Misty Copeland dazzles at 'Nutcracker and the Four Realms' premiere

Misty Copeland attends the Los Angeles premiere of "The Nutcracker and the Four Realms" on Monday. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI By Anni...

Misty Copeland attends the Los Angeles premiere of "The Nutcracker and the Four Realms" on Monday. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI

By Annie Martin, UPI

Misty Copeland dazzled on the red carpet Monday.

The 36-year-old ballet dancer attended the Los Angeles premiere of The Nutcracker and the Four Realms at the Ray Dolby Ballroom in Hollywood.

Copeland, who plays The Ballerina in the new film, wore a strapless pink dress with a full skirt and floral embellishment. She was all smiles as she twirled and posed for photos on the red carpet.

Director Lasse Hallstrom and stars Mackenzie Foy, Jayden Fowora-Knight and Morgan Freeman were also present at the event. Copeland had shared a video with Entertainment Tonight as she prepped for the premiere.

"It's Misty Copeland here in Los Angeles getting ready for the big day. It's the Disney Nutcracker and the Four Realms premiere," she told fans. "Just wanted to let you guys all come along with me on this busy day."

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms is based in part on Marius Petipa's The Nutcracker ballet. Copeland, who first danced in The Nutcracker as a teenager, recently told Popsugar she was honored to play The Ballerina in the new movie, especially as a woman of color.

"I just feel like my life's kind of come full circle," the star said.

"This is going to be something that lives on in this film," she added of her casting. "That people will look at this brown ballerina, and it won't be a brown ballerina. It'll just be, 'That's a ballerina. That's what a ballerina looks like.'"

Copeland was the first African-American woman to be named principal dancer at the prestigious American Ballet Theatre. She announced her casting in The Nutcracker and the Four Realms in July 2016.

"I'm thrilled to be a part of this amazing project with Disney and the wonderful Lasse Hallstrom. #TheNutcracker," she said at the time.

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms co-stars Keira Knightley and opens in theaters Friday.