Celebrity Actors in Fairy Tale Films

Fairy tales have been adapted for film since 1899, when the pioneering French filmmaker George Melies made a short version of Cinderella. Since then, a number of films based on fairy tales, legends and classic children’s stories have been released. Due to the enduring popularity of the source material, many of these projects are made with the help of famous and respected actors in central roles. The use of major “stars” in a fairy tale film can make it more popular and appealing, but there is also a risk that they can undermine the project. In this article, I will look at the advantages and disadvantages of casting celebrities.

(Note: In spite of the fact that a number of famous directors, screenwriters and musicians have also done a lot of work in the fairy tale genre, this article is focused entirely on actors, in order to keep things a bit simpler.)

A Short History of “Stars” in Fairy Tale Films

Due to Disney’s influence over the fairy tale genre, this section will start by mentioning how Disney’s use of celebrity Voice Actors has changed over time. Initially, Walt Disney wanted to focus on the stories and animation, so Snow White and the Seven Dwarves did not feature any celebrities in the voice cast. However, Disney’s second film, Pinocchio, starred the prominent entertainer Cliff Edwards, who voiced Jiminy Cricket. The comedian Ed Wynn, who voiced the Mad Hatter in Disney’s 1951 take on Alice in Wonderland, is another notable example of a celebrity who appeared in an early Disney film.

In 1967, The Jungle Book featured more celebrity Voice Actors than any previous Disney film, most notably the comedian Phil Harris and the Oscar-winning actor George Sanders. In spite of this, the concept of an all-star cast in animated films only really took off in 1992, when Robin Williams voiced the Genie in Aladdin. Disney’s next film, The Lion King, was packed with star actors (including Jeremy Irons, James Earl Jones, Whoopi Goldberg and Rowan Atkinson), and since then, well-known actors ranging from Demi Moore to Dwayne Johnson have voiced central characters in Disney films. The use of star voice actors is also practised by other animation studios, especially DreamWorks, whose movies (including Shrek and Kung Fu Panda) feature experienced actors known for both serious and comedic roles.

Although the best-known fairy tale films tend to be animated, there have been many notable live-action ones as well. Early examples of fairy tale films starring Hollywood icons include 1924 film The Thief of Baghdad (Which starred Douglas Fairbanks) and the 1948 film Hans Christian Andersen (Which starred Danny Kaye). More recently, Snow White and the Huntsman enjoyed box-office success due to its all-star cast, including Charlize Theron, Kristen Stewart, and Chris Hemsworth.

For and Against – Casting Celebrities

For – It Interests the Fans and Establishes Tone

Disney’s recent focus on translating their classic animated films to live-action has annoyed those who want them to provide more original projects. However, the live-action remakes have proved immensely popular, and one important reason for this is the use of an all-star cast. The recent remake of The Jungle Book featured stars like Bill Murray, Scarlett Johansson and Idris Elba, whilst the forthcoming remake of Beauty and the Beast has an even more impressive cast, with Emma Watson playing the protagonist Belle, and Ewan McGregor, Sir Ian McKellen and Luke Evans also involved. A strong cast is an effective way of raising interest in a remake, as many fans of the original films want to know which actors would play their favourite characters. Casting a much-loved actor in a prominent role can either demonstrate an understanding of what made the character iconic in the first place, or a willingness to do something different. To use the example of The Jungle Book remake, the casting of Bill Murray as Baloo and Sir Ben Kingsley as Bagheera was based on a desire to stay faithful to how the characters were portrayed in the original film, whilst the decision to cast Scarlett Johansson as Kaa and Christopher Walken as King Louie indicated an interesting and different take on the two characters. As long as the actor is talented enough to bring the character to life, both approaches can intrigue fans and make them more likely to see the movie.

In addition, an all-star cast can help establish a distinctive approach, especially if the stars are known for their work in a certain genre of film. For example, DreamWorks 2001 fairy tale comedy Shrek featured the popular comedy actors Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy and Cameron Diaz in the three lead roles. The decision to cast them revealed that Shrek would be an energetic comedy film with an anarchic, subversive tone. The 2004 sequel Shrek 2 went even further, adding the British comedy icons John Cleese and Jennifer Saunders to the cast. These casting choices demonstrated that the Shrek films would emphasise comedy, in contrast to the more polite approach of previous animated films. The irreverent approach of the first Shrek movie spawned numerous imitators, and the presence of popular comedic actors allowed this major selling point to be apparent before the film was even released.

For – It Helps Showcase A Culture.

Although this article focuses on Disney films, due to their dominance over the Fairy Tale genre, there have been many fairy tale films from a wide range of cultures. Like Hollywood films, these often use actors who are well-known internationally. La Belle et la Bete, a French adaptation of Beauty and the Beast from 2014, featured Lea Seydoux and Vincent Cassel, two French actors who are recognised around the world due to their appearances in movies such as Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol and Black Swan. In addition to being a huge hit domestically, the presence of Seydoux and Cassel helped La Belle et la Bete get a level of exposure not associated with most French films. In Japan, the film became the first French-language movie to top the Box-Office since 2001 on its second weekend in cinemas. By the end of 2014, the film had made over $44 million worldwide, with roughly a third of this money coming from France. La Belle et la Bete is an example of a foreign film which enjoyed mainstream success outside its home country due to its use of prominent local actors who are popular with international audiences. As Seydoux and Cassel are seen as representatives of French cinema by many international viewers, their work gained attention as an example of a typically French movie which could be appreciated by viewers across the globe.

The need to provide stars who represent a certain group of people does not only apply to foreign and independent films, as mainstream studios such as Disney also need to cast prominent representatives of a foreign or minority culture when depicting it on screen. The Princess and the Frog, the first Disney film with an African-American protagonist, featured the influential African American TV personality Oprah Winfrey in a supporting role. Her endorsement of the project signalled to her fans that her culture would be depicted with respect. Another instance of Disney using star casting to showcase a minority culture is the decision to cast Dwayne Johnson in their forthcoming film Moana. Dwayne Johnson is currently the highest paid actor in the world (He made $64.5 million in 2016), but his Samoan roots do not receive enough attention (In his last animated film, 2009’s Planet 51, he had to voice a white American protagonist), so his leading role in a movie based on Polynesian folklore means that his this side of him will receive increased exposure. In addition, the well-known singer Nicole Scherzinger, who is from Hawaii, has a supporting role as Moana’s mother. Polynesian culture is generally overlooked, so seeing it represented by Johnson and Scherzinger gives it an increased level of positive publicity, as their fans will be inclined to learn more about the culture which they are showcasing.  

For – It Makes the Film Stand Out

If there is one thing which makes Aladdin such an iconic movie, it’s Robin Williams’s performance as the Genie. His fast-paced, energetic approach was a perfect fit for animation, as the Genie sang, impersonated a wide range of celebrities (both old and new) and got almost all of the best lines. Appearing in an animated film allowed Robin Williams to show off his skills in a new environment, and the fantasy setting of Aladdin meant that he was not limited by the need to tailor his approach to suit a certain time or place. By giving Robin Williams free rein, Disney ensured that his performance would be even more memorable, and this elevated the entire film.

In addition, a good fairy tale film can provide a showcase for more serious actors. When George Sanders voiced Shere Khan in The Jungle Book (1967), he became the first Oscar winner to appear in a Disney film. The fact that Sanders appeared in the film provided an indication that experienced and revered actors could be able to demonstrate their talents in an animated movie. Oscar winners who have appeared in fairy tale films since then include Jeremy Irons (The Lion King) Kevin Kline (The Hunchback of Notre Dame), Meryl Streep (Into the Woods) and Charlize Theron (Kubo and the Two Strings). The fact that these four movies were more serious than the average fairy tale film was a major selling point, so a high-quality cast was needed to convey this tone. Therefore, casting actors who have won the most prestigious award in Hollywood provided proof that these movies would aim for a darker, more sophisticated tone. As animated and fairy tale films have become more popular over the years, eminent actors have begun to appear in them with increasing frequency, and their presence has convinced adult viewers that these movies are more than simply entertainment for children.

Against – An Overreliance on Celebrity Actors Undermines Diversity

As we become increasingly aware of the diversity of the world, Children’s movies are under greater pressure to provide “representation” for foreign and minority groups. Although this fuels progressive casting and increased diversity, it also leads to greater levels of frustration if a film fails to provide the required representation. On its own terms, Kubo and the Two Strings was an excellent movie, with wonderful stop-motion animation, a memorable story with some shocking twists, and a great message. However, the film’s portrayal of Japanese culture was undermined by the lack of Japanese actors in central roles. The cast was full of talented actors (including Oscar winners Charlize Theron and Matthew McConaughey), but it would have been nice if the filmmakers had gone the extra mile and cast Japanese actors as significant characters. When you are depicting Japanese culture, and the most prominent Japanese actor in the film (George Takei) only features in a brief cameo, than it reduces the level of authenticity.

However, even if a film features a cast representing the culture portrayed, this does not end the problems. Disney’s 1995 film Pocahontas featured Native American protagonists voiced by a number of Native American actors, including Irene Bedard and Russell Means. However, the decision to cast Mel Gibson as the English settler John Smith cancelled out this progressive casting. By casting a major white celebrity as the secondary protagonist, Disney inadvertently provided the unfortunate implication that the Native American stars were not famous enough to attract viewers. In addition, Mel Gibson’s record of misogynist, racist and anti-Semitic behaviour in the years after Pocahontas was released has undermined the anti-prejudice message at the centre of the movie, and made it a lot harder to watch. Which brings me to my next point…

Against – An Unappealing Star Can Put People Off.

Mel Gibson is just one of many Hollywood celebrities whose career has been ruined by scandal. Most actors and actresses have eventful personal lives, but if an actor is involved in a particularly unpleasant incident, it can tarnish their image, and make their work seem less enjoyable. One recent example of a film affected by this problem was Alice Through the Looking Glass. In the days leading up the film’s release, Johnny Depp, who played the Mad Hatter, was accused of domestic abuse. Although this was not the only reason for the film’s underwhelming performance at the box office, Johnny Depp’s behaviour alienated a number of potential fans who might have been inclined to see the movie, and fuelled the perception that he was no longer relevant, making it much harder for the film to be marketed based on his starring role. The behaviour of a cast member has little to do with the quality of a film, but it can affect people’s reactions and make it harder to enjoy in the future.

Against – A Celebrity Actor Can Distract from the Story

In spite of the fact that Disney pioneered the use of celebrity Voice actors in animated films, they have often preferred to use more obscure actors who specialise in Musical Theatre or Voice Acting. With the exceptions of Rapunzel in Tangled (Voiced by Mandy Moore) and Anna and Elsa in Frozen (Voiced by Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel), the Disney Princesses, who are the most iconic Disney characters, have been voiced by actresses who are unfamiliar to the majority of viewers. This means that it’s a lot easier to focus on the character they portray. In animation, it’s easier to separate a voice actor from their character, but if a celebrity has a voice and persona that is too distinctive, it makes it harder to disconnect the two. This is not a problem if the character is meant to be based on the voice actor, but if that’s not the case, then it’s an annoying distraction.

A major problem with casting celebrities is the fact that celebrities often lose their fame and influence over time. This does not always affect the films which they starred in. Pinocchio and Alice in Wonderland (1951) are still popular today, even though Cliff Edwards and Ed Wynn have fallen into obscurity. However, if a film leans too heavily on a celebrity’s persona, it can date quickly. Snow White and the Huntsman was notable for starring Kristen Stewart, who was then appearing in the Twilight series, as Snow White. Stewart’s presence in the films made it clear that it was aimed at the predominantly female, teenage audience who made the Twilight movies so popular. This ensured that Snow White and the Huntsman was a box-office success, earning almost $400 million worldwide, but in the long term, Kristen Stewart lost her status as a star actress, as the Twilight movies faded from public memory. Even if she had appeared in the critically-panned sequel Huntsman: Winter’s War, I doubt that it would have done much better in the box office (Huntsman: Winters War only made $165 million worldwide). The case of Kristen Stewart illustrates the main problem with casting star actors, as If they fall out of fashion, any movie which relies too heavily on their presence can feel dated very quickly.

Conclusion

Using celebrity actors in a fairy tale film is a good way of making it appeal to a wider audience. Celebrity actors can gain the attention of filmgoers and increase their interest in a movie. They can even attract cinemagoers to films based on an unfamiliar culture. Good casting choices also help to establish a movie’s tone, and help to improve its quality. However, celebrity cast members can lead to a number of problems, as they can distract and alienate viewers. This is particularly problematic if it seems like they are being chosen for their fame rather than their suitability for the role or their talent. Overall, the decision on whether or not to cast celebrity actors is the choice of the producers and directors behind the movie. If they believe that a celebrity actor will give their movie increased exposure, then they should cast them, but an all-star cast means little in the long term unless a movie is good, and sometimes a more obscure actor can provide the quality performances required to elevate a movie. Ultimately, celebrity actors can be a major factor in the success of a fairy tale film in the short term, but memorable characters, an excellent script and a talented crew working behind the scenes are even more important, as the best fairy tale films can endure for decades, long after celebrity actors lose their relevance.