15 Backstory Details Disney Added to the Live-Action Cinderella Movie
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With the new Cinderella movie, Disney stays very true to its original cartoon, but in the animated-to-live-action shift, the characters become more three-dimensional as people, too. Disney diehards will be thrilled by how much the new film borrows from the old, with several shots mirroring the exact same moments as those from the cartoon. On the other hand, though, what makes the live-action version so great is that it isn't identical to the first, borrowing details from other adaptations of the story. Thanks to new scenes, some minor plot changes, and revealing backstory details, the characters have more depth and humanity than might be expected. If you haven't seen the movie yet, some of these details may feel like spoilers, so proceed with caution, but keep reading to find out how Cinderella elaborates on each of the characters from the cartoon version, and be sure to check out our interviews with the cast before the film hits theaters this Friday!
Cinderella
- She maintains the house out of love: In the live-action movie, Cinderella (Lily James) starts taking care of the house not so much because of her stepmother's orders, but because her stepmother has fired the house staff and she hopes to preserve what her parents loved.
- She stays to preserve her parents' memories: Along with a lack of options, it's also her special family memories that keep Cinderella at home. After all, in the new movie, she does head into the woods and go into town, where she runs into a former member of the house staff, telling her she's stayed to look after the home her parents built.
The Prince
- He has a real name: The Prince (Richard Madden) doesn't want to tell Cinderella that he's royalty when they meet, so when she asks his name, he tells her it's Kit — the name his father calls him sometimes. (He's also never referred to as Prince Charming.)
- He's dealing with family stuff, too: The Prince is more than just a handsome face in the live-action movie. Thanks to scenes with his sick father, we get to see a more emotional side of the Prince, who grieves the king's illness.
- He falls for Cinderella's heart: In a twist that's more Ever After than Disney cartoon, the Prince and Cinderella first meet in the woods. In the midst of their back-and-forth banter, he's won over by her kindness — not her beauty, which is what captures his attention in the cartoon version when he first sees her at the ball.
Lady Tremaine
- She's social: The new movie shows Lady Tremaine throwing parties soon after she weds Cinderella's father, and he makes a point to say that she's all about playing hostess.
- She's dealt with hardships in the past: In the animated film, it isn't quite clear as to why Lady Tremaine (Cate Blanchett), Cinderella's stepmother, is so cruel, but the new movie sheds light on her personal life. Sitting in the shadows — just as she does at one point in the cartoon — Lady Tremaine says that not only did she lose her first husband, the love of her life, but she also lost her second (Cinderella's father), whom she married for a sense of security because she doesn't have a way to support her daughters.
- She's crafty: Lady Tremaine is far more calculating in the live-action film, too, attempting to bargain with both the Grand Duke and with Cinderella. After realizing that it was Cinderella who captured the Prince's attention at the ball, she tells her that she'll let her marry him if she can be named head of the household, controlling the palace. Later, having overheard the Grand Duke saying he's already secretly arranged a marriage for the Prince, Lady Tremaine tells him about Cinderella and threatens to share his secret unless he makes sure she's a countess.
The Fairy Godmother
- She's a true surprise: While Cinderella takes her Fairy Godmother at face value in the cartoon, she's far more shocked to see her (Helena Bonham Carter) in the live-action movie, saying that she thought fairy godmothers were only make-believe.
The King
- He's sick and worried about the Prince's future: In the cartoon, the King wants his son to find love so that he can settle down and have grandchildren, but in the live-action version, the King (Derek Jacobi) is sick and dying, desperate for the Prince to find a princess with assets of her own that might help the kingdom.
Cinderella's Mother
- She has a strong relationship with Cinderella: Cinderella's mother (Hayley Atwell) has already passed away by the start of Disney's cartoon, but in the live-action film, she's seen in happy, emotional scenes from Cinderella's childhood.
- She's at the core of Cinderella's character: The influence and spirit of Cinderella's mother is one of the key threads that weaves the live-action film together. For one thing, it's her mother's advice ("Have courage and be kind") that Cinderella lives by, and for another, it's through singing her mother's song that Cinderella is eventually found by the Prince in the end, leading to her happily ever after.
Cinderella's Father
- He marries Lady Tremaine because he's lonely: During one of the more emotional scenes, Cinderella's father (Ben Chaplin) tells her that he's going to marry the widowed Lady Tremaine because he wants another chance at happiness.
- He passes away while traveling: In the cartoon, it's vaguely mentioned that Cinderella's father has died, but in the new movie, he's traveling for business when he falls ill, and a messenger arrives at the house to give Cinderella the sad news.
The Grand Duke
- He made a deal behind the royal family's back: Whereas the cartoon version of the Grand Duke is clumsy but well-intended, the live-action take is more corrupt. At the ball, it's revealed that the Grand Duke (Stellan Skarsgard) has already arranged for the Prince to marry another princess, and he teams up with Lady Tremaine to make sure Cinderella doesn't get in the way of his deal.