favourite isn't the charming, wide-eyed ingenue we saw in La La Land. Not even close. She plays Abigail Hill, a fallen aristocrat turned scullery maid who is, quite frankly, a bit of a sociopath. But a relatable one.
The American Outsider in a Very British Court
When Yorgos Lanthimos, the director known for making movies that feel like fever dreams, cast an American as the lead in a British period drama, people were skeptical. You’ve got Olivia Colman and Rachel Weisz—two titans of British acting—and then you have the girl from Easy A. It felt risky.
Stone was the only non-Brit in the main cast. That’s a lot of pressure. To prep, she didn't just study history; she obsessed over the cadence of the language. She actually spent weeks working with a dialect coach to perfect a "low" British accent. Why low? Because Lanthimos didn't want that high-pitched, "posh" caricature. He wanted it to sound modern, grounded, and gritty. Like Carey Mulligan, whom Stone cited as a major vocal inspiration.
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It worked.
The three-week rehearsal period was apparently bizarre. The cast did "trust exercises" that involved intertwining their limbs and running around like animals. It sounds pretentious, but it broke the ice. By the time the cameras rolled, the chemistry between the three women was lethal.
Abigail Hill: Survivor or Villain?
Most people watch the movie and see a classic "climb to the top" story. Abigail starts in the kitchen, ends up in the Queen’s bed, and kicks her cousin Sarah out of the palace. Simple, right?
Well, not really.
Abigail is a survivor. Her father gambled her away in a game of whist. Think about that for a second. She was literally sold. So when she arrives at the palace, she isn't just looking for a job; she’s looking for a fortress.
The Strategy of "Kindness"
While Rachel Weisz’s Sarah Churchill rules through brutal honesty—telling the Queen she looks like a "badger"—Abigail uses kindness as a weapon. It’s a fascinating contrast:
- Sarah loves the Queen but treats her like a child who needs discipline.
- Abigail doesn't love the Queen at all, but she treats her like a goddess.
She forages for herbs to heal the Queen's gout. She listens to the stories about the 17 dead children (represented by the 17 rabbits). She performs the "sweetness" that Queen Anne craves. But it’s all a performance. There’s a specific moment where Abigail realizes that sexual intimacy is the ultimate leverage. She doesn't hesitate.
The Rabbit Scene and the Ending Nobody Likes
Let’s talk about that ending. It’s polarizing. Some people find it confusing; others find it devastating.
After Abigail finally gets everything she wants—the title of Baroness, the money, the security—she gets bored. She starts abusing the Queen’s rabbits. It’s a small, cruel moment that reveals her true character. She’s won the game, but she’s lost her soul.
Then comes the final shot. Queen Anne, sick and realizing she’s been played, forces Abigail to kneel and massage her legs. The camera blurs their faces together with images of the rabbits.
Basically, they are both trapped.
- Abigail is a "Lady" in name, but she is essentially a high-end slave.
- The Queen is the most powerful woman in England, but she is utterly alone and surrounded by predators.
There are no winners here. Just two women stuck in a cycle of mutual resentment.
Historical Fact vs. Hollywood Fiction
It’s easy to forget this is based on real people. Sarah and Abigail were actual cousins. They really did fight for the "favour" of Queen Anne. But did they really have a three-way lesbian power struggle?
Historians are skeptical. While Sarah Churchill definitely wrote letters to the Queen that were... intense... most experts think the sexual element was likely a rumor started by political enemies to discredit the Queen. Lanthimos took those rumors and ran with them because they make for incredible drama.
Also, the rabbits? Total fiction. Queen Anne didn't have 17 pet rabbits. In the 1700s, rabbits were mostly considered pests or dinner. But as a metaphor for her 17 lost pregnancies, they work perfectly on screen.
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Why Stone’s Performance Still Matters
Emma Stone in The Favourite proved she could handle darkness. She captures the "stink" of desperation. You can see it in her eyes during the scene where she’s whispering "fuck, fuck, fuck" down a hallway after a plan almost backfires. It’s a very human moment in a world of rigid etiquette.
She earned an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress for this role, and honestly, she deserved it. It’s hard to play someone who is simultaneously a victim and a villain without making the audience hate them entirely.
Actionable Insights for Film Buffs
If you’re revisiting the film or watching it for the first time, keep an eye on these specific details to see Stone’s craft at work:
- Watch the eyes, not the mouth. Abigail smiles a lot, but her eyes are constantly scanning the room for threats or opportunities.
- The Costume Evolution. Notice how her clothes change. She starts in grey rags and ends up in towering, monochromatic black-and-white outfits that mirror Sarah’s style. She literally wears her cousin’s "skin" to replace her.
- The Physicality. Stone uses her body to show Abigail’s status. At the start, she’s hunched and small. By the end, she’s sprawling on furniture like she owns it.
If you want to understand modern acting, this is the textbook. It’s about being "ugly" on the inside while looking "perfect" on the outside.