PURE MAGIC

25 Years Later, Brandy to Play Cinderella Again in ‘Descendants’ Sequel

A quarter-century after the beloved Rodgers and Hammerstein television adaptation, the singer is stepping back into her glass slippers.

As Whitney Houston’s fairy godmother once sang: “Impossible things are happ’ning every day!” Before Monday, it might have seemed impossible that Brandy would ever step back into the glass slippers she donned for Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella a quarter-century ago. And then came the official announcement that the singer-songwriter will in fact be playing the princess once again. Now 43 years old, Brandy took to Instagram on Monday to write, “So excited to join this amazing cast and reprise my role as #Cinderella in the #DisneyDescendants sequel ‘The Pocketwatch.’” The 1997 television film, which also stars Houston, Whoopi Goldberg, and Bernadette Peters, is widely regarded as one of the best screen adaptations of the classic fairy tale. As part of the popular Descendants universe, The Pocketwatch will follow not only Cinderella’s daughter, but also the rebellious daughter of the Queen of Hearts—who will be played by Rita Ora, according to a press release announcing the project. Directed by Jennifer Phang, the film does not yet have a release date, which gives fans plenty of time to dust off their VCRs and rewatch the 1997 version in anticipation.