The Princess Diaries was the ultimate Disney film that started a whole new trend of princess films. Girls couldn’t have enough of this beautiful world, where there are castles, a prince, and a lovely land full of adventure! The novel series creation of Meg Cabot made moviegoers fall in love with her fairy-tale-ish story, and Garry Marshall brought to screen a whole new different world.
With this film, Anne Hathaway made her debut and has never looked back since then. Of course, there has been a second installment to the movie Princess Diaries 2: A Royal Engagement, and the sequel was even better. With the third installment hitting the screen sometime soon, we are waiting to invade the princess-like world yet again. So, here are some facts about our favorite movie to mull over the good old times.
You Can’t Ignore the Pretty Woman References.
Well, if you think that The Princess Diaries reminds you of the popular movie Pretty Woman, you are not alone. Garry Marshall directed both the movies, and you will find many references in the Princess Diaries movies all over.
You may spot the wonderful actor Hector Elizondo playing key roles in both the films, one as Joe in the Princess Diaries films and as the manager Barnard in Pretty Woman. There is another actor, Allan Kent, the bemused waiter who went onto play key roles in both films. Also, some of the dinner scenes are very similar. The gawky protagonists are trying to learn the ways of high society. We grin and mouth the very lines that Kent says, ‘it happens all the time.’
Anne Hathaway Trumps Liv Tyler to Take The Lead Role
Anne Hathaway became an overnight star with the film. We also cannot imagine any other actor playing the role. However, many vying for the coveted role (Princess Mia), including Liv Tyler, yet Hathaway got the role much to her delight. She claimed she got the role, mainly because she was clumsy! It was also because she and the director, Garry Marshall, hit off right at the start.
Anne hilariously recalls how she almost fell off the chair. She was so nervous, and that kind of sealed the deal for her. Well, Mia in the film has to show her gauche, clumsy self in the initial part of the film, and Hathaway fits the bill and how! All she took was one audition, and she snapped the role!
The Change of Name From Princess Of Tribeca to Princess Diaries
The Princess Diaries film was originally not going to share a name with the book series. It was supposed to be called the ‘The Princess of Tribeca” when the film began its filming journey. However, as the shooting went on, the name felt a little out of place as it did not have the same ring.
As the book series is set in New York with Mia’s father playing the guiding force in her life, there were other changes. However, Director Garry Marshall changed the locations and scrapped the character, and instead went on to add Julie Andrews’ role as Queen Clarisse and gave the role a larger ring. Since Tribeca no longer made any sense and the movie’s name became as we know it now, The Princess Diaries.
Disney Diversion From The Books
The Princess Diaries film mostly followed The Princess Diaries books. We guess the writer Meg Cabot would be happy with the way the first film shaped out. Apart from a few changes, the film stuck to the original flavor of the book.
However, things changed with the sequel Princess Diaries 2: The Royal Engagement. Cabot mentioned in one of her blogs, the main plot strayed away from her sequel Princess in the Spotlight.
Disney wrote the original story. It was a natural extension to the second part, Princess Diaries 2, where Princess Mia finds out what it feels like to wear the crown and be the princess of the place, Genovia.
Some of Cabot’s fans were upset with the change of track. But Cabot went on to encourage everyone to go and see the film, insisting the film was great. Well, these are some of the interesting tidbits about the popular film franchise The Princess Diaries. We are excited to find out what’s next on the list for Princess Mia, any ideas?
