The Women In ‘Cruella’ Are Rebellious, Messy, Ambitious, And Absolutely The Stars

When Disney announced it was making a live-action movie about Cruella De Vil, people were confused.

Obviously, Disney would be humanising their iconic villain, but how much could we ever really empathise with a woman who wants to kill and skin puppies to make a fur coat?

But Disney’s Cruella succeeds because it trades in heart-warming fairy tales for a gritty origin story about revenge, rebellion, and individualism.

“I was born brilliant, born bad, and a little bit mad”

In the opening scenes, we learn Cruella’s real name is Estella. Cruella is actually a nickname her mum uses when she’s acting rebellious. And Estella rebels a lot. She fights bullies, she disobeys her teachers, and she ignores her school’s unimaginative dress code.

Cruella becomes a sort of moral code for her, a reminder to stay low and keep out of trouble. She tries to “be Estella” because being who she really is gets her in trouble.

But it’s also responsible for everything good in her life: she’s an outsider with a brilliant mind and an incredible talent for fashion, and she finds a family, a prestigious job, and a mentor when she indulges her rebellious side.

“From the very beginning I realised I saw the world differently than everyone else. That didn’t sit well with some people,” Estella says early on. “But I wasn’t for everyone.”

Estella is ambitious, and Cruella makes things happen. It’s exciting to watch, and you know the action’s about to kick off when Cruella’s signature hair and punk fashion swoop into a scene.

“We’re just getting started, darling”

The only person who appreciates Cruella is the Baroness von Hellman, who rewards her incredible talent for design with a job at her influential fashion line.

When their relationship turns sour, Cruella vows revenge against the Baroness and they fight the way they know best: through fashion. Their rivalry is messy, with each woman staging increasingly dramatic stunts to upstage the other. They become the stars of London’s fashion scene as the entire city watches to see what they do next.

And it works so well because Emma Stone and Emma Thompson are both powerful women who play off each other’s snarky wit perfectly. The Emma vs Emma rivalry explores the power of ambition when we’re not afraid to back ourselves – and get a little dirty doing it.

Watching Cruella fight for fame, glory, and revenge is a nice reminder that we’re allowed to go after what we want, no matter how messy it might get.

“I’m Cruella”

All her life, Estella is told Cruella is the villain. Only Estella sees her as the hero.

What else would you expect when a little girl with big dreams grows up being told she’s too ambitious? It’s no wonder Estella rebels by designing glorious outfits and causing spectacle that can stop a city in its tracks.

The only other person who embraces her particular strain of chaotic accomplishment is the Baroness.

“You can’t care about anyone else,” the Baroness tells Estella. “Everyone else is an obstacle. You care what an obstacle wants or feels, you’re dead.”

“You have the talent. Whether you have the killer instinct is the big question.”

Not that we should all vow revenge on the people who screw us over, but maybe it’s time we get a little bit brilliant, bad, and mad.

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Don’t miss Disney’s Cruella in cinemas now and on Disney+ with Premier Access. Find out more at disneycruella.com.au.

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Images courtesy of Disney