All The Actresses Playing Live-Action Disney Princesses

Disney has been reimagining its animated classics with live-action and hybrid productions, bringing beloved princesses to life with new casts and updated worldbuilding. From theatrical remakes to franchise spin-offs, these portrayals span films released from the mid-1990s through upcoming titles already dated for theaters. Below are the actresses who have portrayed or are confirmed to portray official Disney Princess characters in live action, along with the productions where they appear. Each entry notes the role, project title, and key release details so you can track where to watch or what to expect next.

Lily James

Lily James plays Ella in Disney’s live-action ‘Cinderella’ (2015). Directed by Kenneth Branagh, the film co-stars Cate Blanchett and Richard Madden and was distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It adapts the 1950 animated feature, filming across locations in England with extensive practical costuming by Sandy Powell. The movie earned a global theatrical release and later became available on Disney’s streaming platforms.

Emma Watson

Emma Watson portrays Belle in ‘Beauty and the Beast’ (2017). The Bill Condon-directed musical features Dan Stevens as the Beast, with supporting performances from Luke Evans, Josh Gad, and Emma Thompson. Produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Mandeville Films, it re-creates the 1991 animated classic with new and legacy songs by Alan Menken. The film had a worldwide theatrical rollout and a standard home and streaming release window afterward.

Naomi Scott

Naomi Scott stars as Princess Jasmine in ‘Aladdin’ (2019). Directed by Guy Ritchie, the film features Mena Massoud as Aladdin and Will Smith as Genie and was released theatrically by Disney worldwide. The production introduced an original Jasmine solo number and expanded Agrabah’s political backdrop. Following its box office run, it moved to digital, physical, and Disney’s streaming availability.

Halle Bailey

Halle Bailey leads as Ariel in ‘The Little Mermaid’ (2023). Rob Marshall directed the live-action reimagining, with Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric and Melissa McCarthy as Ursula. The film incorporates new songs alongside classics by Alan Menken with additional lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda. It premiered in theaters globally before arriving on digital, physical, and streaming platforms.

Liu Yifei

Liu Yifei headlines as Mulan in ‘Mulan’ (2020). Directed by Niki Caro and produced by Walt Disney Pictures, the adaptation emphasizes a grounded war epic approach and introduces new characters while drawing from the 1998 animated film. Donnie Yen, Gong Li, and Jason Scott Lee appear in key roles, with Yoson An as Chen Honghui. The release used a premium digital debut on Disney’s streaming service in many regions alongside select theatrical runs.

Elle Fanning

Elle Fanning plays Princess Aurora across ‘Maleficent’ (2014) and ‘Maleficent: Mistress of Evil’ (2019). These films reframe the ‘Sleeping Beauty’ story from Maleficent’s perspective, with Angelina Jolie in the title role. Walt Disney Pictures produced both entries, expanding the Moors and neighboring kingdoms around Aurora’s reign. Each film received wide theatrical releases and standard post-theatrical availability.

Rachel Zegler

Rachel Zegler stars as Snow White in ‘Snow White’ (2025). Directed by Marc Webb, the film features Gal Gadot as the Evil Queen and Andrew Burnap in a newly conceived leading role. Produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Marc Platt Productions, it updates the 1937 original with additional music by contemporary songwriters. The movie opened in theaters with the usual downstream digital and streaming windows.

Brandy

Brandy first played Cinderella in the television musical ‘Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella’ (1997). Produced by Walt Disney Television for ABC, the movie co-stars Whitney Houston, Whoopi Goldberg, and Paolo Montalban and became a major broadcast event. Brandy later reprised the character in Disney’s ‘Descendants’ franchise, appearing as an adult Cinderella in ‘Descendants: The Rise of Red’ (2024). She is also slated to return again in the follow-up ‘Descendants: Wicked Wonderland’ (2026).

Have a favorite portrayal or one you’re most excited to see next? Share your thoughts in the comments!