ABC’s Beauty and the Beast finds its Lumière, Cogsworth and Mrs. Potts

Martin Short and Shania Twain will play the world’s most famous candelabra and teapot. The two stars joined David Alan Grier, Rizwan Manji, Jon Jon Briones and Leo Abelo Perry on ABC’s upcoming 30th anniversary special Beauty and the Beast on December 15.

Short, the Emmy and Tony winner who currently stars in Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building, will portray the flirtatious French candelabrum Lumière, voiced in the 1991 Jerry Orbach original Disney film. Five-time Grammy-winning country singer Twain will play the teapot Mrs. Potts, whose original voice actress, Angela Lansbury, died last week. Perry, who made his film debut in this year’s Disney+ remake of Cheaper by the Dozen, will play Pott’s son, Chip. Grier, who won a Tony for his performance in A Soldier’s Play last year, will portray the steward Cogsworth, while Jon Jon Briones will play village inventor Maurice and Schitt’s Creek actor Rizwan Manji will play the character LeFou.

The six join the previously announced HER and Josh Groban leading the cast as Belle and the Beast. Joshua Henry will portray the main villain Gaston, while EGOT winner Rita Moreno will serve as the narrator for the production.

First announced this summer, Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration special adapts the Disney animated film, directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise. Although the animated film premiered in 1991, the special celebrates its nomination for Best Picture at the Academy Awards in 1992, where it won Best Original Song for its title theme. The Best Picture nomination was historically significant, as it was the first time an animated film had competed for Best Picture. It remained the only animated film to accomplish this feat until 2009, when the category expanded to 10 nominees.

Recorded in front of a live studio audience at Disney Studios, the two-hour special will feature animated elements in addition to the cast’s performances. Hamis Hamilton is directing the special, which Done+Dusted is producing in association with Walt Disney Television Alternative and Electric Somewhere. Hamilton, Jon M. Chu, Caitlin Foito, Raj Kapoor, Richard Kraft and Katy Mullan are executive producers while HER is producing. The special will air December 15 on ABC before being made available to stream on Disney+ the next day.

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