When Brandy Norwood was a young actress, two icons took her under their wings and told her that a bright future in the industry wasn’t impossible. Brandy, 41, appeared on the February 4 episode of The View and reunited with her Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella co-star, Whoopi Goldberg to announce some exciting news: the 1997 film is finally coming to Disney+! She reminisced about the advice both Whoopi and the late Whitney Houston gave her on set.
EXCLUSIVE: @4everBrandy announces on @TheView Rodgers and Hammerstein’s #Cinderella will premiere on @disneyplus February 12!
“We can celebrate and share and inspire a whole new generation to see this wonderful piece,” she tells us. pic.twitter.com/GVqNeM4Cf1
— The View (@TheView) February 4, 2021
Brandy, then just 17, was blown away by the fact that she got to work with her two “idols,” Whoopi and Whitney — Queen Constantina and Fairy Godmother, respectively — along with Bernadette Peters, who played her evil stepmother. The teenager was handpicked to play the first Black Cinderella by Whitney, who also executive produced the film. “[Whitney] said, ‘Please promise me that you’ll always be yourself. Never change, not for anyone,'” Brandy remembered. “If I’m myself, then I won’t have any issues. And I took that, and I received that.”
Whoopi’s advice to the young Moesha star was a little more practical. Brandy had asked the EGOT-winner where she got all the fabulous Harry Winston diamonds she was wearing on set, and Whoopi happily explained: ‘I just always remember you telling me to be kind and professional: ‘Get you some relationships. All these people can send you things when you’re doing your jobs,'” Brandy said as Whoopi laughed. “You were so supportive of me. I just had a great time with you.”
The View co-hosts don’t always get along, but they could agree on one thing. They love Cinderella! The groundbreaking movie also starred Paolo Montalban as Prince Charming, Victor Garber as King Maximilian, and Jason Alexander as Lionel. Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella comes to Disney+ on February 12.