Netflix’s Steps Is the Cinderella Story We’ve Been Waiting For — and Amanda Seyfried Was Born to Play This Role

Forget everything you thought you knew about the glass slipper story. Netflix has just confirmed that Academy Award-nominated actress Amanda Seyfried will voice Cinderella in Steps — the studio’s boldest reimagining of the classic fairy tale yet. With Ali Wong and Stephanie Hsu leading the film as the “evil” stepsisters, and Amy Poehler producing, this is shaping up to be Netflix Animation’s most exciting original feature in years.

Steps : Everything You Need to Know

What’s Steps the Story?

In a twist on Cinderella’s evil stepsisters, the film follows Lilith, who is blamed for hijacking the Royal Ball with a stolen magic wand. She accidentally turns her sister Margot into a frog and leaves the kingdom in the hands of a prince-obsessed mean girl. Now Lilith must team up with Cinderella and a surprisingly dreamy troll to save the kingdom, repair the fractured fairytale, and prove that even so-called “villains” deserve a shot at happily ever after. Variety

It’s a clever, overdue reframe — think Wicked energy filtered through the sharp, irreverent comedy sensibility of its lead voice cast. The stepsisters aren’t villains. They’re misunderstood, complicated, and frankly far more interesting than they’ve ever been allowed to be.

Director Alyce Tzue described the story’s core as being “about two very different sisters — one who fits perfectly into this fairytale kingdom and one who doesn’t — realizing they’re more alike than different.” Animation World Network That’s a theme with real emotional weight, and in the hands of this creative team, it’s going to land.

Steps : Cast Is a Knockout

Amanda Seyfried as Cinderella — This isn’t Seyfried’s first time in a voice booth. She previously voiced characters in Epic (2013) and Scoob! (2020), but Cinderella is by far her most iconic animated role yet. The directors were clear about why they needed Seyfried specifically: “We wanted to create a modern heroine complete with flaws and coping mechanisms, and Amanda immediately understood the task. Her portrayal of Cinderella is hilarious and heartbreaking and, most importantly, refreshingly human.” Netflix Tudum

Ali Wong as Lilith — The Beef and Always Be My Maybe star is the comedic engine of the film. Wong has proven time and again she can balance sharp humour with genuine emotional vulnerability — exactly what a “misunderstood villain” needs.

Stephanie Hsu as Margot — Fresh off Everything Everywhere All at Once, Hsu brings the kind of layered, expressive performance that made her an overnight sensation. The fact that her character spends much of the film as a frog only makes the casting more inspired.

Produced by Amy Poehler under her Paper Kite Productions banner, Steps has creative credibility stamped all over it. For all the latest on Netflix’s 2026 animation slate, check out TechnoSports’ Netflix coverage.

Why Steps Could Be Netflix Animation’s Biggest Win Yet?

Netflix Animation has been building toward a genuine statement film for years. Steps — first announced all the way back in 2020 — has had a long gestation, but every new detail that’s emerged suggests the wait has been worth it. NAS Vancouver also unveiled its brand-new campus as production on the film ramps up, What’s on Netflix signalling that Netflix is investing seriously in its animation infrastructure around this release.

Fan reaction to the first-look images has been overwhelmingly enthusiastic, with viewers pointing out that the animation style — vibrant, stylised, distinctly modern — looks unlike anything Disney or DreamWorks has offered recently. That’s exactly the kind of differentiation Netflix Animation needs.

No confirmed release date beyond “2026” just yet, but as details drop, TechnoSports will have every update.

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