Chilling Twist on Cinderella: ‘The Ugly Stepsister’ Turns Classic Tale into Horror

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A Harsh Tale and an Unexpected Heroine

In a kingdom where beauty is everything, young Elvira faces fierce competition in her quest to win the prince’s heart. Among her rivals is her half-sister, a woman of staggering beauty. To succeed in this ruthless pursuit of physical perfection, Elvira must resort to the most drastic measures…

In her debut feature film, Norwegian director Emilie Blichfeldt reimagines the Cinderella story through a dark and biting lens. What starts as a fairy tale dream quickly turns into a nightmare in a world where looks are supreme and love is earned through cosmetic surgery.

Lea Myren (Kids in Crime) delivers a heart-wrenching performance as Elvira, facing off against the unbearable perfection of Thea Sofie Loch Næss (La Palma) as Cinderella. Ane Dahl Torp (The Grace) plays a cold and calculating stepmother, while Isac Calmroth (Evil), as a not-so-charming prince, completes this compelling yet oppressive tableau.

When the Body Becomes a Nightmare

Drawing inspiration from body horror, The Ugly Stepsister takes the obsession with appearance to an extreme. Echoing films like The Substance and Toxic, this movie literally dissects what women endure to meet beauty standards. Mutilations, vomiting, worms—each transformation becomes an act of pain as much as a hope to fit into a mold.

Yet, rather than descending into grotesque aesthetics, Emilie Blichfeldt elevates this horror with polished artistic direction. Lavish costumes, baroque settings, and purple lighting contrasts starkly with the rawness of the visuals. This juxtaposition between the sublime and the unbearable intensifies the narrative’s tension.

A Feminist Reinterpretation

Amid its darkness, The Ugly Stepsister unfolds a potent feminist critique. Elvira, typically cast as the “evil sister,” emerges as a tragic heroine, crushed by social expectations and the pursuit of an unattainable ideal.

Similar to Wicked, Cruella, and Maleficent, the film provides a voice to a character traditionally unheard. It challenges the dynamics of female rivalry, often imposed by the male gaze. What if Cinderella wasn’t as innocent as we thought? What if she and the “villains” were victims of a system that leaves women only two choices: to please or to disappear?

Through Elvira, The Ugly Stepsister exposes the cruelty of dominant narratives and the need to dismantle fixed roles. Behind the jealousy lies loneliness, and beyond “ugliness,” perhaps a struggle to exist differently.

Horrific and modern, The Ugly Stepsister is available in theaters now.