Five-time Grammy Award winner H.E.R will play Belle in a new live-action Disney production of “Beauty and the Beast.” The casting announcement was made Wednesday in a joint statement from ABC.
“I can’t believe I get to be a part of the Beauty and the Beast legacy. The world will see a Black and Filipino Belle!” said H.E.R. in the statement, per People. “I have always wanted to be a Disney princess, and I get to work with two wonderful directors Hamish Hamilton and my favorite, Jon M. Chu. It is very surreal and I couldn’t be more grateful.”
“Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration,” which will air on Dec. 15, is executive produced by Chu (of “In the Heights”) and will be directed by Hamilton.
“With her obvious extraordinary talent and stage presence, H.E.R. is the perfect embodiment of our Belle, and we are thrilled for audiences to see her in this celebration of creativity,” Chu said, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “We were both influenced as storytellers by the original animated movie, so it’s very exciting to collaborate together to honor the artistry of that timeless classic while also inspiring a whole new generation of creators.”
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