Brandy, Billy Porter & Bernadette Peters honor Whitney Houston during 'Cinderella' reunion
Rodgers & Hammerstein's 1997 live-action Cinderella celebrated its 25th anniversary with a 20/20 reunion special, Tuesday. While Brandy and Whitney Houston broke color-barriers as a Black Cinderella and Fairy Godmother, it was their off-camera relationship that was most memorable.
“Honestly, my ultimate favorite moment was never in the movie,” Brandy recalled. “It's in the studio with Whitney.”
Their performance was transformative for many viewers, particularly because much of Disney’s content up to that point had lacked racial diversity. Bernadette Peters, who played the stepmother, recalled the two stars having a special bond.
“Their chemistry was just off the charts,” Peters said. “I think Brandy admired her so much. I think Whitney was so loving to her, and what could be more perfect than that, than having your Fairy Godmother be someone that loves you, and you look up to.”
Like many viewers, the cast could not stop talking about Houston’s iconic performance. Unfortunately Houston died 10 years ago. Billie Porter, who played the Fab G, aka Fairy Godmother, in the 2021 live-action Cinderella film credits her and Brandy with giving the classic fairytale a Black voice.
“She's Gospel Fairy Godmother, honey, she sang the s*** out of that,” Porter said. “And Brandy was like black princess and just because of the quality of her voice, it's a completely different story.”
Video Transcript
[AUDIO LOGO]
AMARA SKYE: I don't feel like Lark knows who I am. She's little kitty cat. She doesn't have no bite because she did this dumb-ass move, the house is about to go nutty.
KYLIE MAR: Amara Skye was overconfident going into the name of on "Claim to Fame," Monday. And that was a mistake because Lark correctly guessed her celebrity relatives.
AMARA SKYE: I'm Whoopi Goldberg's granddaughter. I'm going to go out cussing like [BLEEP] and you better bleep every [BLEEP] I say in this bitch because I am skeezy does it what it do. I don't [BLEEP] with a lot of y'all. But, hey, I'm still a great player. I'm outside, bruh.
KYLIE MAR: Amara Skye is granddaughter of EGOT winner and "The View" host Whoopi Goldberg. And she wasn't pleased that the other players figured that out.
AMARA SKYE: [BLEEP] ya'll, but all right. Call me. I love you, Pepper. [BLEEP] this house. Louise is fake, LC is fake, Logan's fake, Lark is fake. Playing with me. Pepper, [BLEEP] whatever.
KYLIE MAR: Some viewers thought Amara's exit was hilarious. Like this viewer who tweeted, "Oh, that exit was iconic. Amara is reality TV gold. I just know Whoopi is cackling." While other viewers thought it was a little cringy.
- I think that was.
AMARA SKYE: Game gang. Gorilla.
[POUND CHEST] [LAUGHTER]
We outside.
- Jesus.
- Wow, quite the exit.
KYLIE MAR: Even though Amara lost out on the $100,000 prize, at least, she won in the grandma department. My grandma is Whoopi Goldberg, are you kidding me? Who doesn't want the gold as their grandma, Whoopi Goldberg, the [BLEEP] gold. I'm lit.
