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Ella Purnell has replaced India Eisley as the teenage Maleficent

posted 11 years ago by pmfg_pan
9 replies | jump to latest

Ella Purnell has quietly replaced India Eisley as the teenaged Maleficent. Eisley more strongly resembles Angelina but Purnell is the more experienced actress. The studio decided to reshoot the younger Maleficent's scenes with Purnell taking over the role. Purnell was most recently seen in Kick-Ass 2. Another actress, Isobelle Molloy, plays the pre-teen Maleficent.

The inevitable conclusion is that upon review, Eisley's performance was found wanting, and arrayed against an impressive assemblage of dramatic talent, it would have stuck out like a sore thumb. Its a sad development for her but a big break for Purnell.
http://fussyeye.blogspot.com/2013/10/bits.html

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[–] Naughty-God 11 years ago

Interesting to read that Eisley was dropped, or more accurately, re-shot with a new actress.

I wonder if the movie itself has been test screening negatively overall hence the delayed release?

[–] pmfg_pan 11 years ago

They did a few test-screenings. But the people who saw it and then commented on it didn't mention anything negative about it.

So I think that it more the people from the studios who had issues with the opening and therefore they decided to reshoot it.

[–] pmfg_pan 11 years ago

I posted the same thread in India Eisley's board. But someone replied a different version of the story.

According to the reality of the production itself, Ms. Eisley was kept in London for 21/2 months shooting all but one short scene in the mentioned production of Maleficent. Paid her contracted fee and returned back to LA. Then later learned she had been replaced by an 8 year old actress which obviously did not work out. She then was off to South Africa to shoot the film "Kite" in the lead role along side Samuel Jackson which releases late summer of 2014. The "powers " in charge of Maleficent later in the 11th hour brought Ms. Parnell in to re-shoot the character with a total re-write to the version Ms. Eisley had previously shot.According to sources Ms.Eisley's performance was never in question but her age and stunning appearance most definitely came into play in the final decision making.

Fact, not fiction....
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2086223/board/thread/220774119?d=227568436# 227568436