H.E.R. is making history with her newest role.
On Wednesday, Deadlinereported that the five-time Grammy winner is set to star as Belle in Disney's upcoming live special, Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration, making her the first Afro-Filipina woman to play the role on-screen.
“I can’t believe I get to be a part of the 'Beauty and the Beast' legacy. The world will see a Black and Filipino Belle,” H.E.R. said in a statement. "I have always wanted to be a Disney princess."
The R&B star — who is also set to impress fans with her acting chops in Warner Bros. forthcoming adaptation of The Color Purple— then went on to shout out director Hamish Hamilton and executive producer Jon M. Chu, before adding, "It is very surreal and I couldn’t be more grateful.”
According to the outlet, Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration will incorporate both animated and live-action elements, as well as "never-before-seen live musical performances paying homage to the timeless tale as well as new sets and costumes inspired by the classic story."
While the show has yet to announce who will play Beast, Chu already appears to be quite pleased to work with H.E.R., explaining that "with her obvious extraordinary talent and stage presence, H.E.R. is the perfect embodiment of our Belle and we are thrilled for audiences to see her in this celebration of creativity."
"We were both influenced as storytellers by the original animated movie," the Crazy Rich Asians director said. "So it's very exciting to collaborate together to honor the artistry of that timeless classic while also inspiring a whole new generation of creators."
Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration will be available to watch via ABC and Disney+ on Thursday, December 15 from 8-10 pm EST. Read Deadline's full report about the production here.
Photo via Getty / Scott Dudelson
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