Once upon a time, the movie Ever After: A Cinderella Story hit theaters in 1998 — and the film’s star-studded cast has been up to a lot since their time in fairy tale France.
Directed by Andy Tennant, Drew Barrymore starred as the movie’s leading lady, Danielle, who much like the character she inspires, Cinderella, lives with her evil stepmother, Rodmilla (Anjelica Huston) and stepsisters Marguerite (Megan Dodds) and Jacqueline (Melanie Lynskey), in 16th century France. Plus, the story swaps out the traditional fairy godmother for the historical figure Leonardo da Vinci (Patrick Godfrey).
Unlike the Grimm Brothers’ fictional heroine, Danielle proves she’s no damsel in distress, despite falling in love with Prince Henry, played by Dougray Scott. Not only does she rescue her fellow servants and challenge the prince’s principles, but she also knocks him off a horse by throwing an apple and saves him from bandits by carrying him on her back.
But like all Cinderella stories, Danielle loses a shoe after fleeing from Prince Henry’s masquerade ball, only hers is not made of glass and her departure comes after Rodmilla reveals her true identity to the prince and everyone at the party. A few apologies on the prince’s part later, and Danielle gets her happily ever after with her man, as well as some well-deserved retribution against her stepmother and Marguerite.
The Charlie’s Angels actress reunited with Scott, Dodds and Lynskey — in some of their iconic costumes — to celebrate Ever After’s 25th anniversary on a March 2023 episode of The Drew Barrymore Show. Appearing via video call, Scott called the film “ahead of its time” while praising its inspirational message.
“It’s a movie about empowerment and giving all these young women around the world who are gonna watch the movie a great example of how young women don’t have to look up to men in order to be led and to be set an example of, and they have the ability to take control of their own lives,” the Batwoman alum told Barrymore while appearing via video chat. “And I think that your character really was such a wonderful example of that, and I thought it was a thoroughly modern film, and I was just really happy to be part of it.”
Barrymore shared a similar sentiment, noting how prior to Ever After, she and others “never thought twice about what we were telling little girls, to wait for the prince to rescue them,” to which Scott added, “Until you rescued me.”
The movie is one Barrymore went on to state “changed my life forever,” adding, “You know, when you have those very clear times in your life — incidences, situations, circumstances — that you know your life went in a better direction for and from, and this is that for me. There’s no question. I know it, and we got to all do it together.”
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