Babe Paley Was the Swan Truman Capote Couldn’t Destroy

FX's Feud: Capote vs The Swans transports viewers to '70s-era New York, when American novelist Truman Capote shocked the nation (and his high-society friends) with an excerpt from his unfinished book, Answered Prayers. The story, “La Côte Basque, 1965,” was originally turned down by The New Yorker for being too controversial. That didn’t stop Capote from trying to get it published, though. Eventually, Esquire scooped it up —we published it in our November 1975 issue. Then, Capote’s world fell apart. As readers would soon find out, “La Côte Basque” mirrored the lives of his closest friends—six glamorous women dubbed, “The Swans.”

Feud creator Ryan Murphy's interpretation of events explores the infamous debacle in an eight-episode miniseries, which just debuted its fourth episode on Wednesday night. The show expertly portrays Capote as a cunning man who uses gossip to further his career. Norman Mailer described him as a “ballsy little guy,” so I suppose it’s not surprising that he’d pull such a stunt. Still, no one expected Capote to betray his closest friend: the powerful and vulnerable socialite Babe Paley.

The great Naomi Watts plays Babe in the series. From the very first episode, it’s clear how strong her friendship with Capote is. “The only person who could ever hurt me is you,” she says after telling Capote of her husband's affair. Capote listens intently... then her martial woes wind up in his short story for all the world to see. It was a strange thing to include, given how much he admired her in real life. Capote claimed Babe only had one flaw. “She was perfect,” he once said. “Otherwise, she was perfect.”

So, why did he hurt her? Was it for money and fame? Or was Capote simply out of ideas after writing the bestsellers In Cold Blood and Breakfast at Tiffany’s? The answer is uncertain. What we do know is that Capote’s story ruined his reputation, rendering him, essentially, a nobody in New York’s high society. Babe, however, was just fine. After the incident, she remained a revered socialite and, even today, is remembered for her glamorous lifestyle.

Keep reading if you want to learn more about the woman Capote couldn’t destroy.

Who Was Babe Paley?

Babe Paley, born Barbara Crushing, was born on July 5 in Boston, Massachusetts. She was raised by her mother, Katherine Stone, and father, Harvey Crushing, who worked as a brain surgeon. Babe is the youngest of three girls and was close with her sisters, Mary and Betsey.

Her upbringing was polished and privileged. As a child, Babe attended the Westover Boarding School in Middlebury, Connecticut, and then graduated from Boston’s Winsor High School. Then, in 1934, Babe became a debutant and met President Roosevelt’s sons during her ceremony. By 1938, she worked as a fashion editor at Vogue. She held the gig until 1947—when she became a full-time socialite.

Though Babe had a successful career, she and her sisters—known as the “Fabulous Cushing Sisters—all married well. Betsy wed James Roosevelt, while Mary married Vincent Astor, a successful businessman, and Babe wound up with Stanley Grafton Mortimer Jr, a wealthy oil heir. Babe and Stanley had two children (Amanda and Stanley), then they divorced in 1946.

Soon after, Babe met William Paley, the owner of CBS. As the story goes, she was looking for another wealthy husband—and he was looking for a way into New York high society. In 1947, they married and had a daughter named Kate. They remained together until 1978. During their marriage, Babe and William became a power couple and often hosted grand parties. At one of these events, she met and befriended Truman Capote.

Their friendship spanned two decades before Capote published details about her private life. It’s widely believed that she never forgave him.

How Did Babe Paley Meet Truman Capote?

Babe and Capote met through mutual friends. In the mid-'50s, Capote’s friends, David and Jennifer Selznick, were invited to the Paley estate in Jamaica for a brief vacation. The Selznick asked if they could bring Capote. Bill, thinking he was Harry Truman, said yes.

It didn’t take long for the Paleys to realize that Capote wasn’t the man they were expecting, but he was allowed to stay. During the trip, Capote befriended Babe, and they grew exceptionally close. Over the years, she shared her closest secrets with Capote, whom she believed she could trust. Then, in 1975, details of her husband's affair appeared in “La Côte Basque.”

Capote’s story is told from the point of view of Lady Ina Coolbirth, who gossips about her friends at lunch. One of the stories she tells—about a media executive who tries to hide an affair by washing stained bedsheets—resembles a secret Babe shared with Capote. After reading the anecdote, she declined to speak with him again.

The rest of the Swans, Slim Keith (Diane Lane), Lee Radziwill (Calista Flockhart), C.Z. Guest (Chloë Sevigny), and Ann Woodward (Demi Moore) cut communication with Capote as well.

What Happened to Babe Paley?

Three years after “La Côte Basque” published in Esquire, Babe was diagnosed with lung cancer. Vanity Fair correspondent Amy Fine Collins noted how devastating her condition was in The Rake. “She’d been the ultimate trophy wife, but she’d had the unfaithful husband, and she was battling cancer in her early '60s,” Collins said. “There was now a kind of shadow alongside the shininess, prettiness, and flawlessness.”

Babe died on July 6th, 1978, a day after her 63rd birthday. According to Elle Decor, her funeral was well attended, and guests toasted to her life with expensive French wine while wearing exquisite clothing—just as she would’ve wanted. In an interview with the publication, Watts revealed that she studied Babe in preparation for Feud and grew to love her.

“There is so much to admire about Babe Paley,” she said. “She was a remarkable woman with an exemplary level of discipline. She was graceful and poised and regal. It took hard work to lead her high-society life and strive to create the perfect home for herself and her family.”

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