Rita Ora to star in Beauty and the Beast prequel series from Disney Plus
The singer will play a fugitive in the new series alongside returning stars Josh Gad and Luke Evans
British pop star Rita Ora has joined the cast of Disney Plus's upcoming Beauty and the Beast prequel series.
The singer is set to play "a fugitive with surprising abilities who carries with her a secret that could potentially affect an entire kingdom." (via Deadline) Ora stars alongside Josh Gad and Luke Evans, who is set to reprise their roles of the villainous Gaston and his spaced-out sidekick, LeFou, from the 2017 live-action film that featured Emma Watson and Dan Stevens as the titular roles.
The prequel series, set years before Belle enters the picture, follows Gaston and LeFou as they set out on an unexpected journey to help LeFou’s stepsister, Tilly (Briana Middleton) after uncovering a surprising revelation from Tilly’s past. The cast also includes Hawkeye’s Fra Fee and Broadway star Jelani Alladin.
Gad is also serving as co-screenwriter and co-showrunner alongside Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz, creators of the hit fantasy series Once Upon A Time.
The series will feature original songs by composer Alan Menken, who scored the 1991 animated adaptation, as well as The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Newsies, and countless others.
Ora is perhaps best known for pop hits like Let Me Love You and I Will Never Let You Down. She previously starred in Fifty Shades of Grey and currently serves as a judge on The Masked Singer. Because the prequel is a musical, it’s safe to assume that the singer will be lending her voice to the show.
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Lauren Milici is a Senior Entertainment Writer for 12DOVE currently based in the Midwest. She previously reported on breaking news for The Independent's Indy100 and created TV and film listicles for Ranker. Her work has been published in Fandom, Nerdist, Paste Magazine, Vulture, PopSugar, Fangoria, and more.