entertainment
It still makes my blood boil
By Chelsea Candelario
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Published Oct 23, 2024
I hadn't seenThe Princess Diariesin over ten years. Although I have the scenes and lines memorized at this point, it had been a while since I sat and watched the whole thing in full.So when I recently did just that,I was relieved that it still held up (despite myshiftingviews on the makeover scene—there is nothing wrong with Mia Thermopolis's frizzy curly locks!), but there was one thing Irealizedabout the 2001 film:whothe true villainis.
See, you can point to a ton of villains in the movie. Queen Clarisse for not being a more centralcharacterinMia'slife. Mia's mother for not telling her about her lineage. Her late father for withholding this big secret long before he died (though her finding the letter later in the movie is very muchMia's ownfault). You can evenconsiderthe obvious 'villains'whowanted to seeour princessfail: her bullies (Y2K Mandy is amazing though) and other royal familiesvyingfor the crown.
However, there is only one TRUE villain of this film and it's Miss Lilly Moscovitz. She was actually a terrible best friend and by far the worst character.At 7 years old,I never realized just how awful she was to Mia. Don't believe me? Herearethree instances when she wasthe toxic friendyou wish she left in high school.
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1. Telling Mia to Get Over Her Dad's Death
This was the first moment in the movie where I wanted to throwmyremote at the TV. Ithappened early on, afterMia already found out that she was the true heir of Genovia and was coming to grips with learning about this news from her estranged grandmother. While walking with Lilly, thetopicof her father came up. Mia says, "At least your dad's still alive,"to which Lilly responds, "Hey, Ithought you got over that. It's been two months."
I'm sorry, what? Grief doesn't have an off switch. Whether you lost a person yesterday or 20 years ago, you may never get over their death. It's not something you can 'get over.' I was beyond shocked to hear that,especially coming from her best friend. Maybe Lilly should spend time readingour article,Things Not to Say to Someone Who's Grieving, huh?
Fact: Lilly was a big time hater. If my BFF got a new haircut or was sporting makeup for the first time, I would be hyping her up. Mia's so-called bestie let her jealously show and was berating the princess of Genovia once she saw her transformation. Mia had the biggest smile on her face, but it went away the second Lilly says, "Oi. Who destroyed you? You look ridiculous, you should sue." Gut-wrenching.
If I was Mia, I would've told Joe to drive away and never look back. But instead she listened to Lilly tell her how awful, selfish and different she is. The 'quirky' character didn't even notice her friend was crying right next to her. I wish Joe's powerful words would've been a wake up call for Mia, but alas, she still kept Lilly around.
No one can ever make you feel inferior without your consent.
Joe (The Best Character)
Walt Disney Pictures
3. Taking Advantage Of Mia's Royal Title
Again, Lilly is a HUGE hater. First, she was upset that Mia was hiding something and practically forced Mia to reveal her royal title. Her attitude immediatelychangedafter discovering the secretand then she had the nerve to try to use itto her advantage.
There was never a 'How are you feeling? What do you need from me?' Lilly only wanted to make her a guest on her talk show and exploit her secret. And when Mia misses the show, I understand why Lilly was upset. Her best friend made a promise and broke it. But she could've a) reminded her b) told her how she felt in a respectable way. I never understood how Mia didn't stand up for herself. Not only was she played by a boy she liked(who she later found was a total sleaze),butshe was also trying to navigate thisnewfoundfame and Lilly didn't once try to see it from her point of view.
Walt Disney Pictures
Honestly, I can go on, but you get the gist—Lilly was toxic!Iunderstand thatthey had been friends since childhood, but that doesn't excuse bad behavior. She never apologized to Mia, constantly gaslighted her and wasnever held accountableforher actions.
It makes me second guess the sequel and how I wish Mia would've left her behind once she got to Genovia. While I admit she was a bit tamer in The Princess Diaries 2, I can't help but wonder how it would've been if she wasn't in it at all. Even the actress who plays Lilly, Heather Matarazz, knows she wasn't the best.
Back in 2022, it wasannounced that athird movie was in the works and I'm beyond excited. I hope everyone returns(including thisfan-favorite character), but I would be just fine if Miss Lilly couldn't make apit stop in Genovia. Though if I want Mia's first love, Michael, to makea cameo, I might have to grit my teeth and bear an appearance by his awful sister. Here's hoping she learned how to be a better friend over the years.
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Chelsea Candelario
Beauty and Cultures Editor
- Writes trend stories, product reviews and how-tos across beauty, cultures, fashion and entertainment
- Over 5 years of experience as a Beauty Editor
- Studied journalism with a minor in creative writing at SUNY New Paltz
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