Cinderella (Live-Action)

[WillytheDino]

Lily James is not the prettiest...but she is pretty, and I like her as Cinderella so far. A lot. She's charming. And that is what counts. Yes, maybe, and I mean maybe, she needs to be pretty for her stepfamily to be jealous of her, but she is pretty enough for that to be believable. And I think her blonde hair looks natural. I even thought she might naturally be a blonde.

Holliday Grainger, who plays Anastasia, the red-headed stepsister, could be thought of as prettier than Cinderella, but beauty is subjective. Sophie McShera, who plays the other stepsister, Drizella...I actually think is kind of ugly, and I wish that she was prettier like her mother and sister. Then it would be that the stepfamily isn't really ugly on the outside, they just make themselves look ugly in their appearance choices, and are ugly inside. And then they are more jealous of Cinderella's charm and good inside than her outside.

Toky, a while back you said you wished Cinderella's ball dress looked like one from la Belle et la Bête(2014). I personally don't wish that about her dress from the trailer I saw for the film, but have you seen la Belle et la Bête(2014)? Is it good?

I agree with Marce on the eyebrows, it's the first thing I noticed. If you look at the eyebrows of the stepfamily for example, they are all in sync with their hair color.

Disney Duster, Lily James is originally a brunette:


But I can see why they choose her: she has a naieve charm over her, yet she can also be more outspoken (I saw that in the horse scene in the second trailer, she speaks up to the prince.) I really hope she pulls it off.

As for La Belle et la Bête; I saw that one and I didn't like it that much: it was really magical and beautifullymade, but the love story between Belle and the beast was rushed and came out of nowhere. The acting of Belle was also a bit bland.

[Toky]

Her wedding dress actually does appear to have one thing taken from the animated film! You know how the bodice of her dress in the animated film wrapped around? Like there was a line from her right should that traveled down to her left breast? It looks like they did that, but with flowers added, if you look at the close-up picture of the dolls and the costume for little girls version of the wedding dress, in that link you gave of the merchandise.

You're right….didn't see that before…

Toky, a while back you said you wished Cinderella's ball dress looked like one from la Belle et la Bête(2014). I personally don't wish that about her dress from the trailer I saw for the film, but have you seen la Belle et la Bête(2014)? Is it good?

Yeah I did, but like WillytheDino said, It was beautifully made and the dresses and scenery were amazing( I would recommend it for the visuals). The dresses Lea Seydoux wore, were full of little original details and just amazed me. That's why I said I wished Cinderella's dress was a bit more like them. Although I've grown to love this new Cinderella Dress, I'm still not sure how to feel about the bodice (If you look at the scene in the International trailer where the prince places his hand upon Ella's back during the dance, the fabric of the dress looks kinda cheap…It's shiny organza, and I would have preferred to see some beautiful classy lace on it)
I agree, the love story of La Belle et la Bete was rushed and far from believable…

I agree with Marce on the eyebrows, it's the first thing I noticed. If you look at the eyebrows of the stepfamily for example, they are all in sync with their hair color

I'm a blonde with darker eyebrows…and I know a lot of blonde people who have that too. So I don't see it as distracting….even the animated Cinderella had dark eyebrows To me the change of eye color was a bigger issue, since brown eyes often look more harsh. Blue is softer, more gentle looking, thus more fitting for Cinderella….

[Disney's Divinity]

To me the change of eye color was a bigger issue, since brown eyes often look more harsh.

That's a bit harsh. Brunettes and brown-eyes always get put down. :/

But I know from a story standpoint, I guess brown eyes can be seen as common/ordinary (although blue eyes seem pretty common to me...). Plus, I've always been told that brown eyes, at least mine, look black when angry. Dark colors/black for villains, of course.

[tsom]

Dang, some of you guys are kind of harsh when it comes to people's looks.

[Marce82]

Hey everyone,

I know lots of blond people have darker eyebrows... but in this case, they are WAY darker. And her hair is VERY light blond... makes it look fake.

As to my/our harshness on looks... if I saw this girl walking down the street, sure, I would think she is pretty. But Cinderella is supposed to be so beautiful that the moment she walks in the ball, the commands the attention of everyone, even the prince. This girl... not sure she lives up to that.

And this is Hollywood: Im sure they had their pick among thousands of girls to play Cinderella... hell, just turn on yr TV and half the "lawyers" on procedural dramas are prettier than this Cinderella! (hyperbole, but you get my point)

[Disney's Divinity]

See, I always thought Cinderella was one of those characters that was beautiful more because of her actions than her outward looks. I thought she commanded everyone's attention mostly with her "queenly grace," and because she's just a different caliber of person than bloodsuckers like the stepsisters. The way she carries herself and the way she radiates goodness.

Not that this actress has queenly grace either, but you get my point.

[Prince Edward]

I think Lily James is a good fit for Cinderella, she is not what I would consider to be very beautiful, but she looks like she have grace, personality and she is pretty enough. She also remind me somewhat of her animated counerpart, who I btw never have considered to be one of Disney's most beautiful princesses. Far from ugly that is, but she is not as beautiful as say Aurora or Belle.

Speaking of Aurora, the actress who played her in Maleficent - now that was casting gone wrong indeed. She had no charm or personality whatsoever and she was not even pretty. Aurora is supposed to be stunningly beautiful, but that actress looked like a 12 year old girl from next door. A big dissapointment. Most of the casting in that movie was bad in my opinion, but Jolie was a great fit for Maleficent though.

[Marce82]

I agree about the miscast Aurora... except about her looking 12. I think she looked like a 16 yr old. Lets not forget Hollywood always casts actors in their early 20s as teenagers... and I also always had a hard time buying that the animated Aurora was sixteen. She was too "womanly" to be so young. At sizteen, you still see traces of a child in a girl...

And yes: Angelina was the one good thing in that movie.

Back to Cinderella: she could have been graceful and "queenly" and still been prettier. Heck, Drew Barrymore was prettier as Cinderella! (in Ever After)

[Disney Duster]

Okay, maybe they should have died Lily's eyebrows to match her hair better...

I even thought she might naturally be a blonde.

Disney Duster, Lily James is originally a brunette

I know. That's why I said I "thought" she might be a natural blonde, I meant "thought" in the past tense.

But I can see why they choose her: she has a naieve charm over her, yet she can also be more outspoken (I saw that in the horse scene in the second trailer, she speaks up to the prince.) I really hope she pulls it off.

As for La Belle et la Bête; I saw that one and I didn't like it that much: it was really magical and beautifullymade, but the love story between Belle and the beast was rushed and came out of nowhere. The acting of Belle was also a bit bland.

I agree about Lily James. Thanks for telling me about La Belle et la Bête. I am still curious to see it now.

You know how the bodice of her dress in the animated film wrapped around? Like there was a line from her right should that traveled down to her left breast? It looks like they did that, but with flowers added, if you look at the close-up picture of the dolls and the costume for little girls version of the wedding dress, in that link you gave of the merchandise.

You're right….didn't see that before…

Whoops, I meant to write her right "shoulder", but you understood me.

Yeah I did, but like WillytheDino said, It was beautifully made and the dresses and scenery were amazing( I would recommend it for the visuals). The dresses Lea Seydoux wore, were full of little original details and just amazed me. That's why I said I wished Cinderella's dress was a bit more like them. Although I've grown to love this new Cinderella Dress, I'm still not sure how to feel about the bodice (If you look at the scene in the International trailer where the prince places his hand upon Ella's back during the dance, the fabric of the dress looks kinda cheap…It's shiny organza, and I would have preferred to see some beautiful classy lace on it)
I agree, the love story of La Belle et la Bete was rushed and far from believable…

Thanks for telling me. I'm still curious to see the movie now. I think I know what you mean about Cinderella's dress. However, I don't think it looks that cheap, and I don't think I would like to see lace (I think lace is too...I dunno I just don't like it usually. Where you you put the lace?). I half-love her dress. It does look good, even magical, but I have dreamed up slightly different, more detailed versions of it I like better, plus the Matell dress. If it was the Matell dress I would be so much happier.

I'm a blonde with darker eyebrows…and I know a lot of blonde people who have that too. So I don't see it as distracting….even the animated Cinderella had dark eyebrows To me the change of eye color was a bigger issue, since brown eyes often look more harsh. Blue is softer, more gentle looking, thus more fitting for Cinderella….

I wanted Cinderella to wear blue contacts. Fits the traditional idea of what good "looks like" and Cinderella follows that tradition. Plus, it would be more like the original movie.

But Cinderella is supposed to be so beautiful that the moment she walks in the ball, the commands the attention of everyone, even the prince. This girl... not sure she lives up to that

Actually, Cinderella is supposed to command everyone's attention at the ball because of her body AND her dress and hair combined. The original fairy tale seems to even indicate it was her dress and hair that was most impressive. Unfortunately for this film, her dress does not live up to that for me. And I wish her hair looked more like the Matell doll's to live up to it more, too.

See, I always thought Cinderella was one of those characters that was beautiful more because of her actions than her outward looks. I thought she commanded everyone's attention mostly with her "queenly grace," and because she's just a different caliber of person than bloodsuckers like the stepsisters. The way she carries herself and the way she radiates goodness.

I mostly agree with you, but she was really physically pretty, too, in the film. In the original fairy tale, she was "as good as she was beautiful".

Back to Cinderella: she could have been graceful and "queenly" and still been prettier. Heck, Drew Barrymore was prettier as Cinderella! (in Ever After)

I think Lily James and Drew Barrymore are about equal...neither is very pretty. But both are beautiful.

[Tangled]

So....how about the idea that beauty is very subjective?

I have very similar eyebrows to Lily James; they're very thick, difficult to manage (they grow back very quickly, and if I lived a couple hundred years ago, I probably wouldn't bother trying to thin them at all), and they're dark brown while the hair on top of my head is a much lighter brown. The idea that my eyebrows are such a dealbreaker scares me.

Plus, there's also the fact that "beauty" has changed in the past few centuries. Back in Cinderella's time, women constantly used wigs and tons of makeup (plus body-shaping techniques, like corsets) to create a very artificial and wealthy standard of beauty. Meanwhile, aside from the ballgown, Cinderella (or, at least this Cinderella) gracefully waltzes into the ball looking much like herself, to the point where the prince actually recognizes her as the girl he met before. She's a natural beauty, and as a natural beauty, she's not perfect. Otherwise, that would be a horrible message. ("Hey girls! Want to escape your evil step-abuser? All you need is to either already fit an unrealistic standard of "natural" beauty or change your looks completely to attract a man to save the day! Your personality or grace doesn't matter one bit, only your looks! ") Most Cinderella adaptations avoid this message by showing that there's more to Cinderella than her looks and that she only needs a fancy ballgown and makeover to actually be able to show up at the ball in something other than rags; this Cinderella is no exception, and reducing her to her looks and how she attracts the prince is sort of insulting.

[DylanCharles90]

Personally, i find Lily James to be strikingly beautiful! Her features are very exaggerated which is a kind of beauty that not everyone understands (big eyebrows/lips, square jaw). I say "good choice, Disney!" lol She has an interesting beautify and is very charming.

[DisneyFan09]

I agree about the miscast Aurora... except about her looking 12. I think she looked like a 16 yr old. Lets not forget Hollywood always casts actors in their early 20s as teenagers... and I also always had a hard time buying that the animated Aurora was sixteen. She was too "womanly" to be so young. At sizteen, you still see traces of a child in a girl...

Fair enough statement, but remember that sixteen year old Medieval girls probably looked older at sixteen and were probably seen as adult back then

[Marce82]

Well, actually, women tend to mature faster now cause of all hormones in food... so no, even though life was more harsh back then, I don't think a 16 yr old girl would have looked older.

As for the whole "attractiveness" thing.... we don't fall in love with people because of their looks, but we are (usually) first attracted to them because of it. In a ball full of single ladies, yes, the prince would have first been attracted to cinderella for her looks, and then would have fallen in love with her for her other qualities.

As for the eyebrow thing: nothing wrong with eyebrows being a different color then one's hair. But it is different to go from dark brown eyebrows to light brown hair, than to platinum blond hair. (by the way, I see the same issue with Cinderella's mother in this trailer).

And yes, beauty is absolutely subjective, but there are traits that are considered generally attractive within a culture (this is why I might see someone I think is goodlooking, but "not my type", but can still appreciate they are goodlooking)

[Warm Regards]

If I may play give my insight on Ms. Lily James portrayal of Ella:

I think the idea in this version is, as I may have mentioned earlier, everyone can be a flower on the outside (that is, very pretty), but Ella is the only butterfly with them.

The stepsisters and step family in this version, externally, are quite beautiful, perhaps more so than Ella. But Ella has a more gentler personality, somewhat like a butterfly.

I think James's darker eyebrows make her look more imperfect, and more genuine. Similar to what Tangled said, the step family are very flashy and gaudy, but it's not their *true* selves, if that makes sense. They all put on a show to impress, where as Ella embraces herself and goes forward with that. And that's why the Prince is drawn to her; she's more genuine.

I always got the sense that Cinderella, in any adaption, is a mature person with an even-temper, hence why she puts up with so much. James is very humble an actress, I feel, and while she may not be a knock-out, I think she is graceful.

However, this is all superficial. What I am personally more interested is seeing if James's Ella has personality beyond being a pushover.

[Disney's Divinity]

^ And I think that also ties into the idea of the Prince being bored by the ball before Cinderella enters, and previously uninterested in finding a wife. Plenty of girls like the stepsisters creating a facade to throw at him, whereas Cinderella really only came to the ball to have a good time and not to impress anyone.

[dollover]

In this version they have clearly met and were attracted to each other before the ball, so the whole he was so dazzled by her beauty he only had eyes for her thing comes way less into play here. He was just as likely relieved he saw a familiar friendly face amongst all the strangers and fakery. I don't find Lily James to be especially beautiful, mostly because of her wide jaw, but I do think she looks lovely as Cinderella and pretty enough that I am a bit surprised that her looks are getting backlash. I expected more backlash for Kendrick's looks as Cinderella actually, as she is less a conventional beauty than James is. I also like her prominent eyebrows, not fond of the super plucked look and how would Cinderella have the time or vanity to pluck them anyways? I'm not personally bugged by their darkness either, I think it brings out her eyes.

[Disney Duster]

I like what everyone is saying about Cinderella being a natural beauty while the other girls at the ball are putting on false selves, and the idea the others look like flowers but Ella is a butterfly (though I think the butterfly is mostly there for the transformation theme, as in a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly). However, Cinderella was supposed to be as kind as she was beautiful and she was supposed to wow in her hair and dress, in the original fairy tale, and I would say in the original movie, too. I would have actually loved an "ugly" girl be Cinderella and look beautiful with her hair and dress and then the prince wants a girl that really isn't "pretty" in the end. However, I read some scientific article that women get treated better by their male lovers if they are more attractive than them. Makes sense. With beauty they have power. And anything to ward off male overpowering a female is good.

I expected more backlash for Kendrick's looks as Cinderella actually, as she is less a conventional beauty than James is.

Yes, actually I think Anna Kendrick isn't so pretty...and I'm sort of glad, because it means girl's who aren't so pretty can think of themselves as pretty by seeing a girl like Anna Kendrick play the Cinderella who won the prince's attention.

[tsom]

New sneak peeks! Happy New Year!

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10 ... =3&theater

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rp26If-cBP4

[Disney Duster]

I am so amazed at how beautiful this film looks. And how dramatic! I will be a very happy boy come March! And that little bit of "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes" excited me that this is meant to be the live-action version of my favorite, beloved, Disney animated 1950 Cinderella!

[Old Fish Tale]

God, it just looks so good! I can't wait! Thank you for posting those! And the ending looks quite different. That's exciting!