Richard Madden jokes that Cinderella's Lily James 'eats like a boy!'

Cinderella lead actress Lily James wants to promote a healthy body image.IMDb

Cinderella lead actress Lily James might have an incredibly small waist but it's not because she's starving herself.  Co-star Richard Madden can attest to the fact that the actress "eats like a boy!"

The two spoke with HuffPost Live earlier this week and confronted critics of Cinderella's tiny waistline, with James saying that she has had enough of it.

"On one hand, it's upsetting. On the other hand, it's just boring. Why do women always get pointed at for their bodies? And why is this whole thing happening that I'm constantly having to justify myself? International Women's Day has just gone, and it just feels just a bit sad that it's still happening. And, you know, I'm very healthy and I always have been," she said.

Madden came to James' rescue and said that the actress does not deserve any of the negative comments hurled her way. "I can vouch for Lily on this. That's her real waist. I held it. I know how tiny it was. And she did eat. She eats like a boy!" he laughed.

The actress added that she "shouldn't have to" deal with people who have a problem with her body since she has not starved herself or been on any crazy diet to stay slim.

"Obviously I haven't been under such a limelight before, but I really have been lucky because I've always had a very healthy attitude towards my body, so that's why in a way it's confusing me, because I don't feel like it's an issue. And it's a costume!" she said.

And while it was difficult wearing Sandy Powell's creation because of the corset and voluminous skirt, James loved it nonetheless. "I felt like a princess wearing it," she gushed.