Disney’s live action adaptation of CINDERELLA has found it’s ugly sisters; and it seems Cinderella herself may have put in a good word! It was announced several months ago that ‘Downton Abbey’ star Lily James would be playing the lead and now her Downton co-star Sophie McShera is in talks to play one of her cruel stepsisters. The role of the second sister has gone to Holliday Granger, star of Showtime’s ‘The Borgias’.
McShera is a relative newcomer to our screens with British TV series ‘Waterloo Road’ her main credit alongside ‘Downton Abbey’ to date so landing this role would be a huge boost to her film career. Granger has been taking on roles in several historical period dramas alongside her role in ‘The Borgias’ with appearances in JANE EYRE, ANNA KARENINA and 2012’s GREAT EXPECTATIONS. GAME OF THRONES star Richard Madden has joined the movie as Prince Charming and Cate Blanchett as the wicked stepmother.
This new take on the classic fairytale has THOR director Kenneth Branagh at the helm, which makes us excited enough, and the screenplay is being co-written by Chris Weitz and Aline Brosh McKenna. The latter of that pair has writing credits including THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA and the upcoming adaptation of ANNIE so audiences could be in for a treat.
Filming is due to begin in London later this year with a 2014 release date.
Source: THR
