Meet the cast of Cruella
The cast for Disney's Cruella de Vil origin story is led by two Emmas – Stone and Thompson.
Disney usually enjoys its pick of Hollywood's best acting talent when it comes to bringing their live-action productions to life – and that's the case once again with new origin story Cruella.
Two Emmas – Stone and Thompson – lead the ensemble as the eponymous villain and her original nemesis, while there's a long list of other impressive names in the supporting cast. It's such a starry collective, director Craig Gillespie even tells RadioTimes.com that, "literally everybody was my first choice".
Reads on for everything you need to know about the cast, including who they're playing and where you might have seen them before.
Emma Stone plays Estella "Cruella" de Vil
Who is Estella? When we join her Estella is far from the notorious criminal we know from 101 Dalmatians – she is an ambitious drifter and aspiring fashion designer (which is explored through the visually striking Cruella fashion and costume throughout the film), who lost her mother in tragic circumstances and is forced to live in relative poverty in London. But as the film progresses she gradually turns into the dangerous woman we all know.
What else has Emma Stone been in? One of the biggest Hollywood stars of the last decade, Stone has an Academy Award to her name for her performance in La La Land and has been nominated on a further two occasions for Birdman and The Favourite. Other notable film credits include Superbad, Easy A, The Help and Battle of the Sexes, as well as playing Gwen Stacy in the two Amazing Spider-Man films. On the small screen she starred alongside Jonah Hill in Netflix limited series Maniac.
The younger version of Estella is played by child star Tipper Seifert-Cleveland, who has previously been seen on Call the Midwife and Game of Thrones.
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Emma Thompson plays Baroness von Hellman
Who is Baroness von Hellman? A world-renowned designer who heads up a prestigious fashion house, the Baroness is a key figure in Estella's transformation – appearing first as her boss and subsequently as her rival. She has a dark secret that links back to the night of Estella's mother's death.
What else has Emma Thompson been in? In a screen career spanning more than three decades, Thompson has accrued a wealth of film credits, including an Academy Award-winning role in Howard's End and further Oscar nominations for The Remains of the Day, In The Name of the Father, and Sense and Sensibility (for which she won the Oscar for Adapted Screenplay). Other notable credits include Love Actually, Angels in America and Stranger than Fiction, while she played Professor Trelawney in the Harry Potter films and the title character in Nanny McPhee. On the small screen, she recently appeared in Russell T Davies drama Years and Years.
Joel Fry plays Jasper Badun
Who is Jasper Badun? One of Cruella's henchman in the original 101 Dalmatians, Jasper is a petty thief and long-time friend of Estella, who helps her with her criminal activities. He is the smarter of her two accomplices and is often a little exasperated by his brother Horace.
What else has Joel Fry been in? Fry has appeared in a number of UK sitcoms, including White Van Man, Trollied, Plebs, Twenty-Twelve and W1A, while he also starred as Hizdahr zo Loraq in Game of Thrones. On the big screen, he's been seen in Benjamin, Yesterday and Love, Wedding, Repeat, while he also stars in Ben Wheatley's new film In the Earth.
Paul Walter Hauser plays Horace Badun
Who is Horace Badun? Another character who appears in the original animation, Horace is Jasper's brother and is also a petty thief. He lacks common sense, but nonetheless comes in handy as an accomplice to Estella.
What else has Paul Walter Hauser been in? American character actor Houser previously worked with director Craig Gillepie on I, Tonya, while other recent film credits include the Spike Lee films BlacKkKlansman, Da 5 Bloods and the lead role in Clint Eastwoood's Richard Jewell. He also starred as Stingray in Season 2 of Cobra Kai and as Keith in Kingdom.
Emily Beecham plays Catherine de Vil
Who is Catherine? Estella's mother, Catherine was an impoverished laundrywoman who always looked out for her daughter – even when she behaved difficultly – and was attempting to give her a better life when she fell to her death in tragic circumstances.
What else has Emily Beecham been in? Beecham was recently seen starring in BBC One period drama The Pursuit of Love, while previous film credits include Hail Caesar, Daphne and Little Joe – the latter of which won her an award at the Cannes Film Festival. She also had a main role on AMC series Into the Badlands, appearing in all 32 episodes between 2015 and 2019.
Kirby Howell-Baptiste plays Anita Darling
Who is Anita? Estella's childhood friend, Anita now works as a journalist and is enlisted by Cruella to help her bring about Baroness von Hellman's downfall.
What else has Kirby Howell-Baptiste been in? Howell-Baptiste is best known for her TV work having amassed a wealth of small screen credits including roles in Downward Dog, Killing Eve, Why Women Kill, Love, Barry, The Good Place and the fourth season of Veronica Mars. Previous film roles include A Dog's Purpose and Happily.
Mark Strong plays John
Who is John? The Baroness' valet, John has been close to von Hellman for a number of years, and knows even her darkest secrets.
What else has Mark Strong been in? Strong's first film credit came back in 1993, and he has starred in a huge range of big budget productions since, with highlights including Stardust, RocknRolla, Sherlock Holmes, Kick-Ass, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Zero Dark Thirty, The Imitation Game, Kingsman: The Secret Service and Kingsman: The Golden Circle, Shazam! and 1917.
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John McCrea plays Artie
Who is Artie? Artie is the owner of a vintage fashion shop that Estella frequents, and is soon hired to be a member of Cruella's entourage. He is also notable for being the first openly gay character in a live-action Disney film.
What else has John McCrea been in? McCrea's most notable role to date came on stage – originating the role of Jamie in West End musical Everybody's Talking About Jamie, while screen credits include BBC crime drama Giri/Haji, Dracula and God's Own Country.
Read more:
- How does Cruella link to 101 Dalmations?
- Cruella soundtrack: All the songs featured in the Disney Prequel movie
Cruella will be released in cinemas and on Disney Plus Premier Access on 28th May 2021 - read our Cruella review. You can sign up to Disney Plus now for £79.90 for a year or £7.99 a month.Looking for something else to watch? Check out our list of the best movies on Disney Plus and best shows on Disney Plus, or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.
Authors
Patrick Cremona is the Senior Film Writer at Radio Times, and looks after all the latest film releases both in cinemas and on streaming. He has been with the website since October 2019, and in that time has interviewed a host of big name stars and reviewed a diverse range of movies.
