1 of 5 | H.E.R. teased the "Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration" special and gave an impromptu performance of the film's theme song on "The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon." File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI |
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Dec. 9 (UPI) -- Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration star H.E.R. says the special will be a "beautiful celebration."
The 25-year-old singer and actress, born Gabriella Wilson, teased the ABC special during Thursday's episode of The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon.
Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration is an animated and live-action special that reimagines the 1991 animated Disney film. The special will showcase scenes from the original movie and feature new musical performances.
H.E.R. will play Belle, with Josh Groban as the Beast, Joshua Henry as Gaston, Rizwan Manji as LeFou, Shania Twain as Mrs. Pots, David Alan Grier as Cogsworth and Martin Short as Lumière.
On The Tonight Show, H.E.R. said the special fulfills her dream of being a Disney princess.
"It was definitely something I imagined to be as a kid, but you never really think it could happen," she said. "So, I'm walking a little different. I'm talking a little different."
The singer said the special celebrates the original film, which features music by composer Alan Menken and lyricist Howard Ashman, and the voices of Paige O'Hara, Robby Benson and Angela Lansbury.
"It's exactly what it's called, a celebration. You know, this is the anniversary -- 30 years," H.E.R. said.
"It's gonna be the cartoon and then into the live-action. And it's just gonna be a beautiful celebration. We're gonna celebration the creation of it," she added.
H.E.R. then performed an impromptu rendition of the Beauty and the Beast theme song.
Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration is directed by Hamish Hamilton and executive produced by Jon M. Chu. The special premieres Dec. 15 at 8 p.m. EST on ABC and will be available to stream the next day on Disney+.