A tale as old as time is getting a fresh life on-screen.
A live-action retelling of Disney’s classic Beauty and the Beast hits theaters next Friday, and Entertainment Studios’ Jon Kelley got exclusive interviews with some of the cast.
Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Belle, Concussion, Beyond the Lights) portrays “Plumette,” a playful housemaid turned feather duster in the Beast’s mysterious castle.
Mbatha-Raw said the chance to play a lighter role was “liberating” and a needed departure from some of the more serious roles that have defined her career.
“This is my first Disney film that I’ve ever been a part of,” Mbatha-Raw said. “But Disney’s been a part of my whole life. Growing up, I watched the original animation when I was about eight years old. I became so obsessed with it. The music just brings back this nostalgia and energy from my childhood which is really cool.
Joining Mbatha-Raw in the All-Star cast is Broadway legend Audra McDonald. McDonald plays “Madame de Garderobe,” a woman who was turned into a wardrobe by the Enchantress’ curse on the Beast.
“[Having this role] just felt like I went from fifth cousin to maybe second cousin in the Disney family,” McDonald laughed. “It’s just a childhood dream come true.”