Emma Watson might be most well known for her portrayal of Hermione Granger, but in 2017, she shined on the big screen as the “most peculiar mademoiselle” Princess Belle. When discussing this live action adaptation of Beauty and the Beast with ABC News, director Bill Condon said, “Emma Watson was our first, and really our only, choice for Belle for a lot of reasons: her talent, her beauty, her intelligence."

Belle is known for having her head buried in books, and Watson, who has an English literature degree from Brown University and is set to complete her master’s degree in creative writing at Oxford University, is also an avid reader. “I grew up on film sets, and books were my connection to the outside world,” she told Vanity Fair. “Later in life, they became an escape, a means of empowerment, a friend I could rely on.” Both the princess and actor are also passionate about feminism, as Belle always asserts her opinions, and Watson has championed the UN Women’s HeforShe campaign.     

In 2019, Disney released their live action version of Aladdin, starring English singer and actor Naomi Scott as Jasmine. Scott, whose mother is from Uganda and of Gujarati Indian descent, is proud of her Indian roots and has sported traditional Indian jewelry on Instagram before. An accomplished actor who’s also starred in Charlie’s Angels and Power Rangers, Scott was a welcomed casting choice for the princess who finds ‘A Whole New World’.

Erum Salam at The Guardian explained how meaningful it was to see a brown princess be deemed beautiful by Disney when she was a child, and how great it is to have a live action version now too.  “As an adult, I’m well aware I don’t need that validation, but for a younger generation, it’s a chance to finally see themselves represented on screen by a real person playing a character they have also probably been compared to their entire life.”

Although there hasn’t yet been a live action remake of the 1959 classic Sleeping Beauty, the princess Briar Rose has been portrayed by actor Elle Fanning in the 2014 film Maleficent, which tells the story of the vengeful witch who curses Sleeping Beauty. And lucky for Fanning, she actually had the chance to portray the princess she was always partial to. “Of the Disney princesses, Sleeping Beauty was my favorite because I looked like her the most,” she told the Daily Beast in 2014. “So I’d always gravitate towards her items at the toy store.

The first Maleficent was filmed when Fanning was only 14 years old, but she managed to impress audiences, as well as her co-star Angelina Jolie. “She always held herself so well and she always had such grace and she's such a strong actor that you never seemed like a child,” Jolie told ET in 2019. "You've also maintained -- which I think is almost unheard of in this business -- such sweetness and gratitude for the job and for every minute and for everybody.”

Cinderella has been deemed the most popular Disney princess of all time, being the fan favorite in 76 countries, so finding a real life actress who was able to capture her essence certainly wasn't taken lightly. But lucky for fans all over the world, Downton Abbey star Lily James was able to perfectly fill the glass slippers of this princess. In fact, James originally auditioned for a stepsister role in the 2015 film, but director Kenneth Branagh knew she deserved to find her Prince Charming.

“She's a funny kid. She knew there's a beautiful absurdity about [the story] as well,” Branagh told ABC News. “Ultimately, it need not be taken that seriously, and that was a Cinderella quality that we wanted. She still was completely professional and committed to it, but she had a lightness of spirit about it which we thought was perfect for our Cinderella.”

Now, we know that Alice is not technically a princess, but she’s another iconic Disney leading lady that we just couldn’t resist including on this list! Australian actress Mia Wasikowska starred as the leading role in Tim Burton’s whimsical 2010 rendition of Alice in Wonderland.  

Wasikowska, who was a relatively unknown actor at the time, shared with The Guardian in 2010 that it was “kind of bizarre” seeing all of the film’s posters and merchandise come out, and admitted that she experienced a bit of anxiety “playing a character so beloved by so many people.” But her portrayal undoubtedly captivated audiences around the world. “All of [Tim Burton’s] films are so beautiful, works of art in their own right,” the leading actress noted, and Alice in Wonderland was certainly no exception.

Many women have had the honor of playing the beloved princess Cinderella, including Drew Barrymore, who took on the role in the 1998 film Ever After. And although Barrymore has had an extensive career in Hollywood, she mentioned in 2023 that her experience playing Cinderella actually “changed [her] life forever.” 

“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,” Barrymore said recently on her talk show, while discussing Ever After. “There’s no question."

The iconic warrior princess Mulan has been portrayed in live action films twice now, but the first one, which was released in 2009 and features a nearly entirely Chinese cast, stars Zhao Wei as the protagonist. Mulan: Rise of a Warrior has been praised as the more realistic version of the story, and director Jingle Ma said Zhao was “perfect for [her] role” because she possesses all of the traits he imagined for his film.

Zhao has starred in many Chinese blockbuster films, including Shaolin Soccer, Red Cliff, and The Founding of a Republic, and her more traditional portrayal of Mulan is certainly worth checking out if you’re a fan of this beloved warrior woman.

The second live action adaptation of Mulan, which premiered in 2020, stars Chinese-American actress Liu Yifei. And landing the role of this warrior princess was no easy feat, as the casting directors for the film searched across five continents to find the perfect actor. “They looked to hire a young Chinese woman who had credible martial arts skills, was able to speak English, and had star quality,” Elle reported. 

In the film, Yifei sings and performs 90% of her own stunts. About her role, she told Interview Magazine, “Her motivation was love, her love for her father, and her journey of finding out who she truly is. That was my homework, and I would say that it motivated me to prepare myself mentally, but also physically, with a lot of gym stuff, fight training, horse training. But at its core, Mulan is really about the character, the spirit. She is such a famous character, but I also wanted to be myself. It was all about balance and choice. It’s always brave to be yourself.”

We may still be awaiting a proper live action adaptation of Snow White, but we were granted the film Mirror Mirror in 2012, where actress Lily Collins took on the role of the beloved princess. This version of the story focuses more on the Queen’s story, who was played by Julia Roberts, but Collins was still thrilled to take part in the film. So happy, in fact, that she actually couldn’t believe she had been given the role at first. 

“I thought it was an April Fools joke,” she revealed in a 2012 interview. “When I found out it wasn’t, I screamed and I started crying and laughing at the same time. They were horrific tears, laughter, and screaming combined. I couldn’t believe it. It’s definitely bizarre seeing your face on a bus or billboard.”

This live action adaptation of The Little Mermaid was released on May 26, 2023, and stars 23-year-old actor Halle Bailey. And although Halle may not be twins with her cartoon counterpart, she has been called “as naturally Disneyfied as real human beings can get,” and has been celebrated for bringing a beautiful portrayal of Ariel that many more children can see themselves in. 

Singer Kelly Rowland called the new film an “epic watch,” and Bailey’s ability to “belt like a Broadway star” has been praised. In fact, she even received support from the original voice of Ariel in the 1989 film, Jodi Benson. “Halle's interpretation of Ariel is absolutely beautiful," she told People. "The casting has been done so perfectly. It's about the heart of the character."  

Another unique adaptation of Cinderella’s story takes place in the Stephen Sondheim musical Into the Woods, which received a film version in 2014, directed by Rob Marshall. In this version, Anna Kendrick plays the classic princess who loses a shoe, and who, in the end, doesn’t even end up with her prince.

"What’s interesting about this version, and what’s very modern about this one, is that not only does Cinderella leave her prince, but she leaves with forgiveness and respect and compassion for [him],” Kendrick told Vulture in 2014. “It’s not black and white for her. It’s not even black and white for the prince, who lives a pretty black-and-white life… There is something extremely relevant and modern about the idea of civility in separation.”

Disney’s live action Snow White won’t be appearing on screens near you until 2024, but we can fill you in on who will be starring as this beloved princess. Rachel Zegler, the radiant star of West Side Story, will be gracing audiences with her rendition of ‘Some Day My Prince Will Come’.

And while there have not been too many details about the film released just yet, Rachel has been spotted in her iconic dress on set already. This glimpse is just enough to get audiences excited about the new movie, as we’ve had to wait over 80 years for Disney to finally give us a live action rendition of their very first princess.