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]
BRANDY: Honestly, my ultimate favorite moment was never in the movie. It's in the studio with Whitney.
KYLIE MAR: Rodgers and Hammerstein's live action "Cinderella" celebrated its 25th anniversary with a reunion special Tuesday. And while Brandy and Whitney Houston broke color barriers as a Black Cinderella and Fairy Godmother back in 1997, it was their off camera relationship that was most memorable.
BRANDY: I'm nervous, but I'm not nervous because I feel so-- I can be myself around her. And then she feels like she could be herself around me. And so this, like, magic is happening. And I'm like, oh, my god, she really sings like this.
KYLIE MAR: 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.
BERNADETTE PETERS: Their chemistry was just off the charts. I think Brandy admired her so much, and Whitney was so loving to her. And what could be more perfect than that, than having the Fairy Godmother be someone that loves you, and you look up to?
KYLIE MAR: Like many viewers, the cast could not stop talking about Houston's iconic performance.
WHITNEY HOUSTON: (SINGING) And because these daft and dewy-eyed dopes keep building up impossible hopes, impossible things are happening every day.
KYLIE MAR: Unfortunately Houston died 10 years ago. But Billy Porter, who played the Fairy Godmother in the 2021 live action "Cinderella" film, credits her and Brandy with giving the classic fairy tale a Black voice.
BILLY PORTER: She's gospel Fairy Godmother, honey. She sang the [BLEEP] of that. Impossible. You know, and Brandy was like, Black Princess. And just because of the quality of her voice, it's a completely different story.
[AUDIO LOGO]
