Beauty And The Beast TV Special Lands A Country Music Legend

For over 30 years, Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" has delighted audiences of all ages with just the right amount of wonder and heartfelt emotion. Adapted from the nearly 300-year-old fairy tale, the film went on to become the first animated movie to be nominated for the Academy Award for best picture in 1991 (per The Hollywood Reporter), and helped cement the Disney renaissance period for feature animation, started by 1989's "The Little Mermaid." A live-action remake of "Beauty and the Beast" came out in 2017 and introduced an entirely new generation of viewers to one of the company's most cherished properties. The film's enduring legacy has stood the test of time, complete with multiple versions of the tale in whatever form fans wish to experience it.

And now, there will be a television special to commemorate three decades of a popular franchise. The anniversary special has cast the perfect Belle in H.E.R., with Josh Groban playing Beast. Further casting announcements are being made before the scheduled air date of December 15, 2022, on ABC, and a country music legend is in final negotiations to join the cast of classic characters.

As reported by Variety, Shania Twain is in the final stages of discussions to join the "Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration" primetime special as Mrs. Potts. The character was voiced by Angela Lansbury in the original 1991 film and voiced/played by Emma Thompson in the 2017 reboot. Potts is the talking teapot and cook of Beast's castle in both versions of the movies. It was also confirmed that Martin Short will join the cast as Lumiere, the host of the castle, brought to life by Jerry Orbach and Ewan McGregor respectively in the previous films.

The news marks a busy autumn season for the country music star as she launches a new single, "Waking Up Dreaming," from her upcoming studio album to be released in 2023. A Netflix documentary about her life was released over the summer, and she also performed a homecoming concert at her birthplace of Ottawa, Canada. There is no doubt about Twain's singing prowess, which should add another dimension to the sublime work of Lansbury and Thompson. As the first non-British performer to tackle the role of the indelible Mrs. Potts, it is exciting to anticipate what she will do with the character.