You know the scene. Cinderella is standing there, hopeful, wearing a dress she spent all night sewing with the help of some very talented mice. Then, in a flurry of pink and green silk, her dreams are literally shredded. Anastasia and Drizella—the quintessential "ugly stepsisters"—cemented themselves as the villains we love to hate in Disney's 1950 classic.
But if you haven’t looked at these two since you were a kid, you’re missing the weirdest character arc in animation history. Honestly, calling them "ugly" was always more about their souls than their faces.
They were designed to be grotesque mirrors of Cinderella’s grace. Drizella, with her sharp features and sickly green palette, was always the more aggressive of the two. Anastasia, the one in pink with the curls, often seemed like she was just along for the ride.
The Evolution of Cinderella Anastasia and Drizella
For decades, they were just one-dimensional bullies. They existed to make Cinderella look like a saint. Then the 2000s hit, and Disney decided to give the Tremaine family some actual depth.
It started in Cinderella II: Dreams Come True. This is where the paths of the sisters diverged forever. Anastasia falls in love. Not with a prince, but with a humble baker.
Lady Tremaine, predictably, is disgusted. She wants status, not sourdough. Drizella follows her mother’s lead, mocking Anastasia for wanting to marry "down."
But here’s the kicker: Anastasia chooses love.
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She rebels. She actually apologizes to Cinderella. It’s one of the few times a classic Disney villain gets a genuine, grounded redemption arc that doesn't involve dying or magic. She just chooses to be a better person because she found someone who liked her for being herself.
Why Anastasia Changed and Drizella Didn’t
Why did the writers pick Anastasia for the "good" sister? If you look at the character design, it makes sense.
- Anastasia: More rounded features, warmer colors (pink/purple). She’s animated with more expressive, "softer" eyes.
- Drizella: Sharper angles, cold colors (lime green/yellow). She looks more like her mother, Lady Tremaine.
In Cinderella III: A Twist in Time, the stakes get even higher. This movie is basically a "What If?" scenario where the glass slipper is magically forced onto Anastasia’s foot.
Even with the crown in her reach, Anastasia can’t go through with it. At the altar, she looks at the Prince—who is literally under a spell to love her—and says no. She realizes that being forced to be someone else isn't worth the throne.
Drizella, meanwhile? She’s cheering for the chaos. She stays the "evil" twin to the bitter end, eventually getting turned into a toad (briefly) and ending up as a palace scullery maid. Talk about a reversal of fortune.
Grimm Reality: The Original Sisters
If you think the Disney versions were mean, the original Brothers Grimm story will keep you up at night. In that version, the sisters aren't just rude—they’re desperate.
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When the prince arrives with the slipper, the mother tells one sister to cut off her toe to make it fit. She tells the other to cut off her heel. "When you are Queen, you will no longer have to go on foot," she tells them.
It almost works.
The Prince rides off with the "bride" until some birds point out the blood dripping from the shoe. It’s grisly. And the ending? At Cinderella’s wedding, those same birds peck out the sisters' eyes.
Disney’s version where they just have to do laundry seems pretty chill by comparison.
Key Differences Between the Sisters
| Feature | Anastasia Tremaine | Drizella Tremaine |
|---|---|---|
| Signature Color | Pink / Magenta | Lime Green / Yellow |
| Hair Style | Long red curls | Short dark ringlets |
| Temperament | Insecure, eventually romantic | Vain, aggressive, haughty |
| Final Fate | Finds true love with the Baker | Becomes a scullery maid |
| Defining Moment | Rejecting the Prince at the altar | Ripping the beads off Cinderella’s neck |
Why They Still Matter in Pop Culture
The dynamic between Cinderella, Anastasia, and Drizella is basically the blueprint for every "mean girl" trope in history. They represent the toxic side of sibling rivalry—specifically the kind fueled by a parent's unrealistic expectations.
Lady Tremaine didn't love her daughters; she used them as chess pieces.
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Drizella stayed a pawn. Anastasia became a player.
That’s why people still talk about them. We’ve all felt like the "lesser" sibling at some point, or felt the pressure to perform for a parent who is never satisfied. Anastasia’s story resonates because she escaped the cycle.
What You Can Learn From the Tremaine Sisters
If you're looking for a takeaway from this family mess, it’s all about agency.
- Question your influences. Drizella never questioned her mother, and she ended up bitter and scrubbin' floors.
- Redemption is a choice. Anastasia’s change wasn't a magic spell; it was a series of hard decisions to stop being a jerk.
- Aesthetics aren't destiny. You can be coded as a "villain" and still choose to be the hero of your own side-story.
If you want to see this evolution for yourself, skip the first movie and go straight to Cinderella III. It's surprisingly high-stakes for a direct-to-video sequel. You’ll never look at the "ugly stepsisters" the same way again.
Check out the original Perrault and Grimm texts if you want to see just how much Disney sanitized the story. The contrast between the 1697 version and the 2007 movie is wild. It shows how we've moved from wanting villains to suffer to wanting them to grow.