5 Fun Facts About Cinderella You May Not Have Known
Whether you prefer the live action version or the classic animated version, one of the most beloved Disney tales is Cinderella. Most of us know the story by heart, but have you ever heard of these fun facts?
1. The famous voices behind the characters were one’s you’ve heard before
Eleanor Audley plays the treacherous step mother, Lady Tremaine, in the 1950 classic “Cinderella”. You might recognize the same voice actress while watching “Sleeping Beauty” because she also plays Maleficent! Both characters were also made to resemble the voice actress. Another voice actress from the classic version of Cinderella would go on to play major characters in “Dumbo”, “Alice in Wonderland”, “Lady and the Tramp” and “Sleeping Beauty”. The Fairy Godmother, voiced by Verna Felton, went on to play many beloved Disney characters after her time in Cinderella. You may (or may not) recognize her as Mrs. Jumbo, The Queen of Hearts, Aunt Sarah, and Flora the Fairy in other beloved Disney classics.
2. Cinderella helped save the Walt Disney Company.
Before it’s release in 1950, the Walt Disney Company is in $4 million of debt! This is primarily due to previous box office flops and the lack of overseas audiences as the result of World War II. Animated and producing this film as a risk for the Walt Disney Company, which paid of greatly in the end! Had it failed, it would have bankrupt the company.
3. The live action film dives deeper into details
Although the characters and premise of both versions of this classic film are the same, the 2013 live action version dives deeper into some details that are left out of the 1950’s version. One of these details is the role of Cinderella’s mother, who plays a large part in the beginning of the film. The backstory of Lady Tremaine is also brought into light, revealing a tragic twist of her past.
4. It’s all about the dress!
Cinderella’s ballgown plays a major role in both the animated and live-action versions of the movie. The classic blue dress is iconic. In the 2013 version, nine different versions of the dress were created, each using 270 yards of fabric and thousands of swarovski crystals. In the end, two were used for the movie. One ballgown for dancing, with extra layers to seem even more magical during turns, and another for regular shots. In the animated film, it’s said that Walt Disney’s favorite animation is when Cinderella transforms from rags to riches.
5. The story dates back to 1 B.C.
The classic tale originates back to the first century in Egypt, which has a much darker connotation. In 1697, it was adapted by a French writer named Charles Perrault. This version served as the inspiration for the Walt Disney version.
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Special thanks to Molly Kelly for writing this article! Molly Kelly is a loyal Disney fan of 22 years who aspires to become every Disney princess combined into one. She is a recent graduate of SUNY Plattsburgh in Upstate New York with a Bachelors Degree in Communications and Marketing. Some of her lifetime goals include being an annual pass holder to Disney, to own many dogs, and to incorporate Disney magic into her day, every day.