Earlier this month, we reported that Disney The beauty and the Beast receives its own television special called Beauty and the Beast: 30th Anniversary Celebration. The cast was not announced at the time. Now the upcoming special has found its beauty! Singer, Grammy Award Winner HER will take on the role of one of the main characters of the special issue. HER is the first cast reveal and there’s more to come.
HER is an award-winning R&B singer who received her first Grammy Award for Best R&B Album in 2019 for her self-titled release. In 2021, her song “Better Than I Imagine” won the Best R&B Song award, while her powerful single “I Can’t Breathe” won Song of the Year. Most recently, her single “Fight for You” was released, which was featured in Judas and the Black Messiahwon a Grammy for Best Traditional R&B Performance and an Oscar for Best Original Song.
Beauty and the Beast: 30th Anniversary Celebration will be a two-hour special celebrating the 30th anniversary of the original film’s Oscar nomination in 1992. It will be a hybrid of live action and animation, paying homage to the classic animated film and its legacy. The special edition will feature live performances of songs from the original film, new sets and costumes inspired by the film, and special never-before-seen musical performances that will add their own set of surprises for viewers.
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The special is an executive producer John M. Chu (in the heights), Hamish Hamilton, Caitlin Foito, Raj Kapoor, Richard Kraftas well as Cathy Mullan. Done+Dusted is co-produced with Walt Disney Television Alternative and Electric Somewhere. Hamilton serves as director.
About the HER casting, the statement says:
“I can’t believe that I will be part of the Beauty and the Beast legacy. The world will see the black and Filipino beauty! I’ve always wanted to be a Disney princess and I got to work with two amazing directors Hamish Hamilton and my favorite John M. Chu. It’s very surreal and I’m very grateful.”
Chu added:
“With her evident extraordinary talent and stage presence, SHE is the perfect embodiment of our Beauty and we are thrilled to have the audience see her at this festival of creativity. collaborate together to honor the craftsmanship of this timeless classic, while also inspiring a whole new generation of creators.”
Beauty and the Beast: 30th Anniversary Celebration premieres on ABC on Thursday, December 15 at 8:00 pm ET, and the next day on Disney+. In the meantime, check out the trailer for the animated film below:
Source: Collider
