12 Talented Actresses Who Brought Disney Princesses To The Big Screen

Margot Nolan
Jun 28, 2022
Jun 28, 2022

Becoming a Disney princess is an honor and something special. It's on the same level as portraying a hero or a villain in the Marvel or DC Cinematic Universes and even more. It's also a role that will be an early springboard to the careers of several of the stars or help relaunch the careers of those who are struggling.
For example, Elle Fanning made a strong impression on young people with her beauty by playing Princess Aurora in "Maleficent" (2014). The film was so popular that Walt Disney Studios released a sequel, "Maleficent", in 2019. Or the role of Alice by actress Mia Wasikowska in the movie "Alice Through The Looking Glass" was the first major role in her career. Thanks to her outstanding performance in the film, the little-known Australian gained more attention.
So, take a look at some actresses who've aptly worn the crown in princess films. Which performances do you like the most? tell us in the comment below!

#1 Drew Barrymore - Cinderella ("Ever After", 1998)

Source: © Ever After / 20th Century Fox

"Ever After" was one of the earliest live-action films based on the beloved animated versions. It's also one of the first films to introduce a more relatable and human Disney princess because the original tale has been modified to make it closer to people’s daily lives. The film takes place in medieval France, where Cinderella, played by Drew Barrymore, is relentlessly tormented by her wicked stepmother. However, thanks to her wit and courage, Cinderella manages to find her way and meet Prince Henry. For the leading star, this is her favorite movie of all the ones she has played in.

#2 Lily Collins - Snow White ("Mirror Mirror", 2012)

Source: © Mirror Mirror / Relativity Media

Another timeless story, "Snow White," made a triumphant comeback to the big screen with a revamped style and several plot twists in "Mirror Mirror" (2012). Collins portrays a princess who is forced into exile. Her nasty stepmother Julia Roberts, whose covert aim is to seize control of the kingdom and all of the little girl's fortune, has sent her to the forest. In the forest, Snow White meets seven warrior dwarfs who will aid her in claiming what is rightfully hers.

#3 Kristen Stewart - Snow White ( "Snow White and the Huntsman", 2012)

Source: © Snow White and the Huntsman / Universal Pictures

When "Snow White and the Huntsman" was released in 2012, it broke all kinds of stereotypes about princesses. In contrast to the Snow White we were familiar with from children's stories, Kristen Stewart portrays a Snow White who is considerably more warlike, resolute, and independent in that film. The movie also dared to provide a reworked version that broke from the main storyline. Stewart had to get over her fear of horses in order to film some of the action scenes for this role because she injured her elbow when she fell from a horse as a young child.

#4 Léa Seydoux - Belle ("La Belle et la Bête", 2014)

Source: © La Belle et la Bête / Pathé Distribution

"La Belle et la Bête", a French film remake of Beauty and the Beast, was released in 2014. In the film, Léa Seydoux portrays Belle, demonstrating how versatile an actress can be. She gave a performance that was full of beauty because she had such amazing creative freedom. Though the tale of Beauty and the Beast had been adapted to the big screen more than a dozen times, the French live-action movie was something special.

#5 Elle Fanning - Princess Aurora ("Maleficent", 2014 & 2019)

Source: © Maleficent / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

"Maleficent" was a box office success everywhere it was released, both for its unique story and for its outstanding cast. In this film, Child prodigy Elle Fanning was tasked with portraying Princess Aurora in both the first movie and its follow-up. She proved her talent by giving a flawless rendition of the princess who was pricked by a spinning wheel. She managed to live up to everyone's expectations while performing beside an outstanding actress like Angelina Jolie. In addition, the actress who played Princess Aurora as a child was 5-year-old Vivienne Jolie-Pitt, Angelina Jolie’s and Brad Pitt’s daughter.

#6 MacKenzie Mauzy - Rapunzel ("Into the Woods", 2014)

Source: © Into the Woods / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Disney's first Broadway musical adaptation was "Into the Woods," but given how well it did, there will probably be more in the future. In the film, MacKenzie Mauzie brings perfectly Rapunzel, the princess with the long hair, to life. Mauzie had previously appeared in American soap operas and television shows. This movie is Disney's adaptation of the same-named musical.

#7 Anna Kendrick - Cinderella ("Into the Woods", 2014)

Source: © Into the Woods / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Another princess who appeared in the "Into the Woods" is Cinderella. This role is played by Anna Kendrick a regular face in musicals. However, her performance as the famous Cinderella for this Disney’s live-action made the audience disappointed.

#8 Lily James - Cinderella ("Cinderella", 2015)

Source: © Cinderella / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

In 2015, Disney selected the English actress Lily James to play Cinderella in the live-action "Cinderella". Because she exudes such wonderful sweetness and grace, James was a fantastic fit for the role. She also gives a distinct personality and disposition to the princess, who is sometimes represented as vulnerable. Emma Watson was initially offered the role, but she declined it to play Belle. Eventually, Lily James would get the leading role by chance: she had auditioned as one of the evil stepsisters, but producers thought she would make a great Cinderella.

#9 Mia Wasikowska - Alice ("Alice Through The Looking Glass", 2016)

Director James Bobin decided to continue with "Alice Through The Looking Glass" shooting featuring the Australian actress Mia Wasikowska. In fact, Wasikowska made her cinematic debut with the first episode of the movie. This was also the first major role in her career by delivering outstanding performance. Additionally, you might not be aware that this movie has six actors from the "Harry Potter" series: Paul Whitehouse, Timothy Spall, Rhys Owain Evans, Alan Rickman, Helena Bonham Carter, and Frances de la Tour.

#10 Emma Watson - Bell ("Beauty and The Beast", 2017)

The live-action adaptation of "Beauty and the Beast," (2017), features Emma Watson as Belle and she gave a terrific performance. She portrays Belle, who is different from the other residents of the town and falls in love with a beast for its inner beauty rather than its outside attractiveness. Before playing Belle, Emma Watson turned down the part of Cinderella because she saw herself as a strong, independent woman with an open mind that is suitable for Belle.

#11 Naomi Scott - Princess Jasmine ("Aladdin", 2019)

One of Disney's most eagerly awaited remakes was the live-action version of "Aladdin" in 2019. In this adaptation, Will Smith portrays a brilliant and hilarious genius. That is accompanied by great songs and quite a lot of action. Princess Jasmine, who with the aid of Aladdin will save her people and her father from the wicked Jafar, was brought to life by Naomi Scott. In one of the scenes of the movie, we can see Aladdin's magic carpet may be seen building a palace on the sand. This castle is an identical duplicate of the one that can be seen in all recent Disney films' opening titles.

#12 Liu Yifei - Mulan ("Mulan", 2019)

Disney filmmakers selected Liu Yifei from among hundreds of applications to play the warrior "Mulan." This young lady is skilled in all forms of battle, including swordplay and martial arts. In the film, some of the character names had to be changed to make them sound more plausible. For instance, Fa Mulan changed into Hua Mulan, Böri Khan changed into Shan Yu, Chen Honghui changed into Li Shang, Chien Po changed into Po, and Fa Zhou (Mulan's father) changed into Hua Zhou.

Share this article