Staunton and Richardson to Play Fairies in ‘Maleficent’

Disney’s upcoming live-action fantasy Maleficent has made a few more cast announcements. Angelina Jolie is already set to play the titular character—the villainess in the Sleeping Beauty story. Now Heat Vision is reporting that Imelda Staunton, Miranda Richardson, Sharlto Copley, Kenneth Cranham, Sam Riley and Lesley Manville are also on board. The pic will be directed by Robert Stromberg. India Eisley (Secret Life of the American Teenager) will play the young version of Jolie’s character.

Staunton and Manville will be playing Knotgrass and Flittle, respectively, two of the three fairies that end up taking care of Aurora. Richardson will play Queen Ulla, “a Fairy Queen who is Maleficent’s aunt with a dislike of her niece,” Cranham will play the human king who plots to conquer the fairy kingdom, and Riley will portray Diaval, “a raven who changes into human form and is Maleficent’s right hand.” Copley will star as Stefan, “the half-human, half-fairy bastard son of the human king.”

The movie begins shooting next month in London. Maleficent is slated to open on March 14th, 2014.

(left) Imelda Staunton and (right) Miranda Richardson

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