Lily James addresses the rumors that her waist was Photoshopped in ‘Cinderella’
Lily James stars as Cinderella in the upcoming live action adaptation of the Disney classic and she certainly looks the part. Of course, some people are a little concerned that she looks too much like an animated princess in the waist region. When the film’s trailer premiered, the Internet cried fowl, saying that Lily’s oh-so-tiny waist (like, so tiny you might miss it and think her torso is just floating above the poofy skirt of her ball gown) had been Photoshopped into oblivion to match the impossible beauty standards of the Disney princess.
Now that the premiere is just over a week away and the cast is on an interview blitz promoting it, we finally have some answers on the subject, straight from Lily and the film’s director, Kenneth Branagh.
The Los Angeles Times just came right out and asked the big question and Lily didn’t beat around the bush with her answer: “I naturally have a really small waist. The skirt’s big and the corset pulls me in, and that’s the point. That’s the shape [costume designer] Sandy Powell created.”
Lily went on to shame the shamers, saying that accusing a naturally thin girl like herself of being airbrushed or digitally altered is also problematic. “I think it’s all very hypocritical, and they contradict themselves, and they’re drawing more attention to it,” she told the Times. “I think all that stuff’s so negative, and you’ve got to let it wash over your head. I’m so healthy. I’ve got hips and boobs and a bum and a small waist.”
Unfortunately, issues of body image are complicated and personal and there are still viewers who wish Disney had cast an actress with a full figure as Cinderella — or at least chosen a costume that didn’t squeeze an already-thin woman into a crazy-tiny corset. Kenneth Branagh, Lily’s Cinderella director, came to her defense, saying, “To all the airbrush conspiracy theorists I can answer now: no.”
He even insists that Lily’s health was a top concern on set and that he personally checked in with her to make sure she was taking care of herself, nutritionally. “I was constantly saying ‘You are eating, aren’t you, Lily? Let’s get Lily some soup please!’” he said.
Digitally altered or not, Lily’s waist is incredibly tiny. Yes, she’s naturally thin, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but the combination of the corset and voluminous skirt of her famous blue gown do create the illusion of a Disney-fied figure come to life. Does it have to be digitally altered to be a problem? That’s for fans to decide.
(Image via here.)
