Brandy confirms she'll be playing Cinderella again, 25 years on

Dust off the glass slippers

brandy
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Call your fairy godmother, Brandy is returning to Cinderella. The singer and actor first played the role in 1997 and over two decades on, she’ll be stepping back into the role for a very special cameo. 

She’s set to don her glass slippers yet again for an upcoming film called The Pocketwatch, a Disney+ movie and part of the Descendants film series. The series follows the lives of the children of famous fairytale characters and their own adventures, from Cruella DeVil’s son to Mulan’s daughter. 

Brandy is set to star alongside Rita Ora, who will play the Queen of Hearts. They will also join series regulars China Ann McClain, who plays Ursula’s daughter Uma, and Fairy Godmother Melanie Paxson. Other cast members include Kylie Cantrall, Dara Renee, Joshua Colley and Malia Baker.

According to Deadline, the film will be set in Wonderland (of Alice in Wonderland fame). Baker will play Princess Chloe Charming, the daughter of Cinderella and Prince Charming, who joins forces with the Queen of Hearts’ daughter Red (played by Cantrall) in a time travelling adventure to prevent a coup. 

Brandy celebrated the news on Instagram, posting a screenshot of the announcement. She said, “So excited to join this amazing cast and reprise my role as #Cinderella in the #DisneyDescendants sequel The Pocketwatch.”

Referencing the song It’s Possible from her own 1997 film, she wrote, “It’s Still Possible.”

Fellow Disney princess Halle Bailey, who will star as Ariel in an upcoming live action remake of The Little Mermaid, commented, “so excited!!”

Brandy first starred as Cinderella in the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical back in 1997, starring Filipino actor Paolo Montalban as her Prince Charming and Whitney Houston as her Fairy Godmother. The film was celebrated for its diverse casting at the time and was added to Disney+ last year, meaning millions of people can now stream the film at home.

While there’s no word on whether Montalban will reprise his role, it’s clear he and Brandy are still fond of each other. The film celebrated its 25th anniversary last year and he filmed his reunion with Brandy on Instagram, which saw the singer scream as she pulled him into a big hug. 

Fingers crossed we get to see the pair onscreen again soon. 

Megan C. Hills

Megan is a freelance journalist who covers entertainment and all things lifestyle, with a particular passion for fashion, beauty, travel and Keanu Reeves stories. She has previously worked on staff for titles including Marie Claire UK, CNN Style and The Evening Standard and has written for titles such as Bustle UK, Wallpaper*, Forbes and Hong Kong Tatler. She splits her time between London and her hometown Hong Kong, where she currently lives with the love of her life - an elderly dog named Poppy - and her husband.