Over the last few decades,
Disney has increasingly dipped into its own well of nostalgic favorites. Specifically, they have produced blockbuster hits out of their famous animation masterpieces by remaking them into live-action. Although some film adaptations have a vastly different interpretation from their source material greatly, one of the points which the studio can't afford to go wrong is in the casting department.
Lily James proved her perfect fit for Cinderella in live-action of the 1950s animated musical "
Cinderella" in 2015. And moviegoers love to see Emma Watson transform from the book-loving
Harry Potter friend, Hermione into the beautiful Belle in the hit film adaptation "Beauty and the Beast" (2017). Many other
actors have nailed their roles in Disney movies over the years but who is the best?
Take a look at the 31 famous
actors who starred in Disney's live remake! Which performances do you like the most? Let us know in the comments below.
#1 Glenn Close As Cruella de Vil
Source: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / Buena Vista Picture Distribution
Glenn Close takes on the villainous Cruella de Vil in 1996's "101 Dalmatians" and the 2000 sequel, "102 Dalmatians", which are based on the 1961 version of the animated classic.
#2 Angelina Jolie As Maleficent
Source: Walt Disney Pictures / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Oscar winner Angelina Jolie plays the titular antagonist in 2014's "Maleficent" and its sequel in 2019, which are remakes of the 1959 animated fantasy musical "Sleeping Beauty".
#3 Elle Fanning As Princess Aurora
Source: Walt Disney Pictures / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Elle Fanning portrays Aurora in "
Maleficent" (2014 and 2019), which are based on the 1959 animated musical "
Sleeping Beauty."#4 Mia Wasikowska As Alice
Source: RKO Pictures / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Australian actor Mia Wasikowska plays the titular Alice in the live-action films "Alice in Wonderland" in 2010 and "Alice Through the Looking Glass" in 2016, which are both based on the animated classic "Alice in Wonderland" (1951).
#5 Johnny Depp As Mad Hatter
Source: RKO Pictures / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Johnny Depp takes on the Mad Hatter in the live-action films "
Alice in Wonderland" in 2010 and "
Alice Through the Looking Glass" in 2016, which are based on the 1951 animated musical fantasy "
Alice in Wonderland".
#6 Lily James As Cinderella
Source: RKO Pictures / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
"Downton Abbey" actress Lily James plays the titular Cinderella in the 2015 Disney re-imagining, based on the 1950 animated musical "Cinderella".
#7 Cate Blanchett As Lady Tremaine
Source: RKO Pictures / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Academy Award winner Cate Blanchett plays the stepmother, Lady Tremaine, in 2015's "
Cinderella", which is based on the classic 1950 animated musical.
#8 Emma Watson As Belle
Source: Walt Disney Pictures / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Harry Potter star Emma Watson plays the titular beauty, Belle, in the 2017 live-action musical "Beauty and the Beast", based on the 1991 animated film.
#9 Dan Stevens As The Beast
Source: Walt Disney Pictures / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Actor Dan Stevens plays the titular Beast in Bill Condon's 2017 remake "Beauty and the Beast", which is based on the 1991 animated musical of the same name.
#10 Luke Evans As Gaston
Source: Walt Disney Pictures / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Welsh actor Luke Evans takes on the role of the narcissistic antagonist Gaston in 2017's Beauty and the Beast. The remake is based on the 1991 Disney animated musical of the same name.
#11 Josh Gad As LeFou
Source: Walt Disney Pictures / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Josh Gad portrays Gaston's bumbling sidekick LeFou in 2017's "Beauty and the Beast", which is based on the 1991 animated classic.
#12 Kevin Kline As Maurice
Source: Walt Disney Pictures / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Academy Award-winning actor Kevin Kline plays Belle's loving father, Maurice, in 2017's "Beauty and the Beast", which is an adaptation of the 1991 animated musical.
#13 Ian McKellan As Cogsworth
Source: Walt Disney Pictures / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Stage and screen actor Ian McKellan takes on the human form of grandfather clock Cogsworth in 2017's "
Beauty and the Beast", based on the 1991 animated film of the same name.
#14 Ewan McGregor As Lumière
Source: Walt Disney Pictures / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Scottish actor Ewan McGregor takes on the human form of singing candelabra Lumière in 2017's "Beauty and the Beast". The live-action adaptation is based on the 1991 musical of the same name.
#15 Neel Sethi As Mowgli
Source: Buena Vista Distribution Company / Walt Disney Pictures
Young Neel Sethi takes on the role of Mowgli in "The Jungle Book" (2016), which is based on the 1967 animated musical of the same name.
#16 Naomi Scott As Princess Jasmine
Source: Buena Vista Pictures / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Naomi Scott, the British actor who plays the iconic royal Jasmine in the live-action revival of 1992’s Disney cartoon "Aladdin".
#17 Mena Massoud As Aladdin
Source: Buena Vista Pictures / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Mena Massoud plays Aladdin - the main character in the live-action "Aladdin" (2019), which is based on the animation of the same name.
#18 Joely Richardson As Anita Radcliffe
Source: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
English actor Joely Richardson plays Anita Campbell-Green Dearly (Anita Radcliffe in the animated movie) in the 1996 remake of "
101 Dalmatians". The movie is based on the 1961 Disney animated classic.
#19 Audra McDonald As Madame Garderobe
Source: Walt Disney Pictures / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Tony Award winner Audra McDonald plays Italian opera singer/wardrobe Madame Garderobe in the 2017 version of "
Beauty and the Beast", based on the 1991 musical of the same name.
#20 Richard Madden As Prince Kit
Source: Walt Disney Pictures / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
"Game of Thrones" star Richard Madden plays Prince Kit in the 2015 live-action film "
Cinderella". The character is based on Prince Charming from the 1950 animated classic of the same name.
#21 Holliday Grainger As Anastasia Tremaine
Source: RKO Pictures / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
English actor Holliday Grainger plays wicked stepsister Anastasia Tremaine in 2015's "Cinderella", which is a remake of the 1950 animated film of the same name.
#22 Emma Thompson As Mrs. Potts
Source: Walt Disney Pictures / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
The British actor plays the human form of teapot Mrs. Potts in 2017's "
Beauty and the Beast", based on the animated 1991 musical.
#23 Nathan Mack As Chip
Source: Walt Disney Pictures / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Young British actor Nathan Mack plays the human form of teacup Chip Potts in 2017's "
Beauty and the Beast", based on the child/chipped teacup from the 1991 animated film of the same name.
#24 Jeff Daniels As Roger Radcliffe
Source: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
Veteran actor Jeff Daniels plays songwriter Roger Dearly (Roger Radcliffe in the animated movie) in the 1996 remake of "
101 Dalmatians", which is based on the 1961 animated adventure film of the same name.
#25 Liu Yifei As Hua Mulan
Source: Buena Vista Pictures
In "Mulan" (2020), Disney's live-action adaptation of both their animated classic and the 6th-century fable, Chinese-American actress Yifei Liu plays Hua Mulan - the hero who saves the dynasty.
#26 Sophie McShera As Drizella Tremaine
Source: RKO Pictures / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
"Downton Abbey" actor Sophie McShera plays antagonistic stepsister Drizella Tremaine in 2015's live-action re-imagining of "
Cinderella", which is based on the 1950 animated classic.
#27 Matt Lucas As Tweedledee & Tweedledum
Source: RKO Pictures / Walt Disney Pictures
British actor Matt Lucas plays both Tweedledee and Tweedledum in Tim Burton's 2010 adaptation "
Alice in Wonderland", which is based on the 1951 animated classic.
#28 Will Smith As The Genie
Source: Buena Vista Pictures / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
In Disney's live-action musical "Aladdin" (2019), Will Smith takes on The Genie.
#29 Marwan Kenzari As Jafar
Source: Buena Vista Pictures / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Dutch actor Marwan Kenzari nabbed the highest profile role to date, the villain Jafar in Disney's live-action musical "Aladdin" in 2019.
#30 Stellan Skarsgård As The Grand Duke
Source: RKO Pictures / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgård takes on the role of the Grand Duke in 2015's re-imagining Cinderella, which is based on the 1950 animated timeless classic.
#31 Helena Bonham Carter As The Fairy Godmother
Source: RKO Pictures / Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
English actor Helena Bonham Carter plays the Fairy Godmother in 2015's "Cinderella", which is based on the 1950 animated movie of the same name.