Mark your calendars: The 1997 movie will be available to stream on Disney+ starting Friday.
Why Cinderella, Starring Whitney Houston and Brandy, Is One of Disney’s Bests
The tale of Cinderella has been told countless times, but for me, the best take on the fairytale has always been Robert Iscove’s 1997 version. With such a wonderful, star-studded cast including the legendary Whitney Houston, Brandy, Whoopi Goldberg, and Bernadette Peters, it’s hard to believe it was a TV movie. It’s fantastic costumes, original songs (scored by Rodgers and Hammerstein), 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 you’re intrigued, and haven’t had the chance to see it, you’re in luck: it will be available to stream (for the first time ever!) on Disney+ starting Friday.
When Iscove’s Cinderella was first released, it broke barriers. Brandy, a teen icon at the time, became the first Black princess in Disney’s history, giving an opportunity for young, Black girls to see themselves represented on-screen. It was a choice not without its hurdles, however: “There was an executive at Disney—who will remain nameless—and he was very nervous about a Black Cinderella,” Craig Zadan, an executive producer, told Shondaland for an oral history of the film. The multicultural casting alongside Brandy only added even more representation into the mix, including the prince, played by the Filipino-American actor Paolo Montalban. Houston as the Fairy Godmother, meanwhile, still remains one of Hollywood’s best casting decisions ever. The singer, who also co-produced the film, was originally supposed to play Cinderella, but eventually chose the Fairy Godmother role instead; it was her suggestion to cast Brandy in the lead.
This story originally appeared on: Vogue - Author:Christian Allaire
