I walked away from "Elle: A Modern Cinderella Tale" feeling quite let down. It seems like Sterling Knight made choices early on that didn't do him any favors; he ended up in roles that seemed to hold him back and stopped him from reaching his full potential as an actor. The actress playing “CinderELLa” just wasn’t good, and it really made watching the film a chore. She didn’t seem to have what it takes, and her singing was equally uninspired—she simply couldn't bring the necessary spark or presence to make Cinderella believable. Her performance felt flat and unimaginative; she didn't possess the personality needed to keep viewers engaged. The slow speed of everything she did only made things worse. What’s more, her attempt at a British accent was so badly done that it seemed almost insulting. Someone needs to be held accountable for casting her, and I don't think the director should have let this version of Cinderella get released in such bad shape. It really damaged the story; the whole thing was just poorly made.

Source on TMDB