“We know it sounds a bit silly (okay, a lot silly), but honestly, life’s too short for negativity."
If you grew up quoting Mean Girls and belting out Mamma Mia! songs in your bedroom, get ready — because Amanda Seyfried just landed a role that’s about to make fairy-tale movie night with your kids way more exciting.
On April 9, Netflix announced that Seyfried has been cast as Cinderella in the upcoming animated feature film Steps. But this isn’t the Cinderella story you remember.
Instead of focusing on glass slippers and pumpkin carriages, Steps flips the script entirely, putting the spotlight on Cinderella’s so-called “evil” stepsisters in a story about empathy, redemption and proving that even misunderstood characters deserve a happily ever after.
Cinderella’s Fairy Tale Is Being Turned on Its Head
The premise of Steps is exactly the kind of subversive storytelling that makes you want to gather the whole family on the couch.
The film centers on Cinderella’s stepsisters, Lilith and Margot. When misunderstood Lilith is blamed for hijacking the Royal Ball with a stolen magic wand — and accidentally turns her sister Margot into a frog — the kingdom is left in the hands of a “prince-obsessed mean girl.”
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To set things right, Lilith must team up with Cinderella and a “surprisingly dreamy troll” to save the kingdom, repair the fractured fairy tale and prove that even so-called villains deserve a happily ever after.
It’s the kind of message that hits differently when you’re raising little humans who are still figuring out that the world isn’t split neatly into heroes and villains.
Who Was Cast as Cinderella’s Stepsisters?
Seyfried is joined by a powerhouse voice cast. Ali Wong voices Lilith, one of the stepsisters, while Stephanie Hsu takes on the role of Margot, the other stepsister.
Seyfried is best known for Mean Girls (2004), Mamma Mia! (2008) and Les Misérables (2012), according to IMDB.
She most recently starred in The Housemaid (2025) and The Testament of Ann Lee (2025). She also won an Emmy and a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Elizabeth Holmes in The Dropout (2022).
Creative Team Praises Amanda Seyfried as Cinderella
The film’s directors had nothing but praise for Seyfried’s take on the iconic character.
Alyce Tzue, a Student Academy Awards gold medal winner, and John Ripa, known for Raya and the Last Dragon, are co-directing the project.
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“Amanda has this incredible ability to make her characters specific and relatable, and we absolutely needed that when taking on a character that’s as legendary as Cinderella,” Tzue told Netflix.
“We wanted to create a modern heroine complete with flaws and coping mechanisms, and Amanda immediately understood the task. Her portrayal of Cinderella is hilarious and heartbreaking and, most importantly, refreshingly human,” Tzue added.
Ripa echoed that enthusiasm.
“Amanda has been an absolute joy to work with,” said Ripa. “She brings a level of experience and passion that inspires us to dig even deeper into the character.”
“Her process of honing in on emotions, the control she has over her voice — it all comes together to give Cinderella a depth and humor we could’ve never imagined,” he added.
The film is produced by Amy Poehler, Jane Hartwell and Kim Lessing.
A New Chapter for an Iconic ‘Cinderella’ Story
For those curious about the name change for the stepsisters, Steps gives them fresh identities as Lilith and Margot.
In Disney’s original 1950 animated film, Cinderella’s stepmother is named Lady Tremaine and her stepsisters are named Anastasia and Drizella. The stepmother and stepsisters names were the same in Disney’s live-action remake in 2015.
Other versions of the story have featured different names, including Clorinda and Tisbe in Gioachino Rossini’s 1817 opera La Cenerentola and Berdena and Serafina in the 1955 film The Glass Slipper.
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This one’s shaping up to be a perfect family stream night — keep an eye on Netflix for more details. It’s expected to be released on Netflix in 2026.
