15 Hollywood Celebs Who Took On The Iconic Role Of Cinderella

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Chelsi

• Published in Film & TV
• April 10, 2022

Cinderella was Disney's 12th animated film when it was originally released in 1950. The animated classic was inspired by Charles Perrault's book, Cendrillon or Little Glass Slipper.

Walt Disney Productions was suffering through heavy financial losses in the early 1940s due to the Second World War in Europe. Akin to Cinderella's rag to riches story, the princess movie was the studio's ticket out of debt.

When Cinderella was finally released on February 15, 1950, it became the biggest commercial and critical success for the company at that time since they released Snow White and The Seven Dwarves in 1937. They also made two sequels to the original movie in 2002 and 2007.

While Disney may have popularized Cinderella's magical story, they did not originate it. The story is a folk tale and has been in existence for more than 2,000 years with several versions throughout the world.

It may have a thousand variations in many different cultures but some elements ring true. The story of Cinderella is about a young woman living in abject poverty who marries into a royal family and finds herself swimming in fortune.

Inspired by Disney's success, several studios have made their own versions of Cinderella's rags to riches story. They have their own picks of the actresses who embodied the princess perfectly and here are some of the famous women who have stepped into Cinderella's glass slippers:

1. Mary Pickford

She was known as "America's Sweetheart" and she was the first actress to play Cinderella in a silent film. She played the princess opposite her first husband, Owen Moore, who played Prince Charming.

2. Helene Stanley & Ilene Woods

Helene Stanley voiced Cinderella's speaking parts and was the live model for the sketch while Ilene Woods voiced the princess' singing parts. Ilene was friends with the film's songwriters when they asked her to record a few songs they made for the movie.

After hearing her recording samples, Walt Disney himself offered Ilene the job which she gladly accepted. Thanks to her role, she was named a Disney Legend in 2003.

3. Leslie Caron

The French-American actress starred in the film The Glass Slipper in 1995. As Ella, she had to dance, sing, and wear an incredibly huge ballgown.

4. Julie Andrews

The beloved actress lived Cinderella's pitiful life in the made-for-TV adaptation of the story. Theater legends, Rodgers and Hammerstein, wrote the musical film for her; a role she says jumpstarted her iconic career.

5. Lesley Ann Warren

Another Cinderella movie set in the musical scoring of Rodgers and Hammerstein. Lesley Ann Warren was Cinderella played the character for a TV movie version of the story which was then rebroadcast a total of 8 times due to its popularity.

6. Gemma Craven

She was Cinderella in the British adaptation of the story, The Slipper and The Rose: The Story of Cinderella. Unlike the other versions, the story has more thrill when the Prince almost married someone else until Cinderella showed up, already wearing a wedding gown.

7. Brandy Norwood

Whitney Houston produced and starred as the fairy godmother in this remake. Brandy, was surprised that the icon wanted her to play the princess and even called her at her parents' house to ask if she wanted the role.

The remake was the first Disney classic film to star a Black woman in the lead princess role. Brandy said she didn't know at that time that they were "breaking" the rules but she knew it was different as she had not seen anything like it done before.

8. Drew Barrymore

Drew Barrymore's version of Cinderella was named Danielle and she lived in the time of Leonardo da Vinci. She came across the Grimm Brothers' take on the story and thought they were wrong because Cinderella didn't need a prince to save her, instead she rescued herself.

9. Hilary Duff

Hillary Duff played Sam Montgomery, a modern-day Cinderella who lived in San Fernando Valley. She was forced to work at her dad's diner by her stepmother played by Jennifer Coolidge.

10. Anne Hathaway

The movie Ella Enchanted was based on a book of the same name. Anne Hathaway's Cinderella was gifted (see: cursed) by her fairy godmother with the inability to disobey.

The actress worked and trained with a mime to portray her "gift" of obedience. She wanted to show that Ella, like a puppet, was simply acting on other people's commands.

11. Amy Adams

Amy Adams played the role of Giselle in the adorably charming film, Enchanted. It's a mix of cartoon and a live-action princess movie where Giselle's cartoon version, was pushed into a well by the prince's mother and pops up as a real person in modern New York.

12. Selena Gomez

Selena was just starting to make a name for herself with Wizards of Waverly place when she was cast in the movie Another Cinderella Story. This was a sequel to the first Cinderella Story and was released in DVD format.

13. Anna Kendrick

Anna Kendrick played Cinderella in the movie adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's musical, Into the Woods. The story is a darker, more complicated version of the typical happily-ever-afters of Disney.

14. Lily James

In this grander-than-life version, Lily James was crowned as Cinderella. The film is Disney's live-action remake of their classic and it was a commercial success, earning $542 million worldwide.

15. Camila Cabello

The pop singer was the latest to take the challenge of reinventing Cinderella. She said that this version is reflective of modern women who pursue their dreams and ambitions while staying true to themselves and their voices.

We like to make fun of movie franchises spitting out several iterations and continuations of the same film but when a classic story is this good? Who can blame the creators for trying to make their own versions?

The outdated trope of a woman needing a man to save her has been set aside to pursue more empowering themes in the latest remakes. We wonder what aspect of Cinderalla they will highlight in the next remakes and which actress will take on the challenge of filling her proverbial glass slippers.

Chelsi