Brandy Reveals Advice Whoopi & Whitney Houston Gave Her During ‘Cinderella’ As Film Drops On Disney+

Brandy looked back on her time working with Whoopi Goldberg and Whitney Houston on 'Cinderella' as she announced that the film's FINALLY coming to Disney+.

Brandy Whitney HoustonView galleryBrandy Norwood
DIVAS: Simply Singing, Taglyan Complex, Los Angeles, USA - 01 Dec 2019Mandatory Credit: London Entertainment/Shutterstock
Mandatory Credit: Photo by London Entertainment/Shutterstock (12782863g)
Brandy sings the National Anthem at the NFC Championship Game between the Los Angeles Rams and the San Francisco 49ers at SoFi Stadium on January 30, 2022 in Inglewood, California
Celebrities at Los Angeles Rams v San Francisco 49ers, NFC Championship Game, American Football, SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, Los Angeles, California, USA - 30 Jan 2022Singer/Songwriter/Actress BRANDY on the Gold Carpet for BET Black Girls Rock, NJPAC Newark, NJ on August 25, 2019 (Photo By: Mike Ware/SIPA USA)(Sipa via AP Images)
Image Credit: © Walt Disney Television / Courtesy of Everett Collection

When Brandy Norwood was a young actress, two icons took her under their wings and told her that a bright future in the industry wasn’t impossible. Brandy, 41, appeared on the February 4 episode of The View and reunited with her Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella co-star, Whoopi Goldberg to announce some exciting news: the 1997 film is finally coming to Disney+! She reminisced about the advice both Whoopi and the late Whitney Houston gave her on set.

EXCLUSIVE: @4everBrandy announces on @TheView Rodgers and Hammerstein’s #Cinderella will premiere on @disneyplus February 12!

“We can celebrate and share and inspire a whole new generation to see this wonderful piece,” she tells us.

— The View (@TheView) February 4, 2021

Brandy, then just 17, was blown away by the fact that she got to work with her two “idols,” Whoopi and Whitney — Queen Constantina and Fairy Godmother, respectively — along with Bernadette Peters, who played her evil stepmother. The teenager was handpicked to play the first Black Cinderella by Whitney, who also executive produced the film. “[Whitney] said, ‘Please promise me that you’ll always be yourself. Never change, not for anyone,'” Brandy remembered. “If I’m myself, then I won’t have any issues. And I took that, and I received that.”

Whoopi’s advice to the young Moesha star was a little more practical. Brandy had asked the EGOT-winner where she got all the fabulous Harry Winston diamonds she was wearing on set, and Whoopi happily explained: ‘I just always remember you telling me to be kind and professional: ‘Get you some relationships. All these people can send you things when you’re doing your jobs,'” Brandy said as Whoopi laughed. “You were so supportive of me. I just had a great time with you.”

Brandy and Whitney Houston in 1997’s Cinderella (© Walt Disney Television / Courtesy of Everett Collection)

The View co-hosts don’t always get along, but they could agree on one thing. They love Cinderella! The groundbreaking movie also starred Paolo Montalban as Prince Charming, Victor Garber as King Maximilian, and Jason Alexander as Lionel. Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella comes to Disney+ on February 12.

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