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Fairy tales come to the big screen

Courtesy+of+Mark+Shulte
Peter Mountain
Courtesy of Mark Shulte

This coming Christmas, movie theaters will be graced with tales of Cinderella, Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, and Jack and the Beanstalk with Disney Studios’ motion-picture event, “Into the Woods.”

Originally a Stephen Sondheim Broadway musical, “Into the Woods” makes the leap to the big screen with big talent including Johnny Depp as the Wolf and Meryl Streep as the Witch. The plot weaves together some of the most popular Brothers Grimm fairy tales to into one grand story, all centered on the Baker and the Baker’s Wife (James Corden and Emily Blunt).

I recently had the opportunity to participate in a college conference call with the actors playing Cinderella and Cinderella’s Prince. Anna Kendrick (Cinderella) is known for her work in several films, including “Up in the Air,” the “Twilight” saga, and “Pitch Perfect.” Chris Pine (Cinderella’s Prince) has acted in numerous films as well, such as “Unstoppable,” the “Star Trek” films, and “Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit.”

The call started with a warm and attentive reception from Pine, who then received the first question. Pine, having previously performed country music, was asked about the difference between the genre and the musical theater genre. Pine answered by noting the specificity of the musical theater genre and its sound, stating, “it is obviously quite different than something like the country music I did before.” He cited his co-stars who helped him in the transition: “I had a lot of incredibly talented people who had worked in this medium before, from Anna to Meryl.” Pine expressed his gratitude for the other actors in the film and their willingness to impart their wisdom.

Courtesy of Mark Shulte
Courtesy of Mark Shulte

When Kendrick arrived, the two co-stars quickly exchanged humorous comments with each another before settling in for the next question. With many adaptations of fairy tales being made, it begs the question of why these types of stories are so engaging for such a wide audience. Kendrick referred to the larger themes the movie possesses, which add to its mass appeal, “the whole piece is really about parents and children . . . and the failings of parents.”

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Kendrick said that the film is based on the stories parents tell their children – tales that their parents had told them years before. She continued by stressing the importance of the parent-child relationship; parents must remember that their children do listen.

The conversation turned towards the actors’ experience on set, especially working with the other stars working on the movie. Pine made sure to point out how important it was to work with a director like Rob Marshall, known for other movie-musicals like “Chicago,” and “Nine.” As Pine put it, “[Rob Marshall] really helped infuse the project with a sense of community, so we’re all kind of on the same page.”

From the community on set, to the interaction between actor and character, both actors expressed how they took on such iconic roles. Pine describes the Prince as “two-dimensional” compared to the other characters in the film, but he enjoyed the process of developing the character. Kendrick noted Rob Marshall’s inclination to show these classic characters in a “modern sensibility.” She described her Cinderella as “over-thinking” everything, something relatable to many women of today.

Kendrick and Pine closed the conversation with more back-and-forth jokes, hinting at the chemistry that will be seen on screen.

The two actors did an excellent job sharing their experience with the movie and what it offers to all audiences. Disney’s Into the Woods hits theaters Dec. 25.

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