A Closer Look at the Full Cast of Disney’s Cinderella 2015
The full cast of Disney’s Cinderella live action retelling of the classic story features several notable names, as well as a few newcomers that might be worth putting on your radar. Notable (relative) cinematic newcomers are both lead roles, which feature Lily James as Cinderella and Richard Madden as Prince Charming. The cast is anchored by the veteran presence of both Helena Bonham Carter (as the Fairy Godmother) and Cate Blanchett (as Lady Tremaine).
Some say that the casting choices caught them a bit off guard with choices such as Lily James as the protagonist, and the choice of Helena Bonham Carter and Cate Blanchett featured in roles that many argue should have been flip-flopped due to Carter seeming an obvious choice for the villainous role of the evil stepmother and Blanchett offering an idealistic approach to the fairy godmother. Squabbles aside, it is an interesting lineup.
Let’s take a closer look at those with starring roles in the upcoming release.
Lily James (Cinderella)
Lily James is probably best known for her appearances in “Downton Abbey,” Wrath of the Titans and Broken. The 25-year-old actress is a relative newcomer to cinema with her professional acting debut taking place in 2010.
Richard Madden (Prince Charming)
Also a relative newcomer, Richard Madden is best known for his appearances in “Game of Thrones,” as Robb Stark. Additional credited acting roles have been for the Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate video game in a voice acting role, as well as the TV show “Sirens,” and a role in the 2013 film, A Promise that featured Alan Rickman and Rebecca Hall.
Helena Bonham Carter (Fairy Godmother)
Helena Bonham Carter is best known for her roles in Fight Club, Les Miserables, Great Expectations, The King’s Speech and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows. In addition, she was twice nominated for an Academy Award – first as best actress in the 1997 film The Wings of the Dove, and most recently in the 2010 film The King’s Speech (as best supporting actress).
Cate Blanchett (Lady Tremaine)
Cate Blanchett is a big screen veteran with prominent roles in the Woody Allen film Blue Jasmine, Notes on a Scandal, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings” trilogies. In addition, she received widespread critical acclaim for her portrayal of Katharine Hepburn in Martin Scorsese’s 2004 film, The Aviator.
In addition to the lead ensemble, we have some notable names in supporting roles as well. Notable additions are;
Holliday Grainger (Anastasia): from Jane Eyre, The Borgias and Anna Karenina
Hayley Atwell (Cinderella’s Mother): Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Agent Carter
Sophie McShera (Drizella): Downton Abbey, Waterloo Road
Stellan Skarsgard (Grand Duke): Thor: The Dark World, The Avengers, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Romeo & Juliet
Ben Chaplin (Cinderella’s Father): The Truth About Cats & Dogs, The Thin Red Line, The New World
Derek Jacobi (The King): My Week With Marilyn, The King’s Speech
Cinderella is set to release on March 13, 2015, and is one of the most hotly anticipated films of 2015. With a talented cast and a plethora of pre-release buzz, Disney may have struck gold yet again with this dramatic live-action retelling of the age old classic.