H.E.R. to play Belle in Beauty and the Beast 30th anniversary special

According to Deadline, H.E.R. will play Disney Princess Belle in the 30th anniversary two-hour celebration of Beauty and the Beast, which will be a hybrid animated and live-action special on ABC.

Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration will see H.E.R. lead live musical performances that pay tribute to the original tale, and there'll be new sets and costumes inspired by the 1991 film.

The hybrid special will be directed by Hamish Hamilton and executive produced by Jon M. Chu.

"I can’t believe I get to be a part of the Beauty and the Beast legacy," H.E.R. said. "The world will see a Black and Filipino Belle! I have always wanted to be a Disney princess, and I get to work with two wonderful directors Hamish Hamilton and my favorite, Jon M. Chu. It is very surreal and I couldn’t be more grateful."

Chu added, "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, 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."