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B*A*P*S and Cinderella Star Natalie Desselle Reid Is Dead at 53 (colon cancer)
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Actor Natalie Desselle-Reid Has Died of Colon Cancer at Only 53
This cancer is increasingly killing people under 55.
By Colleen Stinchcombe
John Shearer/Getty Images
In tragic news, actor Natalie Desselle-Reid has died of colon cancer at only 53 years old. She was best known for her work on the TV show Eve, as one of the stepsisters in the 1997 retelling of Cinderella starring Brandy and Whitney Houston, and as a star of the 1997 comedy hit B.A.P.S. Desselle-Reid’s family announced her death on her Instagram page on December 7.
“It is with extremely heavy hearts that we share the loss of our beautiful Natalie this morning from colon cancer,” the statement read. “She was a bright light in this world. A queen. An extraordinary mother and wife. Her diverse career touched so many and she will be loved forever. Naturally, we are grieving and processing this profound loss and we thank you in advance for respecting our privacy at this extremely difficult time.”
Colorectal cancer (which includes cancer of the colon, or large intestine, and of the rectum, or the last section of the colon) is the fourth most common and fourth most deadly cancer in the United States. In both areas, it's behind female breast cancer, prostate cancer, and lung and bronchial cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
According to the Mayo Clinic, colon cancer typically begins as non-cancerous clumps of cells in the colon called polyps. These polyps often don’t cause any symptoms, especially early on, but can become cancerous over time. (This can take up to 10 to 15 years, according to the American Cancer Society.)
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A person with more advanced colon cancer may begin to notice symptoms like a change in bowel habits (such as more frequent diarrhea or extended bouts of constipation) or a feeling like they haven’t completely emptied their bowels after using the bathroom. Symptoms can also include rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, fatigue or weakness, and unexplained weight loss, according to the Mayo Clinic. The exact symptoms and their severity depend on how advanced a person’s cancer is and exactly where it is within the colon.
Some people are at higher risk for colon cancer, including those with a family history of the illness or with underlying conditions affecting the intestines (like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis). Certain lifestyle risks can also indicate a higher risk of colon cancer, such as excessive alcohol use, not eating sufficient amounts of fiber, and smoking. But people with these risk factors don't always develop colon cancer, and people without these risk factors can wind up with the disease as well.
Screening for colon cancer can sometimes make it easier to catch and treat. Stool tests and colonoscopies are the main screening method for colon cancer, according to the Mayo Clinic. Stool tests can screen for changes in DNA or hidden blood that might indicate an issue, but they are not as sensitive as colonoscopies. A colonoscopy requires people to thoroughly cleanse their bowels (often through laxatives) before the procedure, and then a doctor investigates the entire colon with a camera attached to a thin tube. During this procedure, a doctor can remove visible polyps and take samples of any abnormal-seeming tissue to further investigate. “Virtual” colonoscopies—another name for CT scans in this context—are also a possibility, though they still require complete emptying of the bowels, and any abnormalities require a follow-up appointment for a traditional colonoscopy.
For people without additional risk factors, the American Cancer Society recommends that colon cancer screening begin at age 45, no matter a person’s race. The US Preventive Services Task Force previously recommended screening at age 50 but is currently considering lowering their universal age for screening to 45. This change could help get screening covered as a zero-copay preventive test for insured people starting at 45 instead of 50, according to CNN. In turn, this move may help save lives.
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The colon cancer risk for young people is low overall, though people under age 55 are increasingly being diagnosed with and dying from colon cancer, as SELF previously explained. It’s also essential to note that the disease disproportionately affects and kills Black people in the United States. Along with Desselle-Reid, Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman is another recent high-profile tragic loss to the disease.
According to the CDC, the five-year survival rate for colorectal cancer is about 65%, and there has been an overall drop in colon cancer diagnoses and deaths over the last few decades. However, as of 2017 (the most recent year available for CDC data), a racial disparity in colon cancer cases and deaths remains. For every 100,000 white women, there were 32 cases of colorectal cancer and 11 deaths, which increased to 35 cases and 15 deaths among every 100,000 Black women. Colon cancer is more common in men—for every 100,000 white men, there were 41 cases of colorectal cancer and 16 men died. Among the same number of Black men, there were 48 cases of colorectal cancer and 22 deaths.
It’s not entirely clear why these disparities exist, though as SELF previously reported, experts are considering how symptoms may present differently across races as well as the structural inequities that create barriers to health care, appropriate screening, and treatment for communities of color. Inequity does seem to be a foundational factor behind colon cancer disparities. Research suggests that doctors don’t recommend colon cancer screening often enough, especially to Black people. And once Black patients are diagnosed, there’s further evidence that they’re less likely than white people to receive surgery and chemotherapy, which can be life-prolonging and life-saving treatments. Eliminating systemic racism that contributes to these kinds of disparities will depend on the health care system rooting out structural inequities that deprive Black people and other people of color of years of health and vitality.
Some experts have been pushing for earlier colon-cancer-screening recommendations for Black people based on these disparities. For example, in 2009, the American College of Gastroenterology updated its guidelines to recommend screening Black people with an average risk at age 45. If the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force makes its new screening guidelines official, it would match this recommendation for all races.
When it comes to your personal colon cancer risk, there are a few things you can try to do if you’re concerned. First, be aware of any risk factors you have for the disease and monitor your bathroom habits for any changes that could indicate an issue. If you have a doctor you trust, whether that’s a primary care doctor or gastroenterologist, bring up your concerns and see what kind of screening they recommend. If that involves doing any testing or having doctor’s appointments while the pandemic is ongoing, the very thought of that might be scary, and that makes sense. Still, experts are generally recommending that people continue to keep up with potentially life-saving preventive care depending on their personal health histories. There are ways to receive this kind of care as safely as possible during COVID-19, so if you have any concerns or questions, do your best to talk them through with a medical professional you trust.
This cancer is increasingly killing people under 55.
By Colleen Stinchcombe
John Shearer/Getty Images
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In tragic news, actor Natalie Desselle-Reid has died of colon cancer at only 53 years old. She was best known for her work on the TV show Eve, as one of the stepsisters in the 1997 retelling of Cinderella starring Brandy and Whitney Houston, and as a star of the 1997 comedy hit B.A.P.S. Desselle-Reid’s family announced her death on her Instagram page on December 7.
“It is with extremely heavy hearts that we share the loss of our beautiful Natalie this morning from colon cancer,” the statement read. “She was a bright light in this world. A queen. An extraordinary mother and wife. Her diverse career touched so many and she will be loved forever. Naturally, we are grieving and processing this profound loss and we thank you in advance for respecting our privacy at this extremely difficult time.”
Colorectal cancer (which includes cancer of the colon, or large intestine, and of the rectum, or the last section of the colon) is the fourth most common and fourth most deadly cancer in the United States. In both areas, it's behind female breast cancer, prostate cancer, and lung and bronchial cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
According to the Mayo Clinic, colon cancer typically begins as non-cancerous clumps of cells in the colon called polyps. These polyps often don’t cause any symptoms, especially early on, but can become cancerous over time. (This can take up to 10 to 15 years, according to the American Cancer Society.)
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A person with more advanced colon cancer may begin to notice symptoms like a change in bowel habits (such as more frequent diarrhea or extended bouts of constipation) or a feeling like they haven’t completely emptied their bowels after using the bathroom. Symptoms can also include rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, fatigue or weakness, and unexplained weight loss, according to the Mayo Clinic. The exact symptoms and their severity depend on how advanced a person’s cancer is and exactly where it is within the colon.
Some people are at higher risk for colon cancer, including those with a family history of the illness or with underlying conditions affecting the intestines (like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis). Certain lifestyle risks can also indicate a higher risk of colon cancer, such as excessive alcohol use, not eating sufficient amounts of fiber, and smoking. But people with these risk factors don't always develop colon cancer, and people without these risk factors can wind up with the disease as well.
Screening for colon cancer can sometimes make it easier to catch and treat. Stool tests and colonoscopies are the main screening method for colon cancer, according to the Mayo Clinic. Stool tests can screen for changes in DNA or hidden blood that might indicate an issue, but they are not as sensitive as colonoscopies. A colonoscopy requires people to thoroughly cleanse their bowels (often through laxatives) before the procedure, and then a doctor investigates the entire colon with a camera attached to a thin tube. During this procedure, a doctor can remove visible polyps and take samples of any abnormal-seeming tissue to further investigate. “Virtual” colonoscopies—another name for CT scans in this context—are also a possibility, though they still require complete emptying of the bowels, and any abnormalities require a follow-up appointment for a traditional colonoscopy.
For people without additional risk factors, the American Cancer Society recommends that colon cancer screening begin at age 45, no matter a person’s race. The US Preventive Services Task Force previously recommended screening at age 50 but is currently considering lowering their universal age for screening to 45. This change could help get screening covered as a zero-copay preventive test for insured people starting at 45 instead of 50, according to CNN. In turn, this move may help save lives.
WATCH
The Truth About Wellness Trends with Dr. Mike Varshavski: Celery Juice
MORE SELF VIDEOS
ADVERTISEMENT
The colon cancer risk for young people is low overall, though people under age 55 are increasingly being diagnosed with and dying from colon cancer, as SELF previously explained. It’s also essential to note that the disease disproportionately affects and kills Black people in the United States. Along with Desselle-Reid, Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman is another recent high-profile tragic loss to the disease.
According to the CDC, the five-year survival rate for colorectal cancer is about 65%, and there has been an overall drop in colon cancer diagnoses and deaths over the last few decades. However, as of 2017 (the most recent year available for CDC data), a racial disparity in colon cancer cases and deaths remains. For every 100,000 white women, there were 32 cases of colorectal cancer and 11 deaths, which increased to 35 cases and 15 deaths among every 100,000 Black women. Colon cancer is more common in men—for every 100,000 white men, there were 41 cases of colorectal cancer and 16 men died. Among the same number of Black men, there were 48 cases of colorectal cancer and 22 deaths.
It’s not entirely clear why these disparities exist, though as SELF previously reported, experts are considering how symptoms may present differently across races as well as the structural inequities that create barriers to health care, appropriate screening, and treatment for communities of color. Inequity does seem to be a foundational factor behind colon cancer disparities. Research suggests that doctors don’t recommend colon cancer screening often enough, especially to Black people. And once Black patients are diagnosed, there’s further evidence that they’re less likely than white people to receive surgery and chemotherapy, which can be life-prolonging and life-saving treatments. Eliminating systemic racism that contributes to these kinds of disparities will depend on the health care system rooting out structural inequities that deprive Black people and other people of color of years of health and vitality.
Some experts have been pushing for earlier colon-cancer-screening recommendations for Black people based on these disparities. For example, in 2009, the American College of Gastroenterology updated its guidelines to recommend screening Black people with an average risk at age 45. If the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force makes its new screening guidelines official, it would match this recommendation for all races.
When it comes to your personal colon cancer risk, there are a few things you can try to do if you’re concerned. First, be aware of any risk factors you have for the disease and monitor your bathroom habits for any changes that could indicate an issue. If you have a doctor you trust, whether that’s a primary care doctor or gastroenterologist, bring up your concerns and see what kind of screening they recommend. If that involves doing any testing or having doctor’s appointments while the pandemic is ongoing, the very thought of that might be scary, and that makes sense. Still, experts are generally recommending that people continue to keep up with potentially life-saving preventive care depending on their personal health histories. There are ways to receive this kind of care as safely as possible during COVID-19, so if you have any concerns or questions, do your best to talk them through with a medical professional you trust.
'Natalie Represented Actual Black Women': Halle Berry Pens Moving Tribute to BAPS Co-star Natalie Desselle Reid
Just days before the unexpected death of actress Natalie Desselle Reid, Halle Berry shared a video of her and her B.A.P.S. co-star strolling shoulder-to-shoulder Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles. The pair were filming a bit for the 1997 cult classic, gold teeth gleaming and giggling into the camera.
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Brandy, Whoopi Goldberg, and more 'Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella' cast reunites with EW
See a preview of Brandy, Whoopi Goldberg, Bernadette Peters, and more 'Cinderella' cast reuniting with EW ahead of the 1997 musical hitting Disney+ this week.
Brandy, Whoopi Goldberg, and more Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella cast reunites with EW
Watch a preview of the reunited stars discussing the beloved musical, which is finally coming to Disney+ this week.
By Marcus Jones
February 08, 2021 at 10:59 AM EST
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The Cinderella story continues.
In advance of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella coming to Disney+ this Friday, the cast of the timeless 1997 musical has joined EW to reflect on the impact the project had — and how impossibly fun it was to make it.
On Thursday, Feb. 11, come have a ball watching stars Brandy (Cinderella), Paolo Montalban (Prince Christopher), Whoopi Goldberg (Queen Constantina), Victor Garber (King Maximillian), Jason Alexander (Lionel), Bernadette Peters (Stepmother), and Veanne Cox (Calliope) talk through little details about the movie like Goldberg insisting Queen Constantina be outfitted with real jewels from Harry Winston, how hard the late Natalie Desselle-Reid made everyone laugh, and of course, what it was like seeing Whitney Houston guide Brandy toward the right notes.
Catch a sneak peek of the reunion above, where the multicultural cast reacts to how their film has aged well, and Goldberg makes a frank comparison to another phenomenon, proclaiming, "We were Hamilton before Hamilton," which causes a very excitedly Brandy to quip: "I love that she can say everything that we want to say."
CREDIT: ABC
The reunion will stream this Thursday beginning at 11 a.m. ET/8 a.m. PT on EW.com, as well as on Entertainment Weekly's Facebook and YouTube page.
To further celebrate the beloved TV movie hitting Disney+ at the stroke of midnight on Feb. 12, EW will be co-hosting a live social media viewing party on Friday at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT along with Concord Theatricals, on behalf of the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization. Viewers can follow along with Entertainment Weekly's Twitter, Rodgers & Hammerstein on Twitter and Instagram, and Cinderella on Twitter and Instagram for trivia throughout the event, as well as a chance to win some great prizes. Please use #Cinderella1997 on social media to join the watch party. Fans can also share their excitement by using the official Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella AR filter on Instagram.
Do You Understand the Impact of Brandy and Whitney’s Cinderella?
It would not be an overstatement to say that Blinderella is the piece of culture that has most profoundly shaped my life.
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Brandy Answers Every Question We Have About Cinderella
On singing with Whitney Houston, the fate of the movie’s soundtrack, and building up impossible hopes for Black girls everywhere.
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Brandy Answers Every Question We Have About Cinderella
By Zoe Haylock@zoe_alliyah
Role Call is a series in which Vulture talks to actors about performances they’ve probably forgotten by now, but we definitely haven’t.
On singing with Whitney Houston, the fate of the movie’s soundtrack, and building up impossible hopes for Black girls everywhere. Photo-Illustration: Vulture and Walt Disney Television
When Brandy Norwood was just a little girl, she was wishing on a star. Not a random cloud of gases dying somewhere lifetimes away. A real star named Whitney Houston. “Oh my God, I used to have dreams of her when I was a kid, like being at her house and hanging out with her,” said Brandy, now 41, fresh off her seventh album release. “I never thought that I would be on set with her hanging out in a pumpkin, in a dress, and she’s got a wand.” Disney’s 1997 adaptation of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella was a dream come true for executive producer Whitney Houston (originally tapped to play Cindy herself) and for Black girls around the world. But it’s Brandy who experienced the Cinderella transformation firsthand, complete with fairy godmother. “I was so blown away by the fact that Whitney Houston called me to be the first Black Cinderella,” she told Vulture through the magic of Zoom. “I was like, ‘This is not real.’ It was mind-blowing.”
Almost 24 years later, the musical, co-starring Whoopi Goldberg, Jason Alexander, Bernadette Peters, Victor Garber, and Paolo Montalban as the charming Prince Christopher, is (finally) heading to Disney+. Ahead of this week’s Friday Night Movie Club Ball, we asked Brandy to do the impossible and take us back to 1997.
In so many ways, there’s no Cinderella like yours. In preparing for the role, what did you want to update or add your own touch to?
I wanted to just bring my own flavor to it. Of course, I worked with an amazing director, Rob Iscove, and I had a lot of work with Whitney Houston. We just worked on bringing who I am to it, in the singing. I wanted to sing in a musical theater way but have my own -isms to it. And that was supported by the powers that be.
At the time, “colorblind casting”The Cinderella creators always intended to produce the movie with a racially diverse cast. At the time, the strategy for casting was dubbed “colorblind.” wasn’t as prominent. What did it mean to you to be able to portray a Black Cinderella?
I couldn’t grasp it all because I was so young. I didn’t really understand how revolutionary this was going to be, how big of an impact it was going to be. I knew that it was special, but I didn’t really know how special. When I was able to see it all come together and see the finished product of it, I was like, Wow, this is different. This is something I had never seen. It inspired me. It was as if I wasn’t even watching me as Cinderella.
One of the things I love about your Cinderella is that she has her hair in braids throughout the movie. What went into that choice and what did it mean to you to be able to be an unapologetically Black princess?
You know, I had been wearing braids throughout my entire career when I was younger. So that was just my thing. I just absolutely love braids. You can still see they’re still in my hair today. That was what I felt would be so much cooler — if Cinderella also had braids, you know? Because, yes, there’s the first Black princess. That’s amazing. Unbelievable. But what if we just take it all the way back to the motherland. And just go head-on and put the braids right in. I actually wanted the braids all the way down to the middle of my back, but they were like, “It’s too long.” I love that they allowed me to have braids. It was so beautiful. It represents who I am, who Black women are. It speaks to our culture.
You’ve said before that getting the call from WhitneyExecutive producer Whitney Houston was originally meant to play the part of Cinderella, but by the time the film was green-lit, Houston felt she was better suited for the Fairy Godmother role and personally offered the role to Brandy instead. was like getting a call from your own fairy godmother. Can you share any of the wisdom she imparted while you guys were filming Cinderella?
Well, Whitney’s whole thing with me was to just be myself. She loved that I could be myself and she didn’t want that part of me to change. Her being a legend and having been through so much in life and experiences in this industry, she wanted me to stay on the path of being who I am and true to myself. That was what she preached all the time to me up until she passed away. So I keep that and I try to live by that every day. That’s what I teach my daughter as well.
What was it like seeing Whitney the executive producer on set? Did you get to see any boss lady moments?
Oh, she didn’t really act like a boss lady like that. She didn’t have that kind of energy. Her energy was very down to earth, loving. Her spirit was humble. And you know, I honestly think that even though she was executive producer and she had a vision, she kind of let her partner Debra Chase and Craig [Zadan] and Neil [Meron] and them have that kind of vibe. She was just Fairy Godmother doing her acting and singing with all of us. I’m pretty sure she was, of course, doing her thing behind the scenes. I just didn’t see it.
What do you remember about singing “ImpossibleThe song will forever go down in history for prompting the great “Why are you down there?” Whitney Houston quote.,” that iconic duet with her?
Oh my God, the singing in the studio was unbelievable. Like, we just have so many beautiful moments and it’s actually captured. You can find it — our chemistry, us trying different melodies, trying different notes. We just were very open with each other and it was a collaborative effort. And then performing it in the actual film, like shooting with her — it was just so fun. I never could have believed that if you told me that when I was a kid.
What was it like on that big lot with those gorgeous setpiecesWith a reported production budget of $12 million, the 1997 Cinderella is one of the most expensive television films ever made.?
This set is what blew my mind because, you know, I’m from Moesha. You go and you see a living room and then there’s an audience behind you so it’s not like a set set. This was a house that they built from scratch. It felt like it was a part of Disneyland. That’s the way it looked. And I could think in my mind, I’m like, Wow, and then when it’s over, they have to take it all down.
What was it like being around Whoopi Goldberg’s extravagant Harry Winston jewelryWhoopi Goldberg reportedly rejected the fake jewelry costume designers intended to use for the shoot and privately set up a deal with jeweler Harry Winston to provide her with millions of dollars’ worth of the real thing.? Were there bodyguards watching her every move?
Oh, my God. [Laughs.] She might have had a few bodyguards, but I was so blown away by her jewelry. I was like “Your jewelry!” And she goes, “You know, it’s real,” I said, “It’s real?” “Yes, it’s real! Harry Winston.” And she said to me, “You know, that’s what you have to learn. You’re young. Get your relationships. And in your next few movies or your next few projects, Harry Winston may send you a couple of diamonds here and there. You might have to give them back, but …”
Do you know anything about the rumorRumor has it that the production ran out of money toward the end of shoots, and that certain producers agreed to finance the rest of the project using their own money. Goldberg allegedly offered up the remainder of her daily pay to completing it, too. that Whoopi and a few producers donated their remaining daily rate to help get the film finished?
I’ve never heard that. That happened? I wouldn’t know that. But if that’s the case, thank you, Whoopi! She’s a beautiful spirit.
The chemistry between you and PaoloPaolo Montalban had been an understudy in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The King and I on Broadway prior to being cast., your prince charming, is the heart of the movie. Do you remember the moment where you guys first felt comfortable together, like you could create that magic?
When I first met him, we instantly connected, we instantly felt like, Oh my God, we’re gonna do this. And, you know, he told me “I got you.” I told him “I got you too, and we’re gonna make this happen.” We were just surrounded by such an experienced group of people that kind of helped us, you know, pull it together. I was the rookie in the whole thing. Everybody had such great musical-theater experience. I didn’t. So everybody just really embraced me. And Paolo was one of the ones that just made me feel so comfortable. When you feel comfortable, you try things and when you try things, you make something magical. I always felt like I was in a place where I could be creative and come up with something new, make it my own.
Do you remember a moment on set or creating the music with Whitney where you got to add your own influence?
Well, I was trying to be as straight as I could, because my music is kind of known for the riffs and the runs. Singers would know what I mean when I say that: I felt like I should sing the music straight. Just let it be about the melody. So that was my approach in this thing. And then Whitney, though, Whitney did the acrobatics. It was just a great balance of straight singing and then her singing just everywhere.
A soundtrack for the film was never officially released, but after 24 years, is that something that we can make a reality?
I know! I am working on that. I am definitely working on that. I keep hearing the talks about it.
Wow! Really? It’s like you’re our Fairy Godmother.
That is so sweet to say.
What is it like sharing the film with your daughter, Sy’rai?
She’s of course seen it here and there, but when I tried to show her, it was hard for her to see it because I was getting, you know, picked on for the first half of the movie. So before we could get to the good part, she’s like, “Mom, I can’t. I can’t take it.” She was very young. She couldn’t differentiate. So now that she’s older, and she’s 18, and this is happening, we’re going to watch it together for the first time all the way through. I’m excited.
Did you get to keep any of your beautiful props, like the tiara or glass slipper?
I didn’t get to keep any of that. I didn’t …
I … who do we need to call at Disney to make that happen?
Well, now that we’re on Disney+, I mean, maybe something can happen.
Yeah, the Queen needs her crown.
[Laughs.] Princess!
“Don’t have Disney+ yet? You can sign up here. (If you subscribe to a service through our links, Vulture may earn an affiliate commission.)”
Watch 'Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella' cast reunion with Brandy, Whoopi Goldberg, and more
Exclusive: Watch 'Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella' stars Brandy, Whoopi Goldberg, Bernadette Peters, Jason Alexander, and more reflect on the iconic 1997 musical coming soon to Disney+.
Watch Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella cast reunion with Brandy, Whoopi Goldberg, and more: 'It was a game changer'
Brandy, Whoopi Goldberg, Paolo Montalban, Victor Garber, Jason Alexander, Bernadette Peters, and Veanne Cox join EW to share stories about the groundbreaking 1997 musical.
By Marcus Jones
February 11, 2021 at 11:00 AM EST
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Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella (TV Movie - 1997)
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You don't need a fairy godmother or an invitation to the ball to check in with the cast of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella.
Stars of the musical, Brandy (Cinderella), Paolo Montalban (Prince Christopher), Whoopi Goldberg (Queen Constantina), Victor Garber (King Maximillian), Jason Alexander (Lionel), Bernadette Peters (Stepmother), and Veanne Cox (Calliope), joined EW to discuss their groundbreaking 1997 TV movie, which arrives on Disney+ this Friday.
"It was an honor to be part of something so wonderful back then, and even now, and it was multicultural, and it was just so wonderful that children were watching it could just enjoy it and all the different kinds of people that were in it, and not even question it," Peters says in the reunion video above.
CREDIT: ABC
"There are very few weeks that go by, even now after how many years — 25, where somebody does not come up to me and say how much it meant to them, and how much it changed their lives, and how much it started their lives," adds Cox. Alexander concurs, saying "It does come up when you meet people often, and they talk about this particular Cinderella, and they claim it, and they go 'Brandy was my Cinderella.'"
Reflecting on the film's enduring success, despite the fact it was unavailable to stream, and didn't have a soundtrack, Brandy notes, "It was a game changer, like it was just so different, and it just gave everyone an opportunity to just play these iconic characters, and see it in a different way. It was just so magical."
Goldberg makes it a point to clarify that "a lot of this came from the heart and soul of Whitney [Houston]. I know that a lot of what you're seeing is what she wanted."
That vision is best represented by Brandy's Cinderella moment, when she got to wear the light blue dress, and make a grand entrance into the palace. Montalban remembers that moment well, telling the group, "When Brandy came out in her Cinderella dress, no acting required, and actually I had to take maybe 10 extra breaths because she was so stunning at the top of the staircase. And they probably took the first take because I just recently saw that portion of it and was like this man is not breathing because he's seen the love of his life appear at the top of the steps."
CREDIT: DANNY FELD/ABC
Over two decades after they made it, the cast is excited for fans to see the movie again, and be able to share it with their loved ones. "It's the perfect time for it to come out. This is the perfect time," stresses Garber. "There are no mistakes, this is the time."
Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella begins streaming on Disney+ at the stroke of midnight on Friday, Feb. 12.
Watch the full reunion with the cast above. And continue the celebration with EW on Twitter as we co-host a live viewing party on Friday at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT along with Concord Theatricals, on behalf of the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization. Viewers can follow along with Entertainment Weekly's Twitter, Rodgers & Hammerstein on Twitter and Instagram, and Cinderella on Twitter and Instagram for trivia throughout the event, as well as a chance to win some great prizes. Just use #Cinderella1997 on social media to join the watch party. Fans can also share their excitement by using the official Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella AR filter on Instagram.
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RIP Great Queen
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