Honestly, it shouldn't have worked as well as it did. In 1997, the idea of a "multicultural" fairy tale wasn't exactly a common industry standard; it was a risk. But when Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella starring Brandy premiered on ABC’s The Wonderful World of Disney, it didn't just break the mold—it shattered it.
60 million people watched it. Think about that for a second. In an era before streaming, before social media virality, sixty million people sat down at the same time to watch a pop star and a Broadway legend redefine what a princess looked like. It was a massive gamble for Disney and Whitney Houston, who served as executive producer and the Fairy Godmother. Originally, Whitney was supposed to play Cinderella herself. Time passed, she felt she’d outgrown the glass slippers, and she hand-picked Brandy Norwood. That single decision changed television history.
The Impossible Dream of Casting
The casting was, quite frankly, chaotic in the best way possible. You had a Black Cinderella (Brandy), a white King (Victor Garber), a Black Queen (Whoopi Goldberg), and their son, a Filipino Prince (Paolo Montalbán).
It wasn’t "color-blind" casting. It was "color-conscious" casting before that was even a buzzword. The production didn't try to explain why a Black mother and a white father had a Filipino son. They just did it. This choice allowed the audience to focus on the chemistry and the music rather than the logistics of genetics in a world where pumpkins turn into carriages anyway.
Bernadette Peters played the Stepmother with a delicious, campy malice that only a Broadway veteran could pull off. Her performance of "Falling in Love with Love"—a song interpolated from Rodgers and Hammerstein's The Boys from Syracuse—added a layer of bitter depth to a character usually played as a one-dimensional villain. The producers, including Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, knew they needed more than just a pop star; they needed a vocal powerhouse. Brandy delivered. Her R&B riffs met the classical Broadway melodies in a way that felt fresh, not forced.
Why the Music Hits Differently
The score for Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella is legendary, but the 1997 version took some creative liberties that actually improved the flow. They pulled in songs from other R&H shows to flesh out the characters.
"The Stepsisters' Lament" is a masterclass in comedic timing. Veanne Cox and Natalie Desselle-Reid (who we sadly lost too soon) played the stepsisters not as monsters, but as desperately thirsty social climbers. It’s funny. It’s relatable. It’s awkward.
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Then there’s the centerpiece: "Impossible."
When Whitney Houston and Brandy sing this in the garden, it’s a passing of the torch. Whitney’s vocals are soaring, operatic, and grounded, while Brandy’s "vocal bible" style adds a contemporary texture. It’s the moment the show transitions from a standard musical to a cultural landmark. They recorded the vocals together in the studio, which was rare for the time, and that genuine connection translates to the screen. You can see the mentor-protege relationship in every frame.
The arrangement of "Ten Minutes Ago" also stands out. It’s a waltz, but it feels urgent. Paolo Montalbán, who was relatively unknown at the time, held his own against Brandy’s massive fame. His tenor was the perfect foil to her husky, soulful alto.
Visual Grandeur on a TV Budget
Let’s talk about the sets. They look like a fever dream of neon and velvet. The production design didn't aim for realism; it aimed for a storybook come to life.
The costumes by Ellen Mirojnick were vibrant and loud. Whoopi Goldberg’s Queen Constantina wore actual jewels borrowed from Harry Winston—millions of dollars worth of diamonds on a television set. Brandy’s blue gown wasn't the traditional pale Disney blue; it was a shimmering, peplum-heavy masterpiece that stood out against the saturated colors of the ballroom.
People forget that this was a made-for-TV movie. It had a $12 million budget, which was astronomical for 1997 television, but modest for the scale they achieved. They filmed it in just 28 days. The speed of production makes the polished final product even more impressive. There was a sense of mission on that set. Everyone knew they were doing something that hadn't been done at this scale before.
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The Long Road to Streaming
For years, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella starring Brandy was trapped in a sort of licensing limbo. If you didn't have the old DVD or a grainy VHS tape you recorded off the TV, you were out of luck.
Fans campaigned for years. The "Brandy Cinderella" cult following only grew as the kids who watched it in '97 became adults with their own kids. When it finally hit Disney+ in 2021, it was a massive event. It proved that the demand wasn't just nostalgia; it was an appreciation for a high-quality production that didn't talk down to its audience.
The 25th-anniversary special, Cinderella: The Reunion, brought the cast back together to reminisce. Seeing Brandy and Paolo Montalbán together again felt like a full-circle moment for a generation that rarely saw themselves represented in high fantasy.
Addressing the Critics and the Legacy
Not everyone loved it at the time. Some "purists" felt the R&B influence diluted the Rodgers and Hammerstein legacy. They were wrong.
Rodgers and Hammerstein were innovators. They wrote South Pacific to tackle racism; they wrote The King and I to look at cultural clashing. They were always about pushing boundaries. Putting Brandy in the lead role was exactly the kind of forward-thinking move that the duo would have likely championed.
The 1997 film paved the way for more diverse casting in Broadway and film. Without Brandy’s Cinderella, would we have had a Black Ariel in The Little Mermaid? Would the 2013 Broadway revival of Cinderella have been as successful with its diverse ensemble? Probably not. It set a precedent that excellence in performance transcends racial expectations.
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What You Can Learn from This Production
If you’re looking at this through a lens of media history or even just as a fan, there are a few "take-homes" that still apply today.
First, representation isn't just about sticking a person of color in a role; it’s about the quality of the production around them. This film succeeded because it was good, not just because it was diverse. The lighting, the choreography by Rob Marshall (who later directed Chicago), and the vocal arrangements were all top-tier.
Second, the power of a mentor cannot be overstated. Whitney Houston’s belief in Brandy was the engine that drove the project. Whitney fought for Brandy to be the lead when the studio was hesitant. That kind of advocacy changes careers.
Finally, classic stories are durable. You can dress them up, change the rhythm, and swap the faces, and as long as the emotional core—the "Impossible" becoming possible—remains, the audience will show up.
Practical Steps for the Modern Viewer
- Watch the 1997 version on Disney+ but pay close attention to the background characters. The diversity extends to the entire ensemble, which was revolutionary for the time.
- Compare it to the 1957 (Julie Andrews) and 1965 (Lesley Ann Warren) versions. Notice how the 1997 script gives Cinderella more agency. She’s not just waiting; she’s actively questioning her life.
- Listen to the soundtrack on high-quality speakers. The layering of the orchestra with Brandy’s vocal stacks is a masterclass in 90s music production.
- Research the work of Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. They are the duo behind this and other hits like Hairspray and Chicago. Understanding their "theatrical" approach to film explains why this version feels so much like a live show.
- Look for the 25th-anniversary reunion special. It provides incredible context on the "Harry Winston" jewelry story and the challenges of filming "Impossible" in a cramped studio space.
The legacy of this film isn't just in the 90s nostalgia. It’s in the fact that for many people, Brandy is the definitive Cinderella. She didn't just play a princess; she redefined the crown for a new era.