Girl Of The Moment: Lily James

Lily James. Photo: Getty Images

Move over Maleficent, there’s another fairytale in town. This month, actress Lily James, 25, wears that famous blue ball gown as the title character in Cinderella.

Lily James in Cinderella. Photo: Disney

After starting out in theatre, James sashayed on to TV screens in 2012 as the rebellious Lady Rose in Downton Abbey. It was a role that required her to change her brunette hair to blonde – a small tweak that proved serendipitous. Upon showing off her new hair at the Cinderella auditions (James was there to try out as an ugly stepsister), the casting director suggested she read a few lines as the golden-haired lead. She nailed it and subsequently nabbed Disney’s most coveted role of the year, opposite Cate Blanchett (as the evil stepmother), Helena Bonham Carter (Fairy Godmother) and Game Of Thrones’s Richard Madden (Prince Charming).

Lily James and Cate Blanchett in Cinderella. Photo: Disney

But unlike the animated Cinderella, which conveyed the character as a damsel in need of saving, James was determined to ditch the stereotype for this latest version. “[The film] is very classical, but [I wanted to portray] a positive version of a princess – a really strong role model – as opposed to a flouncy idea of a princess being rescued by a man,” she assures.

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