Lily James wants to do away with her 'Cinderella' image

Lily James says playing the title role in "Cinderella" was a "happy association" but she has reached a point where she wants to shed the image one associates with the Disney heroine.

The actor, who starred in Kenneth Branagh's 2015 retelling of the classic fairytale, said she is actively seeking out different characters now.

"'Cinderella' was a gift, and I will treasure it for the rest of my life. But I wore a dress for the 'Mamma Mia!' premiere that was blue and white and quite pouffy, and when I got out on the red carpet, all anyone said was 'Oh it's Cinderella!'.

"It's a happy association, but also something that you want to shed at some point... The blonde, sweet thing is so not me. I'm actively seeking characters from now on that are different, who don't rely on charm or the qualities that I think I've explored quite a lot," James told Harper's Bazaar UK.

The actor will next be seen in the theatrical version of "All About Eve" as the twisted eponymous character of Eve Harrington.

She hoped the audience will get a glimpse of her versatility with the part.

"She's definitely a pathological liar, and there's a lot of nastiness in her I can't wait. It will be good if I can really surprise the audience.

"But I hope our roles don't seep into real life. I did hear from someone who worked with Ivo - van Hove, the play's director - that he encouraged a sense of the character in their real relationships," James said.