H.E.R. Stuns as Belle Alongside Josh Groban in ‘Beauty and the Beast’ Anniversary Special

Larisha Paul
·2 min read
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beauty and the beast HER - Credit: Christopher Willard/ABC
beauty and the beast HER - Credit: Christopher Willard/ABC

During ABC’s Beauty and the Beast – A 30th Celebration, a part-live action, part-animated anniversary celebration of the classic film, H.E.R. was the belle of the ball, literally. The singer starred in the special as Belle alongside Josh Groban, who took up the mantle as the gentle Beast.

The grand performance of “Beauty and the Beast” began with the charm of any princess adaptation, H.E.R. descending down a flight of candle-lit stairs into the ballroom arm in arm with Groban while her golden yellow dress cascaded around her. But halfway through the song, as the guests twirled around in monochromatic outfits, the singer slipped away, only to emerge seconds later with her hair let down and the fluff of her dress removed to make room for her stained-glass electric guitar. The original Belle could only dream of being this cool.

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The other songs, which featured somewhat unsettling animations of Groban inside of an elaborate Beast costume with a chest area carved out for his head to poke through, were bolstered by the pair’s charismatic vocal performances. The special was directed by Hamish Hamilton with original arrangements from Alan Menken. Elsewhere, Martin Short, Shania Twain, Joshua Henry, and Rita Morena rounded out the cast as Lumière, Mrs. Potts, Gaston, and the narrator, respectively.

Throughout the promotion of Beauty and the Beast – A 30th Celebration, H.E.R. has led with her legal name, Gabriella Wilson, as opposed to her stage name. During a recent interview on Good Morning America, the singer explained: “I’ve been re-finding my voice. Now I’m not wearing glasses. I can’t be acting and wearing glasses, so I think it’s time for people to really get to know the person behind H.E.R.”

The singer is currently only a Tony Award away from joining the 17 other performers who have achieved EGOT status. H.E.R. currently has five Grammy Awards, one Oscar, and one Emmy following her recent win at the first Children’s and Family Emmy Awards.

“H.E.R. is me, but at the same time it’s a new chapter of my life,” she added. “And I think I’m really finding that connection and I’m allowing people to see under the layers a little bit.”

Beauty and the Beast – A 30th Celebration is now streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.

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