This Grammy Winner Cast as Belle In 'Beauty & the Beast' 30th Celebration Special

H.E.R. has been cast to portray Belle, THR reveals.

“I can’t believe I get to be a part of the Beauty and the Beast legacy. The world will see a Black and Filipino Belle!” she said in a statement. “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.”

This is the first time an Afro Filipina woman will play the role of Belle on screens.

H.E.R. “will lead audiences through the world of Belle with never-before-seen musical performances celebrating and paying homage to the beloved tale.”

“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,” Jon M Chu shared. “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.”