01of 07Rachel Zegler as Snow WhiteRachel Zegler (L); Snow White.20th Century Studios; EverettThe first animated Disney princess, Snow White, is getting alive-action makeover,withWest Side Storystar Rachel Zegler stepping into the iconic headband of the heroine who first hit screens in 1937.The newSnow Whitemovie isn’t set to premiere until 2024, but Zegler’s already beenglimpsed in characteron set, wearing and blue and yellow dress identical to her cartoon counterpart’s.
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Rachel Zegler as Snow White
Rachel Zegler (L); Snow White.20th Century Studios; Everett
The first animated Disney princess, Snow White, is getting alive-action makeover,withWest Side Storystar Rachel Zegler stepping into the iconic headband of the heroine who first hit screens in 1937.
The newSnow Whitemovie isn’t set to premiere until 2024, but Zegler’s already beenglimpsed in characteron set, wearing and blue and yellow dress identical to her cartoon counterpart’s.
02of 07Halle Bailey as ArielDisney (2)Bailey made a splash (pun intended) with hercritically acclaimedperformance as Ariel inThe Little Mermaid, but the multi-talented star was inspiring fans long before the film’s world premiere. Ever since Bailey’s casting was announced in 2019, she’s reached an audience of young girlselated to see a woman of colorin the role.“It’s exceptional to be able to see a figure that you look up to that also looks like your auntie or your sister,” Bailey told PEOPLE ahead of her film’s release date, which is set for on May 26. She credits Whitney Houston inThe Bodyguard, Brandy inCinderellaand Anika Noni Rose inThe Princess and the Frogfor blazing trails before her.Jodi Benson, who voiced Ariel in the 1989 original film, raved that Bailey’s interpretation of the role is “absolutely beautiful … The casting has been done so perfectly. It’s about the heart of the character.”
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Halle Bailey as Ariel
Disney (2)
Bailey made a splash (pun intended) with hercritically acclaimedperformance as Ariel inThe Little Mermaid, but the multi-talented star was inspiring fans long before the film’s world premiere. Ever since Bailey’s casting was announced in 2019, she’s reached an audience of young girlselated to see a woman of colorin the role.
“It’s exceptional to be able to see a figure that you look up to that also looks like your auntie or your sister,” Bailey told PEOPLE ahead of her film’s release date, which is set for on May 26. She credits Whitney Houston inThe Bodyguard, Brandy inCinderellaand Anika Noni Rose inThe Princess and the Frogfor blazing trails before her.
Jodi Benson, who voiced Ariel in the 1989 original film, raved that Bailey’s interpretation of the role is “absolutely beautiful … The casting has been done so perfectly. It’s about the heart of the character.”
03of 07Liu Yifei as MulanDisney/Everett (2)As a fan of the original Disney movie, Yifei was well aware of the expectationssurrounding her performancein the reimagination ofMulan.“You have to put in all your emotion to be able to respect that character,” she told PEOPLE of her starring role in 2020. “I see the passion people have for the story. I really hope that we could bring back some of their memories and love. I hope they love it.”
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Liu Yifei as Mulan
Disney/Everett (2)
As a fan of the original Disney movie, Yifei was well aware of the expectationssurrounding her performancein the reimagination ofMulan.
“You have to put in all your emotion to be able to respect that character,” she told PEOPLE of her starring role in 2020. “I see the passion people have for the story. I really hope that we could bring back some of their memories and love. I hope they love it.”
04of 07Naomi Scott as JasmineWalt Disney Pictures/Everett; Daniel Smith/Disney/Kobal/ShutterstockThough Jasmine was already an independent thinker in the 1992 animation, with her refusal to marry the suitor of her father’s choosing, Scott wanted to raise the princess of Agrabah’s consciousness even higher in the 2019 live-action adaptation ofAladdin.“For me that was the main difference was she’s fighting for the injustice of her people,” Scotttold PEOPLE at the time. “My girl’s a politician, do you know what I mean? She’s not just there to look pretty.”
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Naomi Scott as Jasmine
Walt Disney Pictures/Everett; Daniel Smith/Disney/Kobal/Shutterstock
Though Jasmine was already an independent thinker in the 1992 animation, with her refusal to marry the suitor of her father’s choosing, Scott wanted to raise the princess of Agrabah’s consciousness even higher in the 2019 live-action adaptation ofAladdin.
“For me that was the main difference was she’s fighting for the injustice of her people,” Scotttold PEOPLE at the time. “My girl’s a politician, do you know what I mean? She’s not just there to look pretty.”
05of 07Emma Watson as BelleWalt Disney Co.; Neal Peters/DisneyTheHarry Potteralumna worked her wizardry on the character of Belle in the 2017 live-action adaptation ofBeauty and the Beastto advance the character’s modern, feminist values. In fact, the live-action film’s director Bill Condon told PEOPLE that many of Belle’snew character traitswere based on Watson’s real-life values.“It’s interesting how when we would think of ideas for Belle, it was like, ‘Wow, that’s what [Watson] is doing in her own life,'” Condon said in reference to the actress’ passions for women’s rights and literacy.
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Emma Watson as Belle
Walt Disney Co.; Neal Peters/Disney
TheHarry Potteralumna worked her wizardry on the character of Belle in the 2017 live-action adaptation ofBeauty and the Beastto advance the character’s modern, feminist values. In fact, the live-action film’s director Bill Condon told PEOPLE that many of Belle’snew character traitswere based on Watson’s real-life values.
“It’s interesting how when we would think of ideas for Belle, it was like, ‘Wow, that’s what [Watson] is doing in her own life,'” Condon said in reference to the actress’ passions for women’s rights and literacy.
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Lily James as Cinderella
Disney; Disney/Everett
“I couldn’t believe it was me. I kind of felt invincible in it and I felt like I could really be a princess,“James recalled of her first time wearing the bespoke blue ensemble on theCinderellaset. “It changed how I walked.”
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Elle Fanning as Sleeping Beauty
Fanning played the cursed princess in the origin story of her adversary, wicked witch Maleficent. She appeared as Sleeping Beauty – who first took animated form in 1959 – alongsideAngelina Joliein the 2014 filmMaleficentand its 2019 sequelMaleficent: Mistress of Evil.
source: people.com
