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Just months after HER was announced as Belle in ABC’s Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration special, the cast is growing with Shania Twain and Martin Short.
Twain, 57, and Short, 72, will play Ms. Potts and Lumiere respectively in the special, according to Variety.
They join HER as Belle, Josh Groban as The Beast, Joshua Henry as Gaston and Rita Morena as narrator of the live-action/animated hybrid special.
Cast: Just months after HER was announced as Belle in ABC’s Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration special, the cast is growing with Shania Twain and Martin Short
Cast: Twain, 57, and Short, 72, play Mrs. Potts and Lumiere in the special, according to Variety
Original characters: The original Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts and Lumiere from the 1991 animated classic Beauty and the Beast
The special was announced in early July and is described as a “two-hour animated and live-action blended special paying tribute to the original Disney Animation’s “Beauty and the Beast” and its legacy.”
The special will showcase “fans’ favorite movie, along with new memorable musical performances, taking viewers on a magical adventure through the eyes of Belle.”
The original announcement also stated that the cast’s performances will be “seamlessly intertwined with the original feature film.”
Original film: The original announcement also stated that the cast’s performances will be “seamlessly intertwined with the original feature film”
The special presentation also includes ‘live never-before-seen musical performances and brand new sets and breathtaking costumes inspired by the classic story’.
Each of the performances will “pay tribute while contributing to the iconic story for viewers at home.”
Songs from the original cartoon classic will be performed in front of a live audience at Disney Studios.
Live Performances: The special presentation also includes ‘live never-before-seen musical performances’ and features brand new sets and breathtaking costumes inspired by the classic story.
Tribute: Each of the performances will ‘pay tribute while contributing to the iconic story for viewers at home’
While the original cartoon classic was released in theaters in November 1991, 2022 will mark the 30th anniversary of the film that made Oscar history as the first animated film to be nominated for Best Picture.
The animation classic would eventually win the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, while the theme song “Beauty and the Beast” won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1992.
Beauty and the Beast made $145 million at the domestic box office in 1991, the third highest of the year behind Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves ($165.4 million) and Terminator 2: Judgment Day ($204.8 million) .
Original: While the original cartoon classic was released in theaters in November 1991, 2022 will mark the 30th anniversary of Oscars cinema history as the first animated film to be nominated for Best Picture
Jon M. Chu, Caitlin Foito, Hamish Hamilton, Raj Kapoor, Richard Kraft and Katy Mullan will produce the special.
Hamish Hamilton will be the director, while HER will also be the producer.
Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration special airs Thursday, December 15 (8-10pm) on ABC and streams the following day on Disney Plus.
Coming Soon: Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration special airs Thursday, December 15 (8-10pm) on ABC and will be available to stream on Disney Plus the following day