Ethereal enough as a mere mortal, Keira Knightley will play an actual sprite. According to Variety, Knightly will take on the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy in Disney’s upcoming The Nutcracker And The Four Realms. The adaptation of the classic tale, a staple of ballet schools everywhere, is set to be directed by Lasse Hallström, but don’t necessarily expect Knightley to be stepping into any pointe shoes or going all Natalie Portman in Black Swan to prepare. The movie will be light on the pirouetting, with the principal duties going to famed American Ballet Theatre star Misty Copeland. However, we’re going to assume that at some point during the movie we’ll hear Tchaikovsky’s iconic “Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy” as Knightley appears on screen. (Now enjoy having that stuck in your head for the rest of the day.)
Aside from Copeland, Knightley joins a cast that reportedly includes Mackenzie Foy—a.k.a. baby Murph from Interstellar—as the protagonist Clara, and Morgan Freeman as her godfather Drosselmeyer.