It’s a good thing Holliday Grainger knows a bit about A) wearing period costumes and B) behaving badly in them (cf The Borgias). Why, we hear you ask? She’s just signed on to play one of Cinderella’s mean stepsisters in Disney’s new take on the story.
Kenneth Branagh is aboard to direct, working from a script by Aline Brosh McKenna and Chris Weitz. Downton Abbey’s Lily James scored the title role, while Cate Blanchett will be in Grainger’s company as the wicked stepmother. Game Of Thrones’ Richard Madden will be providing dashing duties as Prince Charming.
It’s not yet known how far the film will deviate from the classic rags-to-magic-riches-to-rags-to-riches-again story, but given this is the Mouse House, expect things to stay fairly traditional.
Grainger, last on the big screen playing the haughty Estella in Great Expectations, is also part of the cast for US drama The Borgias, where she plays Lucrezia Borgia, a woman not traditionally known for the best behaviour. She’ll fit right in to the Cinders universe!
Cinderella is set to start shooting in the autumn for a 2014 release.