The Black Cinderella Version Full Movie: Why It's Still Relevant After 24 Years

According to Shondaland, Whitney Houston insisted on having a multicultural version of Cinderella although some people could not fathom having a black princess at that time. However, the movie got a proper reception and it went on to become one of the most loved TV movies of all time. Robert Freedman was the scriptwriter while the executive producers were Neil Meron, Craig Zadan, and Debra Martin Chase. Debra said that she had worked with Houston in another project; therefore, she had developed a good relationship with her. Neil Meron said that they wanted to have a diverse world of Cinderella right from the start.

the Black Cinderella version full movie

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Many did not oppose Houston's idea of a black princess, because Houston was already popular in the entertainment industry and her race did not define her success in her music career. Freedman had to rewrite the original version of Cinderella to suit the new multicultural version. Since Houston was highly on-demand with so many tours and projects going on in her life, it took time to finalize the Cinderella movie. When Michael Eisner, the head of Disney thought of resurrecting Disney with a big event, Zadan gave him the idea of the black Cinderella and he was thrilled.

The crew sat and discussed the people who would take up the various roles in their play. Most of the people they contacted for the various roles agreed to take up the roles except the role of Cinderella's evil stepmother. Most people feared being seen as mean to the black princess. However, Bernadette Peters later accepted to take the role and she played it perfectly. When Norwood was called by Houston to discuss the black princess role, she was overwhelmed with joy since it was her dream to work with Houston one day. The movie was a success and millions of people around the globe viewed it.

There might not be a Cinderella production as beloved as the 1997 TV version for the Wonderful World of Disney. Rogers and Hammerstein\u2019s Cinderella is a wonderful musical take on the classic fairy tale. It was the only one of their musicals written specifically for television and first premiered on CBS in 1957, starring Julie Andrews.\u00a0\n\n\n\nFollowing in the TV tradition, Whitney Houston produced the 1997 production and it starred Brandy Norwood. Not only did it star a Black lead, but the cast was wonderfully diverse as a whole. And that was, of course, on purpose.\u00a0\n\n\n\nThe cast of Rodgers & Hammerstein\u2019s Cinderella 1997 via Twitter\n\n\n\n\n\nThe \u2018whole point\u2019 of this production was to have a Black Cinderella\n\n\n\nIn a very in-depth look at this production of Cinderella, Shondaland published an oral history of the 1997 TV special. One of the biggest aspects of the project was the diverse cast; it reflected the real world. Craig Zadan, one of the executive producers on the TV movie, said that a Disney executive really wanted to cast a white Cinderella.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\u201cThe whole point of this whole thing was to have a Black Cinderella,\u201d Zadan said of their pushback. \u201cWe didn\u2019t want to make it with a white Cinderella. We weren\u2019t interested in a white Cinderella. Still aren\u2019t! We never approached anyone other than Brandy for the role.\u201d\n\n\n\nOriginally Whitney Houston was going to play the lead role of Cinderella, but by the time the production actually started to take form, she wasn\u2019t feeling that part anymore. In addition to producing and being a major creative voice on the project, Houston took the role of Fairy Godmother.\u00a0\n\n\n\nZadan said that the \u201cunnamed\u201d Disney exec kept trying to push singer Jewel in the role, which was the \u201cwhite version\u201d of Brandy\u201d in their eyes. \u201cJewel was never approached,\u201d Zadan said. And Debra Chase Martin, another executive producer, said, \u201cJewel as Cinderella would have been a nonstarter.\u201d\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThey wanted \u2018color-blind casting\u2019 similar to \u2018Hamilton\u2019\n\n\n\nThe Shondaland feature, in celebration of the movie\u2019s 20th anniversary in 2017, emphasized just how difficult the rest of the casting process was. This was especially true when it came to finding the perfect Prince Charming, or Christopher in this version. Wayne Brady, Antonio Sabato, Jr, Taye Diggs, and Marc Anthony all auditioned for the part before Paolo Montalban scored the role. \n\n\n\nAnother executive producer, Neil Meron, explained that they wanted a diverse cast when it came to the background dancers and actors as well. To do this, they went a similar route to Hamilton, although decades earlier.\u00a0\u00a0\n\n\n\n\u201cCraig and I started in the theater, and we worked for a man named Joseph Papp at The Public in New York,\u201d Meron said. \u201cOne of his mantras, the philosophy that begat Hamilton in fact, was to do color-blind casting and always cast with diversity.\u201d\n\n\n\nThe whole point was to make the movie look like the world we all live in. \u201cSince we\u2019re going for this multiracial cast, choosing actors was kind of a checkerboard that we had to examine just in terms of keeping the proper balance,\u201d he continued.\u00a0\n\n\n\n\n

I grew up loving two things: Disney, and musicals \u2014 so it should come as no surprise that some of my favorite movies were about Disney princesses. While Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid will always hold a special place in my millennial heart, there is one Disney film from the '90s that outshines the rest: Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella. \nWith stunning performances from Brandy and Whitney Houston, magical sets, and music by the iconic music duo that brought us The Sound of Music (another one of my faves), it's clear why the 1997 TV movie is one of a kind. In fact, I would go as far as saying it actually tops the original. If you played the film on repeat like me when you were younger, take a trip down memory lane as I recount all the reasons why it's truly the best Cinderella movie. \n\n Related:\n\n \n \n \n \n\n 40 Disney Princess Secrets You Never Knew Growing Up\n \n \n","id":46017823,"type":"gallery","photo_source":"Image Source: Everett Collection","permalink":"https:\/\/www.popsugar.com\/entertainment\/Best-Moments-From-1997-Cinderella-Movie-46017823","canonical":"https:\/\/www.popsugar.com\/entertainment\/Best-Moments-From-1997-Cinderella-Movie-46017823","share_text":"Why Brandy's Cinderella Is Actually the Best Cinderella (Yes, Including the Original)","use_tall_image":false,"omit_from_countdown":false,"caption_num":false,"slide_tags":"MoviesOpinionDisney MoviesCinderella","is_cover":true},"image":"https:\/\/media1.popsugar-assets.com\/files\/thumbor\/dH3ViP3E47q1IQU1z8EXqRQrM-4\/fit-in\/1024x1024\/filters:format_auto-!!-:strip_icc-!!-\/2019\/04\/10\/890\/n\/1922283\/f50a1fde84cb6e13_TSDCIND_EC005\/i\/Brandy-90s-Princess.jpg","share_image":"https:\/\/media1.popsugar-assets.com\/files\/thumbor\/lJWSx78bBE3Q0h3ROSj3KlXOmPE\/fit-in\/2048xorig\/filters:format_auto-!!-:strip_icc-!!-\/2019\/04\/10\/890\/n\/1922283\/f50a1fde84cb6e13_TSDCIND_EC005\/i\/Brandy-90s-Princess.jpg","title":"Brandy Was a '90s Princess","intro_text":false,"body":"At the time of the film's release, Brandy Norwood was a star on the rise. She had just released her debut album, she already had three Grammy nominations under her belt, and she was starring on the hit sitcom Moesha. In many ways, Brandy was a '90s princess in her own right, so it only made sense when she was chosen by Whitney Houston herself to play the title role of Cinderella. \n","id":46017862,"type":"image","photo_source":"Image Source: Everett Collection","permalink":"https:\/\/www.popsugar.com\/entertainment\/photo-gallery\/46017823\/image\/46017862\/Brandy-90s-Princess","canonical":"https:\/\/www.popsugar.com\/entertainment\/Best-Moments-From-1997-Cinderella-Movie-46017823","share_text":"Brandy Was a '90s Princess","use_tall_image":false,"omit_from_countdown":false,"caption_num":1,"slide_tags":"","image":"https:\/\/media1.popsugar-assets.com\/files\/thumbor\/GGQkPfNzZ-rtIgGYQQkdhgAaG6g\/fit-in\/1024x1024\/filters:format_auto-!!-:strip_icc-!!-\/2019\/04\/10\/890\/n\/1922283\/be38f9a3e8991e58_TTDCIND_EC002\/i\/Two-Words-Whitney-Houston.jpg","share_image":"https:\/\/media1.popsugar-assets.com\/files\/thumbor\/e65R7dT_Om8-iVsOoJyu5S1ckTU\/fit-in\/2048xorig\/filters:format_auto-!!-:strip_icc-!!-\/2019\/04\/10\/890\/n\/1922283\/be38f9a3e8991e58_TTDCIND_EC002\/i\/Two-Words-Whitney-Houston.jpg","title":"Two Words: Whitney Houston","intro_text":false,"body":"Speaking of Whitney Houston, can we just talk about how phenomenal she was in this film? The music icon really was a driving force behind the TV movie. In addition to playing Cinderella's eccentric fairy godmother, she also coproduced the project. In fact, Houston originally intended to play the title character, but after the film was pushed back a few years, she decided on playing the fairy godmother instead.\n","id":46017864,"type":"image","photo_source":"Image Source: Everett Collection","permalink":"https:\/\/www.popsugar.com\/entertainment\/photo-gallery\/46017823\/image\/46017864\/Two-Words-Whitney-Houston","canonical":"https:\/\/www.popsugar.com\/entertainment\/Best-Moments-From-1997-Cinderella-Movie-46017823","share_text":"Two Words: Whitney Houston","use_tall_image":false,"omit_from_countdown":false,"caption_num":2,"slide_tags":"","image":"https:\/\/media1.popsugar-assets.com\/files\/thumbor\/4uU2n1PjvrgFL-nHlJgMJ_wMi5Y\/fit-in\/1024x1024\/filters:format_auto-!!-:strip_icc-!!-\/2019\/04\/10\/890\/n\/1922283\/9b51a5f2a083df88_T8DCIND_EC003\/i\/Broke-New-Ground-Its-Inclusive-Cast.jpg","share_image":"https:\/\/media1.popsugar-assets.com\/files\/thumbor\/GrnFcEflRrR4DEoowXcgfZSFXF8\/fit-in\/2048xorig\/filters:format_auto-!!-:strip_icc-!!-\/2019\/04\/10\/890\/n\/1922283\/9b51a5f2a083df88_T8DCIND_EC003\/i\/Broke-New-Ground-Its-Inclusive-Cast.jpg","title":"It Broke New Ground With Its Inclusive Cast","intro_text":false,"body":"The film was the first time the story of Cinderella was told with a racially diverse cast; the king was white, the queen was black, and their son was Asian. \"Our production, unlike all past TV musical extravaganzas, has a rainbow cast,\" Houston told Variety about the casting decision at the time. \"Cinderella is about dreaming and I want my daughter and all children of every color and nationality to know that their dreams can also come true.\" Not to mention, Brandy's role as the first black Cinderella onscreen opened up the doors for Keke Palmer, who later went on to become the first black Cinderella on Broadway when she starred in the musical production of the movie in 2014. \n","id":46017866,"type":"image","photo_source":"Image Source: Everett Collection","permalink":"https:\/\/www.popsugar.com\/entertainment\/photo-gallery\/46017823\/image\/46017866\/Broke-New-Ground-Its-Inclusive-Cast","canonical":"https:\/\/www.popsugar.com\/entertainment\/Best-Moments-From-1997-Cinderella-Movie-46017823","share_text":"It Broke New Ground With Its Inclusive Cast","use_tall_image":false,"omit_from_countdown":false,"caption_num":3,"slide_tags":"","image":"https:\/\/media1.popsugar-assets.com\/files\/thumbor\/xA4Gehdd-8YYNgObWb8uWglSAtE\/fit-in\/1024x1024\/filters:format_auto-!!-:strip_icc-!!-\/2019\/04\/10\/890\/n\/1922283\/3616d7f597a248f6_T8DCIND_EC004\/i\/Impossible-Top-Soundtrack.jpg","share_image":"https:\/\/media1.popsugar-assets.com\/files\/thumbor\/RqpvTNin1ZxIoPGhOEg1IYtqtSY\/fit-in\/2048xorig\/filters:format_auto-!!-:strip_icc-!!-\/2019\/04\/10\/890\/n\/1922283\/3616d7f597a248f6_T8DCIND_EC004\/i\/Impossible-Top-Soundtrack.jpg","title":"It's \"Impossible\" to Top the Soundtrack","intro_text":false,"body":"Cinderella really did a wonderful job merging classic Broadway music with pop tunes. It took the classic music from the show and made it more approachable for people who might not necessarily be theater fans. The songs were also so meaningful and emotional. Brandy's rendition of \"In My Own Little Corner\" made me shed a tear, \"Ten Minutes Ago\" made me want to fall in love, \"Stepsister's Lament\" made me snort-laugh, and \"Impossible\" made me believe in my wildest dreams. And don't even get me started on those ballroom dance numbers. Your fave Disney film could never! \n","id":46017865,"type":"image","photo_source":"Image Source: Everett Collection","permalink":"https:\/\/www.popsugar.com\/entertainment\/photo-gallery\/46017823\/image\/46017865\/Impossible-Top-Soundtrack","canonical":"https:\/\/www.popsugar.com\/entertainment\/Best-Moments-From-1997-Cinderella-Movie-46017823","share_text":"It's \"Impossible\" to Top the Soundtrack","use_tall_image":false,"omit_from_countdown":false,"caption_num":4,"slide_tags":"","image":"https:\/\/media1.popsugar-assets.com\/files\/thumbor\/dgCbChS0K1B0XBACvHv0FRX9V6c\/fit-in\/1024x1024\/filters:format_auto-!!-:strip_icc-!!-\/2019\/04\/10\/890\/n\/1922283\/35c0bf5b4c0cb5e7_TSDCIND_EC003\/i\/Prince-Royally-Fine.jpg","share_image":"https:\/\/media1.popsugar-assets.com\/files\/thumbor\/k1ctQnk-MYEyJlK0Jm2LjnhgfpI\/fit-in\/2048xorig\/filters:format_auto-!!-:strip_icc-!!-\/2019\/04\/10\/890\/n\/1922283\/35c0bf5b4c0cb5e7_TSDCIND_EC003\/i\/Prince-Royally-Fine.jpg","title":"The Prince Was Royally Fine","intro_text":false,"body":"Let's take a \"hot\" second to talk about how swoon-worthy the prince was. Prince Christopher, played by Filipino-American actor Paolo Montalb\u00e1n, wasn't just easy on the eyes, but he really was prince charming. From the moment he flashed Cinderella that smile and started crooning \"The Sweetest Sounds,\" I was hooked. Interestingly enough, Montalb\u00e1n was actually an understudy in another Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical, The King and I, at the time. \n","id":46017860,"type":"image","photo_source":"Image Source: Everett Collection","permalink":"https:\/\/www.popsugar.com\/entertainment\/photo-gallery\/46017823\/image\/46017860\/Prince-Royally-Fine","canonical":"https:\/\/www.popsugar.com\/entertainment\/Best-Moments-From-1997-Cinderella-Movie-46017823","share_text":"The Prince Was Royally Fine","use_tall_image":false,"omit_from_countdown":false,"caption_num":5,"slide_tags":"","image":"https:\/\/media1.popsugar-assets.com\/files\/thumbor\/b6xn9n0lnMg_OzGCd2xMsD_ezF8\/fit-in\/1024x1024\/filters:format_auto-!!-:strip_icc-!!-\/2019\/04\/10\/890\/n\/1922283\/8a495be507ca7fb9_TSDCIND_EC011\/i\/Bernadette-Peters-Comedic-Queen.jpg","share_image":"https:\/\/media1.popsugar-assets.com\/files\/thumbor\/-oXF3XhWoh85FKrcTGRk5SJaVn4\/fit-in\/2048xorig\/filters:format_auto-!!-:strip_icc-!!-\/2019\/04\/10\/890\/n\/1922283\/8a495be507ca7fb9_TSDCIND_EC011\/i\/Bernadette-Peters-Comedic-Queen.jpg","title":"Bernadette Peters Was a Comedic Queen","intro_text":false,"body":"Bernadette Peters is a Broadway legend, plain and simple. Before taking on the role of the wicked stepmother, the actress already had experience playing a villainous character; she originated the role of the Witch in Broadway's Into the Woods (before Meryl Streep took on the role in the 2014 film). Due to Peters's comedic background, the role of the stepmother became much more comical than previous versions of the character. She could make you laugh with the particular way she enunciated words, but she could also hit a serious high note (see: \"Falling in Love With Love\").\n","id":46017868,"type":"image","photo_source":"Image Source: Everett Collection","permalink":"https:\/\/www.popsugar.com\/entertainment\/photo-gallery\/46017823\/image\/46017868\/Bernadette-Peters-Comedic-Queen","canonical":"https:\/\/www.popsugar.com\/entertainment\/Best-Moments-From-1997-Cinderella-Movie-46017823","share_text":"Bernadette Peters Was a Comedic Queen","use_tall_image":false,"omit_from_countdown":false,"caption_num":6,"slide_tags":"","image":"https:\/\/media1.popsugar-assets.com\/files\/thumbor\/XbJXWpdeAczUyJ7GB4aoeBGYbnY\/fit-in\/1024x1024\/filters:format_auto-!!-:strip_icc-!!-\/2019\/04\/10\/890\/n\/1922283\/0f421cadad0e6cee_TSDCIND_EC009\/i\/Fashion-Truly-Magical.jpg","share_image":"https:\/\/media1.popsugar-assets.com\/files\/thumbor\/x56CjL6wb1pooJrBZNG-hj9bX-g\/fit-in\/2048xorig\/filters:format_auto-!!-:strip_icc-!!-\/2019\/04\/10\/890\/n\/1922283\/0f421cadad0e6cee_TSDCIND_EC009\/i\/Fashion-Truly-Magical.jpg","title":"The Fashion Was Truly Magical","intro_text":false,"body":"The fashion perfectly fit the film: it was regal, it was whimsical, and it was completely and utterly '90s. Houston's flashy fairy godmother outfit was accented by the gold glitter in her curls, while Brandy's blue eyeshadow perfectly matched her princess gown. Not to mention how all costumes paired perfectly with the characters' personalities. While the modest and humble Cinderella was often dressed in neutral tones, her stepsisters' and stepmother's clothes were about as loud as they were. In addition, the prince and his parents were often dressed in different shades of purple, which is often associated with royalty. \n","id":46017861,"type":"image","photo_source":"Image Source: Everett Collection","permalink":"https:\/\/www.popsugar.com\/entertainment\/photo-gallery\/46017823\/image\/46017861\/Fashion-Truly-Magical","canonical":"https:\/\/www.popsugar.com\/entertainment\/Best-Moments-From-1997-Cinderella-Movie-46017823","share_text":"The Fashion Was Truly Magical","use_tall_image":false,"omit_from_countdown":false,"caption_num":7,"slide_tags":"","content":"\n \n \n \n \n Up Next\n \n \n \n 6 Brand-New Original Romantic Comedies You Can Catch on Netflix This Year\n \n\n\n\n Image Source: Netflix\n","type":"end_screen","permalink":"https:\/\/www.popsugar.com\/entertainment\/Netflix-Original-Romantic-Comedies-2019-46025611","image":"https:\/\/media1.popsugar-assets.com\/files\/thumbor\/kZ3wxoLgrvpEWP93p99wfTxKVrM\/1800x185:6919x5304\/fit-in\/1024x1024\/filters:format_auto-!!-:strip_icc-!!-\/2019\/04\/19\/827\/n\/1922283\/5c5358065cba18b8d9fcc7.72171410_\/i\/Netflix-Original-Romantic-Comedies-2019.jpg"], "tweet":"Why Brandy's Cinderella Is Actually the Best Cinderella (Yes, Including the Original)","next":"https:\/\/www.popsugar.com\/entertainment\/Netflix-Original-Romantic-Comedies-2019-46025611","prev":"https:\/\/www.popsugar.com\/entertainment\/Brene-Brown-Best-Speech-Videos-46032979","slideCount":7,"addNumbers":true,"isCPC":false,"disableInterstitials":true,"tweetText":"Why Brandy's Cinderella Is Actually the Best Cinderella (Yes, Including the Original)","pinterestImage":"https:\/\/media1.popsugar-assets.com\/files\/thumbor\/lJWSx78bBE3Q0h3ROSj3KlXOmPE\/fit-in\/2048xorig\/filters:format_auto-!!-:strip_icc-!!-\/2019\/04\/10\/890\/n\/1922283\/f50a1fde84cb6e13_TSDCIND_EC005\/i\/Brandy-90s-Princess.jpg","galleryURL":"https:\/\/www.popsugar.com\/entertainment\/Best-Moments-From-1997-Cinderella-Movie-46017823", ]); want more? 2ff7e9595c