Emma Stone Spills on Playing a Young Cruella de Vil for Disney

Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, Emma Stone dished about what it's like to play a young Cruella de Vil for Disney. "It's pretty trippy. It's wild."

(Image credit: J. Almasi)

Fans are unbelievably excited to watch Emma Stone, who's phenomenal and OTT in all the best ways, as a young Cruella de Vil in a new Disney film. The film is apparently in the style of Wicked and Maleficent, giving context and maybe even a little empathy for the seemingly evil character (I have no idea how a puppy-killer is going to get empathy in this case? I mean...her last name is devil!!). When asked how she feels about playing a young version of the iconic character by Entertainment Tonight at the Zombieland: Double Tap premiere, "It's pretty trippy. It's wild," Stone said, and said she often finds herself on set thinking, "This is bananas."

Stone said she was drawing inspiration from the live-action Cruella in 101 Dalmatians in 1996—a.k.a. Glenn Close, who's great at being evil in any context—and the original 1961 animated film One Hundred and One Dalmatians. "I think she's obviously the GOAT," Stone explained of Close and her performance, "but I also have just loved the cartoon for a really long time."

"This comes before [Close's] story," she added. "This leads to her to where she becomes true greatness." So at the very least we know that Stone has some empathy for her own character, much like Close did for hers in Fatal Attraction

If you remember, there's a now-iconic shot of Stone as Cruella, looking like something out of the Gotham/Batman universe:

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And we also got some pics of Stone in costume on set (in a doll-like bright red wig, natch):

London Celebrity Sightings - September 1, 2019

(Image credit: J. Almasi)

London Celebrity Sightings - September 1, 2019

(Image credit: J. Almasi)

Her performance is going to be EPIC. May 28, 2021 cannot come soon enough.

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2g26wdh release date may 28, 2021 title cruella studio walt disney pictures director craig gillespie plot a live action prequel feature film following a young cruella de vil starring emma stone as cruella credit image © walt disney picturesentertainment pictures

(Image credit: Walt Disney Pictures/Entertainment Pictures)
Katherine J. Igoe
Contributor

Katherine’s a Boston-based contributor at Marie Claire who covers fashion, culture, and lifestyle—from “Clueless” to Everlane to news about Lizzo. She’s been a freelancer for 11 years and has had roles with Cosmopolitan and Bustle, with bylines in Parents, Seventeen, and elsewhere. It’s “I go to dinner,” not “Her huge ego,” but she responds to both.