Actress Elle Fanning (Somewhere, Twixt) lands her highest profile role to date as Aurora, the somnolent beauty who becomes the target of Maleficent’s titular character (Angelina Jolie). Aurora was a coveted role that Fanning landed after a meeting with director Rob Stromberg and scribe Linda Woolverton.
“It was a really special thing, and also, (it was the) first meeting that I had, because I heard that there was going to be a Maleficent movie, so I was like, I know it’s going to be from the villain’s point of view, but that means there has to be a Sleeping Beauty in it,” said the actress. “So my ears perked up, but then, Rob wanted me to come in for a meeting – he and Linda. From there, that meeting they gave me the part, and that handed over the script. And that was kind of like handing over the crown…That ride home, I was reading it in the car. I kind of got motion sickness reading (the script), but I was still reading it. I was so excited!”
Here’s Disney’s official “boilerplate” summary of the film:
“Maleficent” explores the untold story of Disney’s most iconic villain from the classic “Sleeping Beauty”and the elements of her betrayal that ultimately turn her pure heart to stone. Driven by revenge and a fierce desire to protect the moors over which she presides, Maleficent cruelly places an irrevocable curse upon the human king’s newborn infant Aurora. As the child grows, Aurora is caught in the middle of the seething conflict between the forest kingdom she has grown to love and the human kingdom that holds her legacy. Maleficent realizes that Aurora may hold the key to peace in the land and is forced to take drastic actions that will change both worlds forever.
Fanning was also excited to go toe to toe with Angelina Jolie, a colleague she describes as “the perfect role model.” To hear the teenager talk about working with Jolie, click on the media bar below:
Maleficent opens May 30.
