Publish date: 2023-12-07

Cate Blanchett In ‘Cinderella’: Why She’s The Most Evil Stepmother Of All

Anjelica Huston in Ever After: A Cinderella Story

Angelica made Drew Barrymore’s life a living hell in this fresh take on the fairy tale. As Danielle’s (their name for Cinderella in the movie) stepmother Rodmilla, Anjelica is snarky, sassy and fabulous. However, I couldn’t help but feel like it was actually Rodmilla’s daughter Marguerite (Megan Dodds) who was the most evil. And when you’re supposed to be the evil stepmother, there should be no question as to who rules as the most cruel.

Jennifer Coolidge in A Cinderella Story

Where do I even begin with Jennifer? The 2004 version of the tale featuring Hilary Duff and Chad Michael Murray was a sweet teen take on the classic. Jennifer’s evil stepmother character — named Fiona — owned a diner and had a tanning bed in her house. As always, Jennifer slayed at her crazy, over-the-top character, but it’s hard to compare her to the likes of Anjelica and Cate. I feel like if Sam (Hilary) had just undercooked Fiona’s precious salmon a little bit, her problem could have been solved a lot quicker.

Eleanor Audley in Cinderella (1950)

She’s the original evil stepmother, and we have to give credit where credit is due. Eleanor’s voice had a brutal snark to it, making the Lady Tremaine we saw on screen that much more wicked. However, when you have a real-life stepmother to loathe, it’s difficult to really let an animated character get under your skin.

Cate Blanchett in Cinderella (2015)

And here we are. The moment we’ve all been waiting for. Cate completely morphed into the character of Lady Tremaine in the live-action remake. But Cate wasn’t just a normal villain. She really got to the root of Lady Tremaine’s evil. She realized the jealousy Lady Tremaine harbored toward Cinderella and infiltrated that into her performance. Every look Cate’s character gave Cinderella told a thousand words. She was full of hatred and envy. She tried to hide her disdain in her lavish gowns but to no such luck. Cate’s take on the Cinderella’s evil stepmother was chillingly real, and that’s what makes her the most vicious one of all.

HollywoodLifers, what did you think of Cate’s performance as Lady Tremaine? Let me know!

— Avery Thompson
Follow @avery__thompson

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