29 Years Later, Brandy's Cinderella Is Still the Fairytale of Our Dreams
By Alexus Mosley
Photo Credit: Walt Disney Company/Everett Collection
The glass slippers, the gown, and Whitney Houston as our Fairy Godmother? Some fairytales really do have it all. On November 2, 1997, Brandy slipped into a blue ball gown, Whitney Houston waved her magic wand, and television audiences were treated to a Cinderella story unlike any they had seen before. Twenty-nine years later, Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella still feels like a little bit of magic.
Premiering on ABC's The Wonderful World of Disney, the television musical brought together an extraordinary cast, a dreamy collection of costumes, and some of the most memorable voices in entertainment. Brandy starred as Cinderella, Whitney Houston played her Fairy Godmother, and Paolo Montalban stepped into the role of Prince Christopher. Whoopi Goldberg and Victor Garber portrayed the royal couple, while Bernadette Peters made being a wicked stepmother look fabulously theatrical. It resulted in an estimated 60 million viewers and introduced a new generation to Rodgers and Hammerstein's beloved musical.
By 1997, Brandy was already a familiar face in American households. The singer and actress had a successful recording career and starred in the hit sitcom Moesha. But playing Cinderella placed her in an entirely different kind of spotlight as a Black teenage girl at the center of a lavish, romantic fairytale, complete with a handsome prince, an extravagant royal ball, and a sparkling transformation.
The film's multicultural casting was one of its defining features. Goldberg's Queen Constantina and Garber's King Maximillian were parents to Montalban's Prince Christopher. The kingdom was populated by people of different backgrounds, and the film offered little explanation for it. In this fairytale, everyone simply belonged. For young viewers who rarely saw themselves reflected in traditional princess stories, that mattered.
Photo Credit: Walt Disney Company/Everett Collection
As if Brandy playing Cinderella weren't magical enough, the film also gave us Whitney Houston as her Fairy Godmother. Who else could really make impossible things seem entirely possible? Houston was much more than an unforgettable presence on screen. She also served as an executive producer and played a central role in bringing the production to life. The project had originally been developed with Houston in mind for the title role. As the production evolved, she decided to play the Fairy Godmother instead and personally selected Brandy to portray Cinderella.
Their musical chemistry became one of the film's greatest pleasures. Their performance of "Impossible" was encouraging, spectacular, and vocal magic. Houston's rendition of "There's Music in You" delivered another memorable moment. The fairytale transformation was made even sweeter by the relationship between two generations of R&B royalty.
Photo Credit: Walt Disney Company/Everett Collection
As a fairytale that never lost its magic, the film's success extended beyond its original broadcast. It received seven Emmy Award nominations and won for art direction, while its influence continued through home-video releases, anniversary celebrations, and generations of devoted viewers. The film's greatest achievement is how naturally it has become part of the cultural memory of the 1990s.
For many viewers, Brandy is Cinderella, Whitney Houston is the Fairy Godmother, and a pale blue ball gown will always bring back memories of one particularly magical evening on television. Twenty-nine years later, the carriage may have turned back into a pumpkin, but the magic certainly hasn't disappeared.