One of the most influential and important Disney princesses of all time is set to once again don her crown. That’s right, Brandy is back as Cinderella!
According to TV Line, the “Have You Ever?” singer will reprise her historic role in the upcoming Disney+ film, The Pocketwatch. The latest entry in the popular Descendants franchise follows “Red, the whip-smart and rebellious teenage daughter of the Queen of Hearts” and “Chloe, the perfectionist and athletic daughter of Cinderella and Prince Charming” as they try to prevent an “impending coup in Auradon.” Per the official synopsis, “Red must join forces with Chloe to travel back in time, via the White Rabbit’s pocket watch, to stop an event that would lead to grave consequences.”
The “Baby” artist originally played the famed princess in the 1997 ABC TV movie Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella. For many of us, it was the first time we’d seen a Black actress portray a Disney princess and it opened up a whole new world of possibilities about how we perceived our beauty and value. The groundbreaking film featured a star-studded, diverse cast that included EGOT-winner Whoopi Goldberg, Seinfeld actor Jason Alexander, Veanne Cox and Natalie Desselle as the evil stepsisters and Broadway stars Victor Graber and Bernadette Peters. There’s no word on if Paolo Montalban will return to play Prince Christopher alongside Brandy. With young actress Malia Baker (The Babysitter’s Club) portraying Chloe, it seems pretty clear that we need to see the entire family together.
Singer/actress Rita Ora has been cast as the Queen of Hearts, while franchise veteran China Anne McClain returns as Ursula’s daughter Uma, providing a link to the first three Descendants movies.
Brandy and the Cinderella cast recently reunited for the 25th anniversary of the film, celebrating its continued influence and popularity. “I thought I was ugly, I turned out to be the first Black princess. That’s pretty mind-blowing,” Brandy said in the ABC special.
I know these movies are about the children of famous heroes and villains, but I really hope we get time for Cinderella to musically reflect on how far she’s come and maybe take a moment to remember her own Fairy Godmother, who was played by the incomparable Whitney Houston.
If you need a refresher before The Pocketwatch hits airwaves, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella is currently available on Disney+.