Brandy and Paolo Montalban talk reuniting for Descendants: 'This is the '90s all over again'

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Three years ago, when Entertainment Weekly reunited the cast of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella for its 25th anniversary, stars Brandy and Paolo Montalban thought it would be impossible for them to play Cinderella and Prince Christopher together again. But as fairy godmother Whitney Houston sang in the movie, "Impossible things are happening every day."

Nearly three decades after the original premiered, the duo is finally reprising their respective characters for Disney+'s original movie Descendants: The Rise of Red. "When we had that reunion with EW, I never thought that it would lead to actually Brandy and I working together again," Montalban says. "Seeing her live was such a gift, so thank you for bringing us all back together again."

Descendants: The Rise of Red (premiering July 12) follows the next generation of Villain Kids, a.k.a. the children of iconic Disney characters. Kylie Cantrall plays Red, the rebellious daughter of the Queen of Hearts (Rita Ora), and Malia Baker plays Chloe, the perfectionist daughter of Cinderella and the now-King Charming. The unlikely allies are forced to work together when the tyrannical Queen of Hearts incites a coup against Auradon, leading Red and Chloe to travel back in time to undo the traumatic event that set Red’s mother down her villainous path.

"I loved working with Paolo when I was younger, and working with him again has been amazing," Brandy says of their royal reunion. "I was so excited to put on the dress, to put on the crown, to put on the blue hair. It was so amazing to do that and to get that feeling of, 'Wow, this is the '90s all over again.'"

"I feel the same way," Montalban adds. "In many ways, I consider Brandy to be my formative years' leading lady, and she became the template of what I would look forward to in a leading lady. It's like no time has passed at all working with Brandy. I liken it to ice dance partners or lifelong duos. You have so much trust and faith in each other that you have that ability to soar when you're around them. And so thank you, Brandy, for letting me soar just because you were there with me."

Brandy "immediately said yes" when she was offered the chance to reprise her iconic role, and Montalban remembers being "absolutely over the moon" when Brandy's casting was announced for the new Descendants movie. But he had no idea he would get that same call a couple of months later. "Mainly, I wanted the young people of today to know what Brandy did as Cinderella — if they hadn't seen Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella before, now they can see Cinderella as the Queen," he says. "And then, when they reached out and asked if I would be interested, there was absolutely no hesitation. I could not believe they pulled off something as epic as that, bringing so many generations together."

Filming new scenes together 27 years later finally answered long-lingering questions Montalban had while filming the 1997 movie. "I don't know if you remember this, Brandy, but when we were shooting our first Cinderella together, I was always curious about the after-happily ever after," he says. "What happens next? Do you remember us talking about that with [costars] Whoopi [Goldberg] and Victor Garber, just hanging out?"

"Yes!" Brandy says.

"What happens after the wedding?" Montalban continues. "What are all the challenges that Cinderella might have stepping into the role of a princess and then later on a queen? It's been really fun exploring that in our imaginations and having some of it play out in the movie, especially through our daughter, Chloe Charming, played by Malia Baker. We see the best of both the Prince, or rather the King, and the Queen in their daughter."

Brandy adds their onscreen daughter is "so lovely" and describes Chloe as kind, thoughtful, and driven. "She can make a great queen one day," Brandy adds. But right now, she's "so in her head."

"I personally think that she took the cue from Cinderella because Cinderella had taken her role as Queen so seriously," Montalban says. "She made King Charming a better monarch than he could have ever hoped to be, truly."

While Rise of Red is not a direct continuation of the 1997 movie, and instead offers new interpretations of the characters, Brandy and Montalban still feel the new story reflects where their characters are all these years later.

"I don't think that there's much difference," Brandy says of their original roles and the Rise of Red versions. "They just are more in love, and they talk about their love with their daughter and whoever wants to listen. They've been in love for so long and they still waltz, they still sing together. They still have that magic."

"It reminds me of those parents who are sometimes embarrassing, who show public displays of affection in front of their kid or in front of anybody, you know what I mean?" Montalban adds. "Because they are more in love than ever. And when Chloe sees that in her parents, how can she not go out into the world and be truly great knowing that she comes from that loving family?"

But back up — Brandy wasn't just speaking metaphorically when she said Cinderella and King Charming still sing together. She confirms they recorded and shot a new duet in this movie, singing "So This Is Love" from the original Cinderella. "The song is beautiful, and just singing with Paolo is amazing," Brandy says. "To get a chance to sing with him again is just such a joy. It's breathtaking. I've always loved [this song], and to be able to sing it with Paolo is a dream come true."

"They sent me the demo of the song with Brandy already singing, and I was like, 'Oh boy,'" Montalban says with a laugh. "She does not disappoint."

"And neither do you!" Brandy interjects.

"Well, Brandy, that is in no small part because of you," Montalban admits with a smile. "I got some vocal coaching so I can make sure that we matched."

"Oh, stop," Brandy says.

"And I will say this: Brandy still knows how to make an entrance as Cinderella," Montalban adds. It floored me when she did it in real time, coming down the steps of our castle this time, so regal and awesome." That's more than possible—it's guaranteed.

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Related content:

• See the first look at next generation of Villain Kids in Descendants: The Rise of Red
• Brandy to reprise her role as Cinderella in new Descendants film
• Reunited Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella cast remember Whitney Houston, Natalie Desselle-Reid, and more