Cinderella Was One Of Whitney Houstons Biggest Cultural Milestones
And yet, its likely this neat Disney hat trick would have collapsed without Whitney Houston. Disney arguably couldnt have reworked Cinderella for diverse modern audiences without having a centerpiece star who embodied all the themes of multicultural artistry and success, along with an idealized, integrated vision of contemporary America. Arguably no pop star did more throughout the 1990s to sell that specific image of the nation than Houston.
Throughout the 80s, peddling bouncy hits like How Will I Know and I Wanna Dance With Somebody, Houston had typified the modern, urban 20-something a woman who was fun, relatable, wholesome, but always up for a night on the town. By the end of the decade, however, Whitney had grown up and into the role of an American ambassador: In 1988 she recorded One Moment In Time for the Seoul Olympics, later delivering a legendary Grammys performance of the song. Two years later, during the beginning of the Gulf War, Houston sang whats arguably the most famous rendition of the American national anthem, at Super Bowl XXV in Tampa.
She was everything! Haggerty told me. To my pre-teen brain it was like: Objectively, Whitney is the best singer in the world of course she should be the Fairy Godmother, a hugely important part.
Alongside fellow icon Whoopi Goldberg, Houstons presence in Cinderella signified the passing of the cultural torch to Brandy and her generation of Black artists.
How To Find The 1997 Cinderella Soundtrack Online
In addition to garnering praise for its acting, the ABC version of Cinderella also spawned a successful soundtrack, featuring many of Rodgers & Hammersteins most popular songs, including Impossible,In My Own Little Corner,Ten Minutes Ago,A Lovely Night,Do I Love You Because Youre Beautiful? and more, sung by Brandy, Houston and the cast.
Unfortunately, a soundtrack for the Cinderella TV movie was never officially released, with many speculating that licensing and label issues were to blame. You can still find the original Broadway cast recording of Cinderella online, and the motion picture soundtrack from the 2015 movie version of the fairytale classic.
Why Cinderella Starring Whitney Houston And Brandy Is One Of Disneys Bests
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Cinderella
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The tale of Cinderella has been told countless times, but for me, the best take on the fairy tale has always been Robert Iscoves 1997 version. With such a wonderful, star-studded cast including the legendary Whitney Houston, Brandy, Whoopi Goldberg, and Bernadette Peters, its hard to believe it was a TV movie. Its fantastic costumes, original songs , and diverse casting infused the classic story with a fresh, new feel. Because of all of this, the film continues to have a devoted fanbase, even more than two decades after its release. If youre intrigued, and havent had the chance to see it, youre in luck: It will be available to stream on Disney+ starting Friday.
Houston and Brandys song Impossible is the standout song of the film, mixing Brandys sweet vocals paired with Houstons signature powerhouse sound. But even the smaller performances here are just as iconic, with Broadway legend Peters nailing the evil stepmother and Goldberg as Queen Constantina. What more could you want in a movie?
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Today The Brandy Cinderella Is A Nostalgic Memory For Most Americans But It Seems As Relevant As Ever
Over the years, the Brandy Cinderella seems to have become a rite of passage for many people. Keincolor told me of being introduced to the movie by his babysitter and his babysitters teen daughters, who all celebrated his reaction and bonded with him over the film.
They never got tired of playing it for me, and I remember us all singing the songs, he said.
Cameron told me his mom provided his Cinderella introduction. Ive always been obsessed with princesses and royalty and magical fairies, so when she told me she was watching the real Cinderella, I assumed she meant the Disney version. That was the only one that I knew I didnt even think there were others.
While many people have lamented the films absence from streaming platforms over the years, it has arguably benefited by not being accessible outside of home DVD. Since it wasnt available on streaming, wasnt being re-aired a lot, and wasnt getting constant new DVD releases, it sort of existed in this space where people remembered it fondly, but it wasnt a constant source of discussion, keincolor told Vox. The internet created an environment where everyone could talk about how much it impacted them. And talk about it they did.
The Cinderella with Whitney Houston and Brandy is still great.
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Bridgerton wants what Brandys Cinderella has
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How To Watch The Cinderella Reunion With Brandy And Whoopi Goldberg: Is It Streaming
ABC is bringing fans a lovely night this week, with a reunion of Rogers and Hammersteins Cinderella coming on Tuesday. But if you miss it live, dont worry. Its definitely possible to watch it again elsewhere.
Back in 1997, Rogers and Hammersteins Cinderella came as part of The Wonderful World of Disney. In it, pop star Brandy starred as Cinderella, with Whitney Houston as her fairy godmother, marking the first Black Cinderella and Fairy Godmother ever. For a long time, it was, well, impossible, to watch it anywhere, as it wasnt streaming. But, in February of last year, Disney rectified that. Now, in honor of the 25th anniversary of the movie, Cinderella: The Reunion, A Special Edition of 20/20 will air on ABC on Tuesday night.
The special will reunite some of the original members of its heavy-hitting cast, including Brandy, Whoopi Goldberg, Paolo Montalban, Victor Garber, Bernadette Peters, Jason Alexander and Veanne Cox.
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Is Cinderella 1997 On Disney Plus
The 1997 TV adaptation of Rodgers and Hammersteins Cinderella, starring Brandy Norwood and Whitney Houston, landed on Disney+ on Friday, February 12.
Is Rodgers and Hammersteins Cinderella on Disney plus?
The film adaptation of Rodgers & Hammersteins Cinderella is now available to stream on Disney Plus! The film stars Brandy in the title role and Whitney Houston as Fairy Godmother alongside Whoopi Goldberg, Victor Garber, Natalie Desselle Reid, Bernadette Peters, Paolo Montalban, Jason Alexander, and Veanne Cox.
The Films Famously Multicultural Casting Was A Precedent
In the years since it aired, The Brandy Cinderella, as it would henceforth be informally known, has become renowned in particular for its casting. Executive produced by Houston, who hand-picked teen pop artist Brandy for the lead role, the movie featured a fantastical, colorblind multicultural cast. Bernadette Peters played Cinderellas stepmother the king and queen were played by Victor Garber and Whoopi Goldberg, while their son, Brandys prince, was played by Filipino American actor Paolo Montalbán.
Because Cinderella was a fairy tale, it didnt have to justify its fully integrated magical society. While that was a common approach for theatrical casting, on television, it created a rare phenomenon: an unapologetically diverse production whose lasting impact is still being felt over two decades later, even among fans who werent alive when it debuted.
the best and most iconic version of cinderella ever. a black Cinderella with a black fairy godmother, an Asian prince, an interracial couple + interracial family, a diverse cast, memorable and iconic bops in this movie executive produced by Whitney herself. they did THAT!
Jason Carlos
Keincolor observed that it took a producer with the power of Whitney Houston to make Cinderella what it became. I think without the power of Whitney they may have replaced Brandy as Cinderella, which is unfortunate to think about, he said.
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Where Can I Watch The Original Cinderella Movie
Streaming on Roku. Cinderella, a musical movie starring Celeste Holm, Lesley Ann Warren, and Stuart Damon is available to stream now. Watch it on Pluto TV Its Free TV, VUDU, Plex Free Movies & TV, Crackle or Prime Video on your Roku device.
Where can u watch Cinderella?
Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+
Where did they film Rodgers and Hammersteins Cinderella?
Directed by Robert Iscove. Aired on The Wonderful World of Disney on November 2, 1997. 120 min. Most of the films scenes were shot on stages at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, California.
Is a Cinderella story on Netflix?
A Cinderella Story is now streaming on Netflix.
Is Cinderella a classic?
The Story of Cinderella. The Original Classic Fairy Tale of Cinderella. The story of Cinderella was originally a French fairy tale called Cendrillon, ou la petite pantoufle de verre .
The Actors Shared Some Behind
During the reunion, Whoopi Goldberg shared an inspirational secret about the creation of her character, Queen Constantina. The View co-host revealed she used the jewelry of a celebrity diamond jewelry maker, Harry Winston. I love Harry Winston, Goldberg said. I said, Listen, I’m playing this queen and I would like to have some jewels. Will you guys loan us some jewels?’ They said, We’ll pick out our most royal jewels.’ And so that’s what they did.
Actor Jason Alexander, who played King Lionel, added there were armed guards on the set to protect the jewels. If anybody approached or Whoopi made a mistake and tried to leave the set with that jewelry on, someone would have been shot, he joked.
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Is The Cinderella Reunion On Tv
Yes, you can watch it live on ABC at 8/7c. Immediately following the reunion special will be a presentation of the movie itself, marking the first time its been shown on broadcast television in more than 20 years.
Were delighted that the 25th anniversary of this landmark incarnation of Rodgers & Hammersteins Cinderella is being celebrated on its original network, Imogen Lloyd Webber, SVP at Concord Theatricals, on behalf of The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization, said in a statement. Rodgers & Hammersteins unforgettable score is truly timeless still enchanting listeners 80 years after their partnership began and 65 years since their Cinderella first charmed the largest audience in television history.
Also Read:Prince From Brandys Cinderella Credits Whitney Houston for 1997 Musicals Diverse Cast
Who Is In The Cast Of Cinderella On Amazon Prime
Amazon Primes new movie, Cinderella, brings us an empowered heroine the films diverse cast, including some of Hollywoods biggest stars such as Idina Menzel, Pierce Brosnan, Minnie Driver
What is a summary of Cinderella?
Cinderella, written by the Grimm brothers in 1812, begins with the death of a young girls mother. She tells her daughter to be good and pray faithfully before she passes away. The very next spring, the father remarries a very evil woman who has two daughters of her own.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92s5lb65_u4
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Watch Brandys Cinderella On Disney+ Now
Disney+ says Brandys Cinderella will join the Celebrate Black Stories collection that is on Disney+ right now, alongside Soul, Black Is King, Black Panther, Hidden Figures, and other Black-led films and TV shows.
Your Disney+ subscription gets you instant access to stream Cinderella, and watch the entire catalogue of Disney+ content, which includes most of the Disney animated films, the entire Star Wars franchise, and most of the .
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella
A prince, a pumpkin, a glass slipper…historys most enduring fairy tale returns with a thoroughly modern twist, featuring an all-star cast including the incomparable Whitney Houston and Whoopi Goldberg. Pop sensation Brandy stars as the beautiful Cinderella, who suffers the torment of her wicked stepmother and spoiled stepsisters. Cinderellas dream of going to the ball and dancing with the prince is realized when her fairy godmother teaches her that with positive thinking, “Impossible things happen every day!”
Release date:
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Brandy Became First Black Actress To Play ‘cinderella’ Bonded With Whitney Houston
With her lead role in “Cinderella,” Brandy became the first Black actress to play the classic fairytale character onscreen. Houston played her Fairy Godmother.
“My dreams when I was a young girl to be a singer, have my own band and meet Whitney Houston. That was it,” Brandy said during the “20/20” special. “I had no idea that my destiny would take me to a role Cinderella, be the first woman of color to play her, and then for Whitney Houston to be my Fairy Godmother. You gotta be kidding me.”
Brandy said co-starring with Houston was part of the “real-life fairytale” of being cast in the film.
“I remember it like it was yesterday,” said Brandy while watching a video of herself and Houston singing together in the studio. “And I’m nervous, but I’m not nervous because I feel like I can be myself around her and then she feels like she can be herself around me, and so this magic is happening.”
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Peters, who played Cinderella’s stepmother, said the chemistry between the then-teen singer and Houston was “just off the charts.”
“Brandy admired her so much, and Whitney was so loving to her,” Peters recalled. “What could be more perfect than that, than having your Fairy Godmother be someone that loves you and you look up to?”
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How To Stream The Live Action Cinderella On Disney+
Want to watch the Brandy and Whitney Houston version of Cinderella online? Youll need to sign-up for Disney+ to watch the live action remake, which you can do here. The current price for Disney+ is $7.99/month, though there are a couple of hacks to get the best Disney+ deal with no promo code required.
Stream Live Action Cinderella on Disney+ Here
Your best bet, is to sign up for the Disney+ Bundle, which gets you Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for a total of just $13.99/month. This is a limited-time offer Disney has announced that the price will go up in March.
Just need Disney+? You can sign up for an entire year of Disney+ for just $79.99, which basically gets you two months of streaming for free versus paying month to month.
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Cinderella: The Reunion A Special Edition Of 20/20 Highlights 25th Anniversary Of Groundbreaking Tv Movie Starring Brandy And Whitney Houston
ABC News Studios will air Cinderella: The Reunion, A Special Edition of 20/20 on Tuesday, August 23 , on ABC and stream the next day on Hulu. The 25th anniversary celebration of Rodgers & Hammersteins Cinderella will feature members of its all-star cast Brandy, Whoopi Goldberg, Paolo Montalban, Victor Garber, Bernadette Peters, Jason Alexander and Veanne Cox. Following the news special, The Wonderful World of Disney will air, for the first time on broadcast television in more than two decades, a presentation of the original film , which is available to stream on Disney+.
The classic Disney live-action film marked a groundbreaking moment in television history, introducing Americas first Black Cinderella and Fairy Godmother . The ABC News Studios reunion special explores how the revolutionary made-for-television musical expanded societys view of the term princess and includes interviews with original cast members, as well as rare behind-the-scenes footage with Houston, who executive produced the film.
SEE over 200 interviews with 2022 Emmy nominees
The titular character was originally offered to the I Wanna Dance With Somebody singer, who decided to pass on the role and look for someone younger. Im 33 now, Im really not feeling like Cinderella, Houston said in a behind-the-scenes interview at the time. Someone who probably had a lot more energy and who really was Cinderella, to me, should play the part. I suggested Brandy.
Brandy Talked About The Beautiful Impact Of Being A Black Princess
Becoming the first Black actor to portray Cinderella onscreen is a big deal! Brandy spoke on the power and influence of her role and the impact it continues to have on Black girls. I knew that this was so great for the world to see, especially Black people, Brandy said in the special. She represented a culture that is beautiful, and I just so appreciated that because that was so much a part of what I wanted to bring to Cinderella.
She added, That movie changed the way Black little girls believed in themselves. I hear to this day, I believe I can be a princess now because of you.
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Abc Is Celebrating The Movies 25th Anniversary
On Aug. 23, ABC premiered Cinderella: The Reunion,A Special Edition of 20/20. The reunion features Brandy, Whoopi Goldberg, Paolo Montalban, Victor Garber, Bernadette Peters, Jason Alexander, and Veanne Cox, including interviews from the original production team
Were delighted that the 25th anniversary of this landmark incarnation of Rodgers & Hammersteins Cinderella is being celebrated on its original network, Imogen Lloyd Webber, SVP at Concord Theatricals, on behalf of The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization, said in a statement to Deadline. Rodgers & Hammersteins unforgettable score is truly timeless still enchanting listeners 80 years after their partnership began and 65 years since their Cinderella first charmed the largest audience in television history.
What Will The Reunion Special Entail
According to ABC, the reunion special explores how the revolutionary made-for-television musical expanded societys view of the term princess and includes interviews with original cast members, as well as rare behind-the-scenes footage with Whitney Houston.
The reunion special will also feature interviews with stars who share a connection to the project, like Billy Porter, who played the gender-neutral fairy godmother, Fabulous Godmother, in Amazons reimaging of Cinderella last year, starring Camila Cabello.
Todrick Hall, who filmed a Cinderella tribute with Brandy herself when the TV movie hit Disney+ last year, will also be featured in the special.
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