MOVIE OF THE WEEK September 25, 2026: TWIGGY

She may be one of the most iconic faces of the 1960s, but chances are you don’t know all that much about Dame Lesley Lawson, aka Twiggy. Director Sadie Frost aims to correct that with Twiggy, an intimate behind-the-scenes documentary about the (in)famous model/actress/singer/daughter/girlfriend/wife/mother — who, it turns out, is awfully down-to-earth for someone who found worldwide fame so young.

Born outside of northwest London in 1949, Twiggy began modeling in 1965, when she was just 16 years old. The fashion world was almost immediately captivated by her: Her thin figure and short hair — a look that many have described over the years as boyish and androgynous — set her apart from other models of the era and have since become synonymous with the “Swinging Sixties.” Indeed, after being named “The Face of ’66,” she went on to become one of the original supermodels, quickly parlaying her enormous modeling success into acting, singing, and more.

Using both archival footage and contemporary interviews with Lawson and her colleagues, friends, and family members, Frost follows Twiggy through the ups and downs of her life in the spotlight. While there were definitely some rough patches, especially in the relationship department, Lawson seems to have managed to stay grounded overall, recognizing the capriciousness of fame and thoroughly enjoying the opportunities that came her way. Familiar figures like Dustin Hoffman, Joanna Lumley, Brooke Shields, and more share memories and stories, as does Lawson’s daughter, Carly.

The end result is a compelling portrait both of an icon — Lawson was officially made a British Dame in 2019 — and of the era that made her iconic. Frost covers Twiggy’s full life story, but it’s the footage and stories of the 1960s and ’70s that linger longest, capturing the energy, excitement, and rebellion of a time when so much of the world was changing quickly. Even though they weren’t always easy for her, Lawson seems to remember those early days mostly with fondness, and that affection comes through clearly in Frost’s filM. — Betsy Bozdech

Team #MOTW’s comments:

Nell Minow: Sadie Frost lets Twiggy do what the media surrounding her in the 1960s did not — giving her a chance to tell her own story. Because she was an instant icon, one of the most photographed people of the 1960s, there is a wealth of archival material, both the familiar images and the glimpses behind the scenes, presented with art and intention. Ultimately, it is a story of extraordinary reslience through difficult times, personally and professionally, never losing her sense of humor or her sense of purpose.

Loren King What a charming and captivating time capsule about a woman who embodied her time and then transcended it. Director Sadie Frost’s Twiggy is, of course, a delightful memory trip back to the swinging ‘60s in London and the ascendency of working class teenager Lesley Hornby to the heights of fashion fame. As gamine faced, slim and androgynous Twiggy, she broke all the rules for what women should look and act like. But because Twiggy is so singular in her authenticity and unabashedly positive nature, the film become a stirring portrait of something else entirely. Read full review.

Leslie Combemale One of the most impressive and fascinating parts of watching Sadie Frost’s documentary is discovering how multi-dimensional Twiggy is. So often people see high profile models and celebrities and try to emulate the choices that led to their success. If those who watch Twiggy do so, they’ll reach for fearlessness, authenticity, flexibility, and life long joie de vivre. Twiggy is fierce and she is a force. It’s high time more of the world learns her whole story (so far). Frost does her great justice, capturing a woman fascinating enough to make us want to know not only her life story, but what her future might bring