'Belle' star Gugu Mbatha-Raw describes her 'Cinderella moment'

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The upcoming film Belle is actress Gugu Mbatha Raw’s first as a featured lead.

The British actress talked to theGrio.com’s  Carrie Healey about her “Cinderella moment'”while filming.  Fox Searchlight also provided theGrio.com an exclusive clip to premiere.

Based on a true story from the 18th Century, Belle explores the life of Dido Belle Lindsay (Mbatha-Raw), the illegitimate mixed-race daughter of a Royal Navy Admiral, Captain Sir John Lindsay (Matthew Goode).

Throughout the film, actresses wore spectacular gowns. Mbatha-Raw told theGrio her “Cinderella moment” occurred while filming an outdoor ball scene, in which she wore a blue gown.

The actress said even though the clothing looked so beautiful, she gained an understanding of how women felt during that time period — “constrained and repressed.”

During the film, Dido finds herself in the care of her great-uncle, Lord Chief Justice Mansfield (Tom Wilkinson) and his wife (Emily Watson) at an early age. The young lady finds herself struggling with the privilege she was afforded at birth and the noble views that prevent her from participating in most common traditions.

While her cousin, Elizabeth (Sarah Gadon) is searching for a suitor, Belle questions whether she will ever marry. After spending more and more time with a vicar’s son, Belle and the young man influence Lord Mansfield’s decision on a major English court case that has the potential to bring about the beginning of the end of slavery in England.

The film is based on a portrait of Dido, who is shown as an equal to Lady Elizabeth Murray, Lord Mansfield’s great-niece.

Directed by Amma Asante, the Fox Searchlight film hits theaters this Friday, but you can watch an exclusive clip below. Dido discusses freedom and marriage with the vicar’s son, John Davinier (Sam Reid):

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Follow Carrie Healey on Twitter @CarrieHeals.