Lady Rose gets the Cinderella treatment
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Lily James in, Cinderella
Disney has released a new trailer for their upcoming live-action Cinderella and it’s undeniably stunning. The sets and costumes are absolutely breathtaking and this live version of the age old fairy tale looks fresh and exciting.
The film stars Lily James, known to Downton Abbey fans as the lovely and mischievous Lady Rose. Cinderella, is directed by Kenneth Branagh and also stars Cate Blanchett as the Stepmother, Helena Bonham Carter as the Fairy Godmother and Richard Madden (Game of Thrones) as the Prince. The screenplay is by Chris Weitz (About A Boy).
Cinderella opens in theatres on March 13th but for now, please enjoy the new trailer below.
Lily James graduated from London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 2010, and is best known for her role as Lady Rose on the hit television series “Downton Abbey.” Film credits include Regan Hall’s “Fast Girls” and “Clash of the Titans 2,” in which she starred alongside Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson and Rosamund Pike. Other television credits include “The Secret Diary of a Call Girl” and “Just William.” She will next be seen on screen as Elizabeth Bennet in “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.” In 2011, James starred as Desdemona in the Sheffield Crucible’s production of “Othello” alongside Dominic West as Iago and Clarke Peters as Othello. Her performance garnered rave reviews across the board. In the Daily Mail Quentin Davies wrote, “We may have a new star actress on our hands. Her name is Lily James and she left drama school only last year, yet she practically sweeps all before her as Desdemona in this ‘Othello.’” Other stage credits include: “Vernon God Little” at the Young Vic; Martin Crimp’s “Definitely the Bahamas” and “Play House” at the Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond; and Chekov’s “The Seagull” at the Southwark Playhouse.
CINDERELLA
The story of “Cinderella” follows the fortunes of young Ella (Lily James) whose merchant father remarries following the death of her mother. Eager to support her loving father, Ella welcomes her new stepmother (Cate Blanchett) and her daughters Anastasia (Holliday Grainger) and Drisella (Sophie McShera) into the family home. But, when Ella’s father unexpectedly passes away, she finds herself at the mercy of a jealous and cruel new family. Finally relegated to nothing more than a servant girl covered in ashes, and spitefully renamed Cinderella, Ella could easily begin to lose hope. Yet, despite the cruelty inflicted upon her, Ella is determined to honour her mother’s dying words and to “have courage and be kind.” She will not give in to despair nor despise those who mistreat her. And then there is the dashing stranger she meets in the woods. Unaware that he is really a prince, not merely an apprentice at the Palace, Ella finally feels she has met a kindred soul. It appears her fortunes may be about to change when the Palace sends out an open invitation for all maidens to attend a ball, raising Ella’s hopes of once again encountering the charming Kit (Richard Madden). Alas, her stepmother forbids her to attend and callously rips apart her dress. But, as in all good fairy tales, help is at hand, and a kindly beggar woman (Helena Bonham Carter) steps forward and, armed with a pumpkin and a few mice, changes Cinderella’s life forever.
Directed by Academy Award® nominee Kenneth Branagh (“Thor,” “Hamlet”) and starring Academy Award winner Cate Blanchett (“Blue Jasmine,” “Elizabeth”), Lily James (“Downton Abbey”), Richard Madden (“Game of Thrones”) and Academy Award nominee Helena Bonham Carter (“The King’s Speech,” “Alice in Wonderland”), “Cinderella” is produced by Simon Kinberg (“X-Men: Days of Future Past,” “Elysium”), Allison Shearmur (“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part I”) and David Barron (“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows”) with Tim Lewis (“Goldeneye”) serving as executive producer. The screenplay is by Chris Weitz (“About a Boy,” “The Golden Compass”).