Cruella featured not one, but three versions of the character at various ages. Here is who plays the two other Cruellas in the film before Emma Stone.
Cruella made quite the splash when it was released in May and, in addition to Emma Stone playing the titular character, the live-action saw two other actresses take on the role of the younger Cruella. The film follows the origin story of the woman who would become Cruella, the dog-hating villain from the 1961 animated film One Hundred and One Dalmatians (based on the novel of the same name).
Cruella goes way back to the early days of the titular character’s life, back when she was simply known as Estella to her mother and classmates. The film’s story unfolds in chronological order, with actress Billie Gadsdon first portraying Estella at the age of five. Gadsdon is still at the beginning of her acting career, but she’s already appeared in a handful of notable TV shows and movies, including the Apple TV+ series Trying, starring Rafe Spall, Imelda Staunton, and Esther Smith, Genius, Quiz, and the upcoming film Nocebo starring Eva Green and Mark Strong. Gadsdon has also guest starred in the Starz series The Spanish Princess where she played Princess Mary in three episodes.
Gadsdon’s turn as Cruella wasn’t as prominent, however, as Tipper Seifert-Cleveland, who played Estella at 12 years old. Seifert-Cleveland had a pretty impressive resume prior to Cruella, having guest starred in HBO’s Game of Thrones, the movie The Little Stranger alongside Domhnall Gleeson, Ruth Wilson, and Will Poulter. Seifert-Cleveland also starred in the film Emily and the Magical Journey. However, she is perhaps best known to audiences for her role as Ona in the DC TV series Krypton that aired on Syfy for two seasons. Ona was a Kryptonian who knew Superman’s grandfather Seg-El whose parents used to babysit her.
Seifert-Cleveland’s other roles include stints in Call the Midwife and Doc Martin. It’s unclear what's next for the actress, but it’s likely she will continue growing her resume. The actress' iteration of Cruella, who had a sizable role in the film, had already lost her mother, ending up in London where she ultimately met and befriended Jasper and Horace. Seifert-Cleveland’s Estella is precocious and mischievous, quickly learning how to fend for herself. The actress caught the attention of viewers for her strong and memorable portrayal of the Disney character, who was hired after director Craig Gillespie saw in her the spunk and defiance needed for this particular role.
And despite 12-year-old Cruella not being the focal point of the film, it’s possible Seifert-Cleveland could reprise her role as the younger version of the character in Cruella 2, perhaps appearing in a flashback to the character’s youth that could be integral to further understanding her motivations. It would also aid in giving Cruella further character development. The sequel was given the greenlight by Disney after the film’s success at the box office and on Disney+’s Premier Access, with Emma Stone expected to reprise the titular role. Whether or not Seifert-Cleveland or Gadsdon will appear is unclear (and doubtful), but their portrayals of young Cruella certainly made an impression the first time around.
