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ABOUT THE PRODUCTION |
| This
page was created on April 14, 2004
This page was last updated on
December 28, 2004
—Overview
—Review
by Melinda Ledman
—Trailers, Photos
—About this Film
—Spiritual Connections |
| ABOUT THIS FILM |
About the Production
CHAPTER ONE: ALL SPELL BREAKS LOOSE
A comic-fantasy-adventure filled with magic and music, ogres and elves, giants and wicked stepsisters, ELLA ENCHANTED revisits a classic fairy-tale world with a distinctly 21st century twist. The film, directed by Tommy O' Haver ("Get Over It") is based on the best-selling, Newbery Honor-winning novel by Gail Carson Levine. It all begins when Ella of Frell (Anne Hathaway of "The Princess Diaries") is given a fairy's "gift" at birth - the gift of perfect obedience. Forced to do anything
she is commanded - no matter how silly or dangerous - Ella's life hardly seems to be in her own control. Things only get worse when Ella's father (Patrick Bergin) remarries, bringing into her life a stepmother, the dastardly Dame Olga (Joanna Lumley of "Absolutely Fabulous"), and two sinister stepsisters, Hattie (Lucy Punch) and Olive (Jennifer Higham), who get a kick out of watching Ella obey their every request at the "Frell Galleria." Now, Ella is newly determined to gain her independence
and break free of the spell that binds her once and for all. She sets off on a quest of discovery that will take her through the Kingdom's most dangerous and darkest forests - where she finds a fellow traveler in a go-getting Elf (Aidan McArdle) -- to the King's spectacular castle. Along the way she crosses paths with the idolized Prince Char (Hugh Dancy), who so often graces the cover of Medieval Teen, only to turn the tables on fairy tale history and rescue him with true love. But most
of all, Ella will discover her own power to fight for what's in her heart.
ELLA ENCHANTED is directed by Tommy O'Haver from a screenplay by Laurie Craig, Karen McCullah Lutz & Kirsten Smith, and Jennifer Heath & Michele J. Wolff. The producer is Jane Startz and the executive producers are Su Armstrong, Bob Weinstein, Harvey Weinstein and Julie Goldstein.
Cinematographer John de Borman, production designer Norman Garwood (a three- time Oscar nominee for "Brazil," "Hook" and "Glory") and costume designer Ruth Myers (two-time Oscar nominee for "The Addams Family" and "Emma") bring to life a fantasy world with the brilliant, screen-drenching colors and joyful textures of a dream.
* * *
Gail Carson Levine's novel ELLA ENCHANTED cast its spell not only on children and young adult readers, but parents and literary critics alike, being dubbed "a modern classic." A life-long fan of fairy tales, Levine felt the form was crying out to be reinvented for today's hipper and savvier readers. For ELLA ENCHANTED, Levine started with the "Cinderella" legend. Deciding that the traditional Cinderella was too much of a Goody Two- Shoes for today's world, she gave the character a whole
new style, a fresh new name, and an inspiring new adventure in a kingdom filled with surprising twists on other fairy-tale characters. The concept worked, becoming a huge best-seller -- with Publisher's Weekly calling it "a winning combination of memorable characters and an alluring fantasy realm" -- and garnering the highest awards.
When director Tommy O'Haver was given ELLA ENCHANTED to read, he immediately fell head over heels for its heroine. "I loved the story because I saw the potential for it to be about more than just a girl who breaks her own curse. To me, it came to be about a young woman whose spirit of adventure liberates an entire kingdom. It's a girl power story, but it's also a story for everyone. We mixed in romance, adventure, thrills, comedy, even musical numbers - something to have fun with no matter
who you are."
He continues: "It was exactly the kind of story I had been looking for. I've always loved fantasy films, as well as cartoons and fairy tales and it's what I've most wanted to direct. I was thrilled by the chance to take this enchanted world and make it my own, give it a real personality, a strong sense of spirit and irreverence. We all know fairy tales end happily ever after, but I wanted to make the ride getting there fresh, fun and unexpected." O'Haver's first inspiration was to tweak
the medieval setting and give it a completely contemporary overhaul. "I wanted to merge the old-fashioned sensibilities, settings and values of traditional fairy tales with the kind of a rocking comedy-adventure kids today love so much, and hopefully make something new," says O'Haver. "I started out by thinking of the story as a John Hughes comedy unfolding in a medieval suburban world."
With O'Haver's new ideas, the script went through a period of extensive development and creative brainstorming as the writers went wild with playful anachronisms. Explains producer Jane Startz ("The Mighty," "Tuck Everlasting"): "We started out with a pretty faithful adaptation of the book, but once Tommy came on board, he challenged us to really raise the ante: to ratchet up the humor, the color and the conflict. We started adding all these wonderful layers on top of the story - like
the medieval mall with hand-cranked escalators and fast-food restaurants that sell squirrel on a stick and that sort of thing. Tommy came up with one twist after another and we kept pushing it further and further." Startz continues: "In the end, Gail Levine was delighted with the wit and invention the writers and Tommy brought to it. She was involved the whole way and I think she really enjoyed seeing the spirit of her story stay alive even as it took on elements of a contemporary fantasy
adventure."
While Tommy O'Haver had a blast with re-jiggering medieval reality, he still kept his focus on where he believes the story's heart lies. "The best part for me about ELLA ENCHANTED is that you're immersed in this fantastical world filled with all sorts of imaginary creatures and rainbow colors and magical happenings, but at the core of the story is a very real, very true-to-life human relationship that makes it meaningful," he says. "That combination of fun fantasy and moving emotional
reality is what ELLA ENCHANTED is all about for me."
CHAPTER TWO: "CASTING" THE SPELL
Every story needs a story-teller and at the center of ELLA ENCHANTED is a narrator who frequently chimes in with a funny rhyme to let the audience in on new developments. Tommy O'Haver knew The Narrator would immediately set the tone for the tale, so he wanted to cast an actor who, right off the bat, would prove to be funny and delightfully different. That's why he chose "Monty Python" star and comic favorite Eric Idle. "I just knew I had to have somebody from 'Monty Python' in this movie,"
O'Haver admits. "They're the ultimate in irreverence, yet Eric also has a really sweet and charming quality that makes you trust him as your guide for this adventure."
v Even more key to the casting was to find the film's Ella, a heroine who might live in an ancient world of mystical curses and mythical ogres but is every bit the bold and beautiful modern girl. From the minute Tommy O'Haver saw Anne Hathaway in "The Princess Diaries," he knew she was something special.
"I knew Anne was amazing but she turned out to be even more amazing than I expected," says O'Haver. "She has a kind of quality that reminds me of Judy Garland in 'The Wizard of Oz,' with that mixture of child-like purity but also the confidence and smarts of a mature young woman. It was also so important that this character have a real sense of humor and strong comedic timing - and Anne is a wonderful, natural comedienne. She's also a fantastic singer, so she has it all."
Hathaway was charmed by the script's mix of merriment, fantasy and relationship reality. "I saw it as Ella going on a kind of medieval 'road trip' during which she meets all these amazing characters and creations, but also learns to find her own strength, and what it means to be in love," she comments. "I really adored Ella because she's so spunky and free-spirited. But she's not just living in a fairy tale. She's someone who truly tries to make her world a better place."
She continues: "I also loved all the humor in the story - not just the witty lines, but also the slapstick and the physical humor and all the modern touches and the classic stuff that gets turned on its head. It combines timeless themes with very contemporary jokes. Because it's a fantasy film, I think you have total license to be as creative as you want, and that had a fantastic appeal to me."
For Hathaway, the best part about ELLA ENCHANTED was the opportunity to make exactly the kind of movie she had longed to be enchanted by as a girl. "Growing up, I was always frustrated by family films, because they catered to little kids too much, and they weren't smart enough," she says. "This is the kind of film I would have loved to see because it really appeals to a child's imagination, and at the same time, has a wit and entertainment value that makes it just as much an adult movie."
Although Hathaway was excited about playing Ella, she was a bit shy about the musical numbers. "Tommy O'Haver had seen me on Broadway in 'Carnival,' and I sang quite a bit in that so he thought I should sing a song as Ella. I don't actually think of myself as a singer," she explains. "He really had to twist my arm and convince me I should sing in the film. And he did by choosing such an irresistible number: Queen's 'Someone To Love.' I'm not quite sure if I'm Freddy Mercury, but I did
my best!"
The film also marked Anne's first time doing extensive scenes acting with a bluescreen - a blank background that would later be filled in with CGI-created giants and snakes. "The blue screen is daunting," she admits, "but luckily I have a pretty out-there imagination - almost as out-there as ELLA ENCHANTED."
Comments Jane Startz: "Ella is a character who has a great sense of humor and refuses to buckle under in her fight for justice. She's always thinking her way out of tough situations - all qualities which make Anne exactly the right person to play her." With Hathaway cast, the filmmakers set out to find her true love, the quintessential gallant young knight in need of a better half, Prince Charmont. In the modernesque medieval world of ELLA ENCHANTED, Prince Char is also akin to a pop-idol
poster-boy - pursued everywhere by teenaged Charmaniacs. Extensive auditions were held in London to find a Prince worthy of rabid young fans across the Kingdom. Jane Startz explains: "If you're looking for someone princely and charming, where else do you go but London? We saw a lot of amazing young British actors but when Hugh Dancy arrived, he just stood out - he was drop-dead gorgeous and a compelling actor to boot. When he and Anne read together, it was pure chemistry."
Tommy O'Haver was also impressed with Dancy's royal qualities. "He not only had the charisma, looks and intelligence to be the believable heir to a kingdom, he had a wonderfully silly sense of humor," notes the director. "He and Anne were just so funny together."
Dancy, who previously appeared in "Black Hawk Down," was intrigued by the Prince's unusual situation. "Prince Charmont in some ways appears to be a typical fairy tale prince," he says. "But he's also much more than that. I guess you could say he starts out being a bit of a pin-up boy, but as the film progresses and he falls in love with Ella, he discovers the real meaning of charm which involves taking on the responsibilities of the kingdom and doing the right thing."
It wasn't Prince Char's dashing derring-do that most intrigued Dancy, however. "Actually, I most liked that in the beginning of the story he's a bit of a buffoon," he admits. "He's a comic character who has all the qualities of a perfect prince, but has to discover them. It's what makes him so interesting. He isn't just a cartoon cut-out character, he's a real young man who makes mistakes, takes crazy risks and has to learn to face up to his future."
"The love story is also very real to me," he says. "It might take place in a fairy tale world, but it's really about when it comes to me and Anne, it's about two normal people getting to know each other and making a difference to one another. It's just that they have to do so surrounded by ogres, elves and talking books!"
With the leading couple brought together, the filmmaking team now turned to finding the host of colorful characters who nearly prevent them from fulfilling their romantic dreams. At the top of list was Ella's new stepmother, Dame Olga, who had to be every bit as funny as she is fiendish. Tommy O'Haver only ever had one actress in mind: "I have loved Joanna Lumley for so long for her work in 'Absolutely Fabulous' and I knew she would be the ultimate wicked stepmother," he says. Adds Jane
Startz: "Joanna completely made the role her own, just radiating 'Olganess.' Everything she did was spot on and hilarious." Lumley describes Dame Olga as "completely vain, materialistic, ambitious and stupid. Stupid, yet cunning, like a lot of dumb but greedy people!" She continues: "I love her ambitions for her daughters who are really so repellent and unpleasant. We are just the awful threesome!"
As Dame Olga's put-upon husband and Ella's loving father, Sir Peter, O'Haver cast accomplished Irish screen and stage star Patrick Bergin. But when it came to casting Lucinda Perriweather - the self-proclaimed "fairy par excellence" who gives Ella the unwanted gift of obedience - O'Haver went farther afield, casting Vivica Fox, the American actress and comedienne better known for her feisty portraits of modern women.
"Vivica brought a sassy attitude and contemporary vibe to the role that gives you the idea right away that this is a different kind of fairy tale," explains O'Haver. "And she's very funny." To play Ella's stepsisters - who do their best to enslave Ella to their own ambitions for power and pretty things - the filmmakers turned again to London auditions, uncovering Lucy Punch, a rising young British star mostly seen on television so far, and Jennifer Higham, who makes her film debut as the
clueless kleptomaniac Olive in ELLA ENCHANTED. Both young women were a wonderful surprise to the filmmakers. "They were fantastic because you just never knew what was going to come out of their mouths," observes Tommy O'Haver. "Lucy and Jennifer truly took their parts and ran with them, and with Joanna Lumley, they were able to improvise some hilarious scenes."
For Lucy Punch, playing the shamelessly treacherous Hattie was a chance to do all kinds of things she would never even consider in real life. "It was a bit difficult at first, but I found out that it's really great fun to play somebody so hideous, mean and outrageous," says Punch. Jennifer Higham agrees. "I really had fun playing an airhead kleptomaniac," she comments. "Really, though, I see Olive as being kind of sweet. She just kind of follows everyone else's lead - her mother craves
money and glittery things so she does too and her sister is mean to Ella so she is, too. But she's a very girlie girl, and I can identify with that!"
For the role of Mandy, Ella's loyal Nanny who raises her into young adulthood knowing about her curse of obedience, the filmmakers went for another unexpected twist. "We wanted someone who was young, fun, attractive and had a kind of zany quality. Minnie Driver is beautiful and a big star who has never done a role like this before, so when she said she'd do it, we were absolutely delighted," explains Jane Startz. Says Driver of taking the role: "I liked the inventiveness of the story and
I thought just seeing me in the role of a nanny would be quite funny, because I'm probably not who you'd expect!"
Another character who defies expectation is Slannen, the elf who breaks all the rules by wanting to be a lawyer instead of an elfin entertainer, but is prevented by the Kingdom's restrictive laws. Tommy O'Haver set out looking for a new face and came up with one in comic newcomer Aidan McArdle. "Aidan really popped in his audition and I think he's going to be a great discovery," says the director. "We took a chance on him and he lived up to it." McArdle had a blast with the role. "Slannen
is such a feisty little character who's sick of elves being just a joke. He takes himself very seriously, which of course makes him very funny. Then Ella comes along and convinces him that he can buck the system and make his dreams come true," he says. "I loved Slannen, but it also has been a very strange job because, over the course of filming, I was tied to a revolving wheel, flung against a wall and pursued by super model Heidi Klum as a giant whose knee is the highest point I can reach.
All I can say is that it's been a very unusual experience!"
Finally, Cary Elwes who first came to the fore in the comic fable "The Princess Bride," makes an important appearance as the slitheing Sir Edgar, Prince Char's vehemently vain Uncle who has been serving as the Kingdom's ruler - and banishing all the nonhuman creatures to the forest so he can keep all of the land for himself. Elwes was drawn to this script's distinctive originality. "I saw it as a wonderful morality tale with a real sense of humor and these great modern references that
make it jump off the screen," he says. "I never approached it as just a children's movie at all because when I was reading the script, it had me constantly laughing out loud. So it definitely appeals to all ages." As for Sir Edgar, Elwes knew exactly what to do with the performance. "Edgar isgt just pure wickedness," he says. "He's the guy who's always looking out for himself, who's conniving and mischievous and always coming up with fiendish plans. He's a total tyrant . . . and we're
all just dying for his comeuppance."
CHAPTER THREE: LIGHTS , CAMERA, FAIRY TALE
The design of ELLA ENCHANTED was decidedly ambitious for a film of its size. Tommy O'Haver intended to bring together colorful, comically anachronistic sets and costumes along with full-scale musical numbers set to pop-era tunes to create an entirely unique fairy tale experience. The idea was to forge the look of a candy-hued dream from which his tale of triumphant love and freedom emerges - with colors so turned-up and vivid they might have come from the marriage of a Warner Bros. cartoon
with a Technicolor classic.
Early on the decision was made to shoot the film entirely in Ireland, using the rolling green hills and lush forestry for which the country is renown as the film's backdrop, as well as relying on Dublin's well-equipped Ardmore Studios for building the extensive sets. "It's the land of fairies," says O'Haver of his decision to take cast and crew to the Emerald Isle. "There's something magical about just being in Ireland and it seemed to have everything we needed, except for blue skies.
It rained a lot, so we used the computer to create that perfect, unbelievable blue."
To bring the film's "medieval mod" look to life, the filmmakers turned to production designer and three-time Oscar nominee Norman Garwood (whose credits include Terry Gilliam's visual masterpiece "Brazil" as well as Steven Spielberg's fantasy adventure "Hook"). Garwood had been the art director for Terry Gilliam's "Time Bandits," one of Tommy O'Haver's favorite films - and garnered further fairy tale experience on Rob Reiner's "The Princess Bride."
Garwood began his work by conducting extensive research into authentic medieval design, from modest, timber-framed village houses to Gothic castles with flying buttresses. "I decided that it would be best to get the medieval period right and then twist in little bits of modern times that would make the humor come out," he explains. "Once the research is done, you can go to extremes and have fun with it."
And have fun Garwood did. He kicked things off with Frell, which Tommy O' Haver had described as a "medieval-style Midwestern suburbia." In Frell, Garwood's piece de resistance was the medieval mall, the "Galleria of Frell," a two-story structure complete with stores like "Wands R Us" and finished off with charming walkways, arched bridges and a hand-cranked, wheel-driven wooden escalator.
For Giantville, Garwood looked to ancient Scandinavian and Celtic designs for "big" inspiration, filling their wedding hall with open-pit fires, kilns and majestic carved timbers. "I wanted to bring a sense of humor to these giants," he says. "We've seen giants in films before so I wanted them to have a world that's recognizable but filled with unique touches." Then came the great city of Lamia, where Ella travels in her quest to break the curse of obedience. Garwood modeled Lamia after
the ultimate modern city: New York. "We wanted to make it look like Downtown Manhattan," he explains. "only with soaring castles in place of skyscrapers. The reference I used for the skyline was a classic photograph of New York from the '40s. Then I took that photo and sketched a medieval, castellated façade over it, giving it a familiar but entirely new look."
Continuing with humor, Garwood even added medieval taxis to his design. "These were also based on New York cabs," he explains, "only they were traditional carriages painted ochre yellow and with a checkered stripe!" "Norman Garwood created the perfect Middle Ages metropolis," sums up Tommy O'Haver.
The King's castle in Lamia was one of the film's most elaborate sets, designed in part to imitate the kind of autocratic architecture that was popular in World War II era Germany and Italy. "I wanted to reflect the cunning and megalomania of Edgar," says Garwood. "So for the Great Hall, I created a big space that is very uncluttered but has elements of Edgar's Personality Cult all over it. It even has an elevator - for the dictator who has everything!"
Throughout, Garwood kept in mind that he was designing a movie intended to dazzle the imaginations of audiences of all ages. "I never thought of it as designing a film for kids," he says, "because I didn't want it to look childlike. Instead, I aimed for a look that would be simply funny and imaginative, that would appeal to everyone, hopefully."
The same combination of ancient influences and bold humor that informed Garwood's sets was also at work in double-Oscar nominee Ruth Myers' costumes. "When you're designing a fairy tale, you've got to go extravagant," she explains. "I wanted costumes that would take people's fantasies of the fairy tale life and make them come alive. Of course, we wanted the designs to be unique but also to reflect what people already know about fairies, ogres, elves and giants so from the minute they come
on screen, they're absolutely convincing and involving."
Myers, like Norman Garwood, began by researching traditional medieval dress true to the period, from ornate, flowing gowns for the women to tunics and high boots for the men. Then she turned playful, adding in touches of 1960s go-go boots, ''70s crocheted peasant blouses and even midriff-baring fairy clothes that mix the medieval with a dash of "I Dream of Jeannie."
In all of her designs, she kept the emphasis on the one thing Tommy O'Haver most wanted: fun, kaleidoscopic, eye-popping colors. "I developed palettes for each character," she says. "Ella and Prince Charmont are always in blue tones, while Edgar is always in red. The fairies of course are in pink. Hattie wears bright orange throughout and Olive wears a purple lilac that belies her personality." When it came to clothing the more fantastical forest creatures, Myers looked to organic influences.
"The elves are of the land so they're very green and leafy," she states, "whereas the giants are more woodsy with outfits that are overprinted with bark tones. Meanwhile, the ogres' colors bring to mind rocks and stones." Myers' designs became an inspiration to the cast who felt transformed by the enchantment of her costumes. "I felt so much like a fairy with all that pink and glitter I had on," says Vivica Fox. "My costume and hairstyles were just awesome - and truly had a magic effect!"
Of course, some of the characters were created primarily in the computer including Benny the Talking Book and Heston the Snake, one of Tommy O'Haver's favorite creations. "I love Heston because he harks back to my love of cartoons and he reminds me of all those great evil sidekick snakes, from Sir Hiss in 'Robin Hood' to Kaa in 'Jungle Book,' but he has a personality all his own," he says. "Watching him be created was something new for me, and a magical experience."
Magic is exactly what cinematographer John de Borman wanted to capture in his photography and lighting for the film. "We worked very hard to get exactly the right look," he comments. "We wanted it to really pop out like a fable or dream so I started by taking digital photographs of each location and set - and then manipulating the colors to give everything, from the sky to the earth, a bright, pastel, fairy tale feeling. Then I convinced the producers that even though we would shoot on
film, that we had to convert everything to digital right away so we could keep the consistency of color throughout. It was a very intense process." De Borman looked at a lot of classic Technicolor films, including "The Wizard of Oz," for inspiration. "I also overlit the exteriors and even the night scenes to get a more magical look. Another thing we did with light is to create a special turquoise moonlight that isn't exactly natural but has its own cartoon-like quality to it," he explains.
As for the problems of scale - mixing and matching giants, elves and humans on screen - the solutions fell to Special Effects supervisor Angus Bickerton. Tommy O'Haver points out: "We didn't' exactly have the budget of 'The Lord of the Rings' so a lot of our solutions were more low-tech," he says. "But it worked because we were creating a comic book world where it seems anything can happen."
CHAPTER FOUR : SOMEONE PRINCELY TO LOVE
For everyone involved in the production, including the cast and crew, some of the most soaring moments of fun came during the film's two musical numbers, which are woven into the adventure. From the beginning, Tommy O'Haver had been searching for a song for Ellla and Prince Char to sing at the Giantville wedding, a centerpiece of the film and their developing romance. One night he was sitting in his Dublin apartment with Anne Hathaway going through CD's when he accidentally came across
Queen's "Someone to Love."
"I certainly wasn't planning on using that song at all," he recalls, "but from the minute those opening beats came on, we were hooked. Anne started miming the words and then she started dancing around to it and I knew it was the one."
O'Haver then hired Bruno Tonioli, who has worked on numerous stage shows, music videos and motion pictures to choreograph the dancing. Tonioli collaborated closely with the entire cast - most of whom are not professional dancers - over an intense two-day period, working on their moves until they were comfortable enough to really let go and have fun. "I tried to give everyone very precise instructions so that when it came to the performances, they only had to concentrate on their character's
emotions," he explains. For Tonioli, part of the challenge was matching his steps to the high-spirited tone of the film. "I really was inspired by Tommy's sense of humor and the imagination of the sets to create something that would work with that world," he comments. "The main thing is that everyone had a really great time with the dancing . . . and I think that's really going to show."
Tommy O'Haver concurs. "I've always loved having musical numbers in my films, because to me they're like explosions -something that kind of shocks the audience and propels them somewhere else," he notes. "The first number in ELLA ENCHANTED at the Giantville wedding was so much fun, and so energizing to the cast and crew, that we just had to do another to end on a high note."
The second dance number, which wraps up the film with a wink and a flourish, is set to Elton John's hit "Don't Go Breaking My Heart." For Vivica Fox, it was the ultimate way to end such a magical mystery ride of a production. "That final musical number was my absolute favorite scene," she comments, "because being part of it gave me goose bumps. It reminded me of being in a great Old Hollywood movie but with a totally modern twist."
# # #
THE CAST OF CHARACTERS
Name: Ella of Frell (Anne Hathaway)
Occupation: Student, Frell Community College/Pro-Ogre Activist
Quest: Break the spell of obedience, free the Kingdom
Anne Hathaway is a familiar face to millions of moviegoers thanks to her breakout, leading role in Garry Marshall's 2001 hit "The Princess Diaries." Starring as a high school girl who finds out she is the princess of a small country, Hathaway was able prove her comedic timing opposite Julie Andrews. She went on to be named one of People Magazine's Breakthrough Stars of 2001 and was nominated for a Teen Choice Award for Best Actress/Comedy. She will reprise her role in "Princess Diaries
2." Hathaway went on to appear in Douglas McGrath's acclaimed "Nicholas Nickleby" and will also star in Barbara Kopple's "Havoc."
Born in Brooklyn, Anne was the first and only teenager admitted to the acting program at the award-winning The Barrow Group in New York City. She is also a talented soprano and, just three days before being cast in the television series "Get Real," had the privilege of performing in two concerts at famed Carnegie Hall as a member of the All- Eastern U.S. High School Honours Chorus.
For theatre, Hathaway also studied at the Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey and at the inaugural pre-college summer program at the Collaborative Arts Project, CAP 21, which is affiliated with New York University. She most recently garnered the Clarence Derwent
Award for her performance as Lili in "Carnival."
Name: Prince Charmont (Hugh Dancy)
Occupation: Prince of the Kingdom, Soon to Be Coronated King
Quest: Convince Ella he's more than just another pretty royal face
Hugh Dancy, who was chosen as Prince Char after extensive London auditions, is a quickly rising young British star whose most recent screen credits include the romantic thriller "Tempo" opposite Melanie Griffith and Rachel Leigh Cook and in Ridley Scott's critically acclaimed war drama "Black Hawk Down." He will next go from playing Prince Charmont in ELLA ENCHANTED to playing Galahad in Antoine Fuqua's "King Arthur."
Born in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England, Hugh was first cast in the British television series "Trial And Retribution II, followed by BBC's "Dangerfield" and an appearance in "Kavanagh QC." Dancy was then chosen to portray the title role for the new Hallmark/TNT production of "Charles Dicken's David Copperfield," going on to star in the second series of Granada Television's popular "Cold Feet" and the BBC adaptation of "Madam Bovary."
Dancy also portrayed D'Artagnan in "Young Blade," followed by the feature "The Sleeping Dictionary," filmed on location in Sarawak. On stage, Dancy has starred in "Billy and the Crab Lady" at the Soho Theatre and "To The Green Fields Beyond," directed by Sam Mendes.
Name: Sir Edgar (Cary Elwes)
Occupation: Acting King/Evildoer
Quest: Rule the world
Cary Elwes was born into a British family of painters, but left England to attend Sarah Lawrence College in New York. After making his film debut in "Another Country," he costarred in the historical drama "Lady Jane" then made his first big impression as the farm boy Westley in Rob Reiner's runaway hit "The Princess Bride." Since then, he has been seen as Tom Cruise's racing competitor in "Days of Thunder," Matthew Broderick's second-in-command in "Glory," the ego-ridden fighter pilot
in "Hot Shots," and the fiancé of Lucy (Sadie Frost) in "Bram Stoker's Dracula." He starred opposite Bridget Fonda in "Leather Jackets" and played the eponymous hero of Mel Brook's spoof, "Robin Hood: Men In Tights."
Cary's more recent credits include "Kiss The Girls," the voice of Paris in Disney's "Hercules," as John Housman in Tim Robbins' "The Cradle Will Rock" and the role of Fritz Arno Wagner opposite John Malcovich in "Shadow of a Vampire." He most recently starred with Danny Glover in the thriller "Saw" and the forthcoming "Neo Ned." On television, Elwes is also well known for his role as FBI Assistant Director Brad Follmer, in the TV series "The X Files."
Name: Slannen of Pim (Aidan McArdle)
Occupation: Wannabe Elf Lawyer
Quest: Break the rule that elves can only sing, juggle or create tomfoolery
Aidan McArdle makes his feature film debut as Slannen of Pim in ELLA ENCHANTED. A native of Dublin, Ireland he first appeared on stage as a member of the internationally renowned Abbey Theatre Company. His considerable theatrical experience includes work at the Royal Shakespeare company, including appearing in "A Midsummer Nights Dream,” “Othello" and all three parts of "Henry VI"; "Owen Meaney" at the Royal National Theatre and the hugely successful Druid Theatre/Royal Court production
of "The Beauty Queen Of Leenane." His television credits include the BBC productions "Anytime Now" and "Casualty."
Name: Dame Olga (Joanna Lumley)
Occupation: Wicked Stepmother
Quest: Money, money, money
Joanna Lumley has achieved status as an international star and national icon based on a number of strikingly memorable characters she created on British television. She is best known for her role in the outrageous sitcom "Absolutely Fabulous," in which she played Patsy Stone, an eternally-inebriated, domineering and shallow "fashion advisor" defined by her beehive hairdo and eye for younger men. Joanna's performance as Patsy earned her two BAFTA awards and three additional nominations.
The daughter of a British military major, and born in Srinigar, India, Lumley was a model before entering films in 1968 with "Some Girls Do." In 1976, she first captured the public imagination playing Purdy in the British TV action series "The New Avengers," followed by the female lead opposite David McCallum in the sci-fi detective series "Saffire And Steele."
In 1996 she voiced the role of Aunt Spiker in the film "James And The Giant Peach," and in 1997 presented the travel-documentary "Joanna Lumley In The Kingdom Of The Thunderdragon," based on her journey through the little-known country of Bhutan, following a route taken by her grandparents during the 1930's. Her other films include "Mad Cows,” “Maybe Baby" and "The Cat's Meow." She most recently made an appearance in the comedy "Eurotrip."
Joanna has also written a number of books including Forces Sweethearts, Girl Friday, The Kingdom of the Thunderdragon and her autobiography Stare Back and Smile. She was awarded an OBE in 1995.
Name: Hattie (Lucy Punch)
Occupation: Devious stepsister/President of the Prince Char Fan Club
Quest: To take advantage of Ella's obedience and win Prince Char for herself.
After early performances for the National Youth Theatre Foundation, Lucy Punch has established herself as one of Britain's most promising new screen stars. She will next be seen in Istvan Szabo's "Being Julia" with Annette Benning. Best known in England for her television work, her roles include "The New Adventures Of Robin Hood, Channel 4's "Cinderella," "Dead" and "Midsummer Murders" for ITV and the BBC's "People Like Us." More recently she has starred in "Come Together" for Working
Title Television and Hallmark Entertainment's "Dinotopia." She was previously seen in the British comedy feature "Green Fingers."
Name: Olive (Jennifer Higham)
Occupation: Dimwitted stepsister/Kleptomaniac
Quest: Jewelry, candlesticks, glass slippers
Jennifer Higham make her feature film debut in the comic role of Olive, the not-so-bright stepsister who forces Ella to obey. Discovered in auditions for the role, Higham previous British television credits include the lead in the LWT series "No Sweat," the dramatic series "Back Home," and appearances in Channel 5's "Family Affairs" and the BBC's "The Bill" and "Treasure."
Name: Mandy (Minnie Driver)
Occupation: Ella's Nursemaid/Amateur Spell-caster
Quest: Turn her cursed boyfriend back into a man
Minnie Driver first came to the attention of audiences and critics for her winning performance in "Circle of Friends," starring with Chris O'Donnell. She next took the role of Matt Damon's brilliant girlfriend in "Good Will Hunting", garnering both Oscar and Screen Actors Guild nominations. In March 1998, Driver was honored with the prestigious Female Star of Tomorrow Award at the ShoWest Awards.
Minnie's many diverse roles also include Barry Levinson's "Sleepers," the critically acclaimed black comedy "Grosse Pointe Blank," the screen version of Oscar Wilde's play "An Ideal Husband," the love story "Return to Me," the period drama "The Governess," Sally Field's "Beautiful," Stanley Tucci's "Big Night" and the James Bond film "Goldeneye." She also provided the voice of Jane in the Walt Disney Pictures' animated feature "Tarzan." More recently she starred in the British comedy "High
Heels and Low Lifes" and played the wife of a gambling addict opposite Philip Seymour Hoffman in "Owning Mahowny." She'll next be seen in Joel Schumacher's screen musical version of "The Phantom of the Opera."
She has also amassed an impressive list of television and theatre credentials, including numerous projects for the BBC and theatrical productions of "The Comedy Of Errors," "The Married Man,” “School For Scandal" and "Camino Real."
Name: Benny (Jimi Mistry)
Occupation: Know-It-All Talking Book
Quest: Turn a new page and become human again
British star Jimi Mistry first came to public attention with his performance as Tariq in the cross-cultural comedy "East is East." He was involved with the play since its first workshop and shared in its success when it was staged at Stratford East, the Royal Court and the eventually in the West End. It was subsequently developed into a successful film, directed by Damien O'Donnell, which won Best Film at the Evening Standard British Film Awards, as well as receiving five BAFTA award nominations,
winning for Best British Film.
Jimi subsequently played the title role in "The Guru," directed by Daisy Mayer, costarring with Heather Graham and Marisa Tomei. He has more recently appeared in "My Kingdom" co-starring Richard Harris, Ismail Merchant's "The Mystic Masseur," the Canadian romantic comedy "A Touch of Pink" with Kyle MacLachlan, and the forthcoming thriller "Dead Fish" starring Gary Oldman and Robert Carlyle.
Name: Narrator (Eric Idle)
Occupation: Spinning Tales/Making Up Rhymes
Quest: To spread Ella's enchanting story across the Kingdom
Eric Idle is known the world over as one of the founding members of the legendry comedy team Monty Python, starring in their popular television series and such films as "Life Of Brian," "Monty Python And The Holy Grail "and "Monty Python's Meaning Of Life." Among his many other feature film credits are "The Adventures Of Baron Munchausen,” “Nuns On The Run," "Mom And Dad Save The World," "Casper," the animated feature "102 Dalmations" and most recently, the voice of Medoro in Roberto Benigni's
"Pinocchio." He has also starred in U.S. television sitcom "Suddenly Susan" and is currently filming the adventure fantasy "Delgo."
Name: Lucinda Perriweather (Vivica Fox)
Occupation: Fairy/Infamous Gift-Giver
Quest: Bestow spells on everyone
In classic Hollywood style, Vivica Fox was actually discovered by a producer while eating lunch in a Sunset Boulevard restaurant. She went on to gain fame as a series regular playing the role of Patti LaBelle's feisty fashion designer daughter in the television series "Out All Night." Notable among her numerous television appearances are her work as a series regular on "Arsenio" and her two seasons as a regular co-star on the sitcom "Getting Personal" with John Cryer and Duane Martin.
After making her screen debut in Oliver Stone's "Born on the Fourth of July," Fox received critical acclaim for her multi-dimensional and often comedic performance in "Why Do Fools Fall In Love," the story of the singer Frankie Lymon. Fox then lit up the big screen in the smash hit "Independence Day," co-starring opposite Will Smith as his sexy, heroic girlfriend. They generated enough sparks to win the MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss.
Fox's stirring performance opposite Nia Long and Vanessa L. Williams in the family drama hit "Soul Food" won her an MTV Movie Award and Image Award nominations for Best Actress. Fox most recently had a knock-down, drag-out battle with Uma Thurman in Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill -Volume 1." Other credits include the romantic comedies "Two Can Play That Game" and "Juwanna Man" and the revisionist western "Ride or Die." Her forthcoming roles include the thrillers "Motive" and "Blast!" and
the romantic comedy "Getting Played." She also returns in "Kill Bill - Volume 2."
Name: Sir Peter (Patrick Bergin)
Occupation: Businessman
Quest: His Daughter's Happiness, Marrying Dame Olga for the Money
A native of Dublin, Ireland, Patrick Bergin has worked in a wide variety of theatre, film and television projects. He made his feature debut in "The Courier" in 1988 and came to the attention of an international audience for his portrayal of Sir Richard Burton in "Mountains Of The Moon." He followed that with roles in many films including "Sleeping With The Enemy," "Map Of The Human Heart,” “The Invisible Circus," "When The Sky Falls" and the TNT/Hallmark production "King of Texas." He
was most recently seen in John Irvin's musical comedy "The Boys From County Clare."
ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS
Tommy O'Haver (Director)
Tommy O'Haver grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana, where he spent his early years making Super-8 films including the six minute stop-motion epic, "Barbie Meets E.T." After receiving a degree in critical studies in film, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue his dream of making movies.
Following stints as a production assistant on "Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare" and in the New Line mailroom, he produced his first short film, "The Pitch," which ultimately sold to Showtime, and became part of Tommy's application to USC School of Cinema- Television. At USC, he made the short films "Catalina," which was selected to screen at the New York Film Festival; "Two" and "Happy Hour," which both went on to play at the British Film Institute and the Sundance Film Festival.
After graduating from USC in 1995, O'Haver made his feature film debut with "Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss," which also marked the screen debut of Sean Hayes ("Will and Grace"). This critically acclaimed, low budget film was a remake of his original short, "Catalina," and premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, where O'Haver was nominated for a Grand Jury Prize. It also screened at numerous other festivals including Seattle Film Festival and Deauville Film Festival, where O'Haver was
again nominated for a Grand Special Prize.
It was "Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss" that led Harvey Weinstein to hire O'Haver for his second feature, the teen comedy "Get Over It," starring Kirsten Dunst, Colin Hanks, and Martin Short. ELLA ENCHANTED marks O'Haver's third and most ambitious feature film.
Jane Startz (Producer)
Creator and executive producer of the Emmy Award-winning television series "The Magic School Bus," Jane Startz was cofounder and Executive Vice President of Scholastic Productions, the film and television division of Scholastic Inc. As creative head of Scholastic Productions, Startz produced feature films ("The Indian In The Cupboard" and "The Baby-Sitters Club") and television series ("The Baby-Sitters Club" and "Charles In Charge"), as well as many television dramas including "The Lawrenceville
Stories (a trilogy for the American Playhouse) and "The Great Love Experiment," an Emmy-winning after-school special.
Startz launched her own company in 1997, producing the critically hailed "The Mighty" (based on the book Freak the Mighty). The film, starring Sharon Stone, Gillian Anderson, and Gena Rowlands, was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards. Her most recent production, Walt Disney Pictures'"Tuck Everlasting," starring Sissy Spacek, William Hurt and Ben Kingsley, was an adaptation of Natalie Babbit's classic coming of age story. Other book-based projects in the works are "The Tiger's Apprentice",
a trilogy by Lawrence Yep, "Bonnicula" by James Howe, and a series of films based on the novels of acclaimed young adult author Judy Blume. Startz has received over fifty major awards in the category of family entertainment including 2 Golden Globe nominations, 6 Emmys, 10 Emmy nominations, 2 Cable Ace Awards, the Action for Children's Television Award and a Parents Choice Award.
Su Armstrong (Executive Producer)
During her tenure as Vice President of Production at Hollywood Pictures / Walt Disney Pictures, Su Armstrong oversaw numerous productions that included; "Crimson Tide," "Dangerous Minds,” “The Santa Clause," "Unstrung Heroes," "Funny Bones," "Jack," "Spyhard" and "The Rock." Armstrong was also an executive producer on "Good Will Hunting," which won more than a dozen awards including; Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and Best Screenplay, a Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay and
the PGA's Golden Laurel Award for Motion Picture Producer of the Year. She recently served as executive producer on "Queen of the Damned" based on the Anne Rice novel and just finished production of Lasse Hallstrom's "Unfinished Life" starring Robert Redford and Jennifer Lopez.
Further credits as producer include "The Last Of The Blonde Bombshells" for Working Title Television, the Emmy nominated "RKO 281" for HBO, "Shot Through the Heart" for HBO and "The Punisher" (co-producer). She also served as Executive in charge of Production for "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome," directed by George Miller. She served as production manager on "Gallipoli" for director Peter Weir and as line produce on "Until the End of the World" for director Wim Wenders
Norman Garwood (Production Designer)
Norman Garwood is a three time Oscar-nominee for his work on Terry Gilliam's retrofuturistic fantasy "Brazil," Ed Zwick's Civil War-Era drama "Glory" and Steven Spielberg's re-telling of the Peter Pan legend "Hook." He had earlier collaborated with Gilliam as Art Director on the innovative all-ages fantasy "Time Bandits" and worked with Rob Reiner on another modern fairy tale adventure, "The Princess Bride." Garwood's many credits also include "Misery," "Being Human," "Cutthroat Island,"
"Dangerous Beauty," "Lost in Space" and "Rollerball." He recently designed the telefilm "The Life and Death of Peter Sellers."
Ruth Myers (Costume Designer)
Ruth Myers is one of the leading talents working in costume design for film. She has garnered two Academy Award nominations for two very diverse works: one for the period romantic comedy "Emma" starring Gwyneth Paltrow as the Jane Austen character; and another for Barry Sonnenfeld's cartoon-comes-to-life "The Addams Family." She also received BAFTA nominations for her costumes for "L.A. Confidential" and for "Isadora." Most recently, she was nominated for a Costume Designers Guild Award
for the HBO series "Carnivale." Myers' extensive credits include "The Accidental Tourist," "The Firm," "Deep Impact," "A Thousand Acres," "Cradle Will Rock," "Proof of Life,” “Iris," "The Four Feathers" and "Nicholas Nickleby." She recently completed the comedy "Connie and Carlos" and is working on Kevin Spacey's "Beyond the Sea."
John De Borman (Director of Photography)
John De Borman has photographed over 20 films including "The Full Monty," "Serendipity,” “Pure,” “New Year's Day," "There's Only One," "Jimmy Grimble," "Hamlet," "Saving Grace," "Trojan Eddie,” “Medium Rare," Small Faces," "Gregory's Two Girls," "Hideous Kinky," "The Mighty," "Photographing Fairies," "Death Machine," "The Passion of Darkly Noon," "Murder Blues," "Unmasked Part 25" and "Murder on Line One," which he also executive produced. He most recently shot "Shall We Dance?" featuring
Richard Gere, Jennifer Lopez and Susan Sarandon in a re-visitation of the Japanese comedy hit of the same name.
De Borman was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Cinematography for his work on "Hamlet" and won the Evening Standard British Film Award for Best Technical/Artistic Achievement for "Hideous Kinky." He received the San Sebastian Film Festival Concho D'Oro Award for "Trojan Eddie." DeBorman also wrote, directed and photographed the short "Outing," which won the New York Film Festival's Gold Award for Best Short. |
| Continue: |
—Overview
—Review
by Melinda Ledman
—Trailers, Photos
—About this Film
—Spiritual Connections |
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