Sir Kenneth Branagh has revealed his Cinderella is not just a damsel waiting for her prince.

The British filmmaker’s next directing project is a Disney remake of the classic fairytale with an all-star cast headed by Downton Abbey’s Lily James as Cinderella.

Branagh revealed: “It’s an evolving adaptation that’s based on being much moved by the ancient power of that myth. Everybody identifies with that underdog story, we are her and we want her to succeed against all odds and that goodness can win out.

“And that doesn’t suggest that life is only worth living if a rich man comes along.”

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Hi everyone! I have added productions stills and behind the scenes pictures of Lily in Chemistry (2012), a short film, here is the synopsis:

Johann, a brilliant young scientist, conspires with his friend Eric to perform a dangerous chemical experiment with an exhilarating goal: the secret of eternal life. Their fraternal relationship is tested to the limit by the addition to their duo of the beautiful, capricious Ines.

For the past few days I have updated the gallery with several missing photos and screencaptures, and I still have some stuff to add, so keep an eye on it! And one more thing, the site has a new main domain so, please make sure to bookmark lily-james.com instead of lily-james.com (and to change the URL if you are an affiliate). Thank you!

Sizzling Downton Abbey star Lily James was involved in a blazing drama of a different kind during the filming of Disney’s live-action Cinderella extravaganza when a sumptuous wedding gown she was wearing caught fire.

The 24-year-old had been shooting a scene at Pinewood studios. The bridal dress — with its voluminous skirts, three miles of hemming and covered in Swarovski crystals — is a work of art in its own right. It covers so much square footage the actress can’t always see what’s in front of her.

She was led into her dressing room (a large tent in a corner of the vast 007 sound stage) and her hem brushed against a heater and began smouldering.

‘It had turned really cold and someone had put a three-bar heater a bit too close to where Lily was going to sit on a stool,’ explained distinguished costume designer Sandy Powell.

‘Luckily, just a segment of the silk dress got burnt. Thank God Lily wasn’t harmed,’ added Powell who has collected three Oscars and two Baftas for her screen creations.
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Her latest project is her biggest yet – Disney’s live action version of Cinderella, directed by Kenneth Branagh and starring Cate Blanchett and McShera’s Downton co-star Lily James.

McShera plays ugly sister Drizella.

“Cate Blanchett is my mum which is hilarious, she was so much fun to work with. Me and Holliday Grainger (who also stars in the film) watched Blue Jasmine the day before we met her so we were so in awe of her. She was so nice and generous and funny, we had the best time with her.”

At least McShera will get to give the orders for a change – her Downton co-star, Lilly James, who plays cousin Rose in the drama, takes the lead in Cinderella.

While the actress acknowledges it was nice to have the roles reversed for once, she jokes: “Lily’s definitely no Daisy – she looks beautiful in rags, it’s really irritating!”

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Holliday Grainger is Lily’s co-star in ‘Cinderella’, she plays one of the stepsisters Anastasia.

When you do something like Cinderella, do you think about the fact that you’re retelling the story of Cinderella, or can you focus on it as just another story that you’re telling?
GRAINGER: Whenever I walk out of my trailer and see Lily [James] in her costume, I think, “My god, I’m shooting Cinderella!” When she’s in her ball gown, she looks like the fairy tale version of Cinderella that you remember dreaming about, as a kid. The first time I saw her in her ball grown, I felt a bit starstruck. It’s just Lily. She’s one of my contemporaries. We’ve known each other from before. But when she’s in the Cinderella dress, she’s just perfect. That’s when you go, “Oh, my gosh, we’re actually making a movie! We’re making a fairy tale come to life!”

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Lily James has been wowing as she waltzes in the big-screen, live action Cinderella.
Lily has already cut a rug, dancing in Downton Abbey, as the vivacious Lady Rose.

But on the set of the fabled fairytale the actress has been floating around on a sound stage at Pinewood Studios, to the strains of a newly composed waltz by Oscar-nominated composer Patrick Doyle, with a little help from choreographer Rob Ashford.

Lily plays the title role opposite Richard Madden as Prince Charming and Cate Blanchett as her not entirely wicked stepmother (she’s more resentful and miffed than out-and-out evil).

Helena Bonham Carter, with a milk-white perm and gown to match, is the fairy godmother. And Holliday Grainger and Sophie McShera play Cinder-ella’s stepsisters.

Doyle’s score for the Disney movie is going to have audiences humming and dah-dah-dahing happily ever after. Listening to it as I watched a ballroom scene, where Lily and Richard were all but flying, I was unable to stop myself bobbing from side to side in time with the music. I looked around and spotted several burly crewmen swaying, too.
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30 sec TV spot for the 2013 Edition of the 24fps International Short Film Festival, presented by the landmark Paramount Theater in Abilene, Texas November 1-2, 2013.

Lily James’ Cinderella is riding a horse, prancing through a meadow in this first look at Disney’s live-action fairy tale.

Cinderella is under the direction of Kenneth Branagh and stars James in the lead princess role. Richard Madden is Prince Charming, Helena Bonham Carter is the Fairy Godmother (who will first appear in the movie as an old beggar), and Cate Blanchett is Lady Tremaine. The movie opens in theaters March 13, 2015.

As part of today’s announcement, Branagh commented on the cast that he and Disney have assembled:

“It is impossible to think of Cinderella without thinking of Disney and the timeless images we’ve all grown up watching,” Branagh said in a press release. “And those classic moments are irresistible to a filmmaker. With Lily James we have found our perfect Cinderella. She combines knockout beauty with intelligence, wit, fun and physical grace. Her Prince is being played by Richard Madden, a young actor with incredible power and charisma. He is funny, smart and sexy and a great match for Cinderella.”

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In a press release, Disney revealed the official synopsis:

The story of Cinderella follows the fortunes of young Ella whose merchant father remarries following the tragic death of her mother. Keen to support her loving father, Ella welcomes her new stepmother Lady Tremaine and her daughters Anastasia and Drisella into the family home. But, when Ella’s father suddenly and unexpectedly passes away, she finds herself at the mercy of a jealous and cruel new family. Finally relegated to nothing more than a servant girl covered in ashes, and spitefully renamed Cinderella, Ella could easily begin to lose hope. Yet, despite the cruelty inflicted upon her, Ella is determined to honor her mother’s dying words and to “have courage and be kind.” She will not give in to despair nor despise those who abuse her. And then there is the dashing stranger she meets in the woods. Unaware that he is really a prince, not merely an employee at the Palace, Ella finally feels she has met a kindred soul. It appears as if her fortunes may be about to change when the Palace sends out an open invitation for all maidens to attend a ball, raising Ella’s hopes of once again encountering the charming “Kit.” Alas, her stepmother forbids her to attend and callously rips apart her dress. But, as in all good fairy tales, help is at hand as a kindly beggar woman steps forward and, armed with a pumpkin and a few mice, changes Cinderella’s life forever.