First Look: Audra McDonald as Garderobe in Beauty And The Beast

Disney’s timeless classic Beauty and the Beast gets a new live-action twist with a star-studded cast, including some theatre royalty. Six-time Tony Award winner and TV star, Audra McDonald appears as “Madame Garderobe,” alongside Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Emma Thompson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Ian McKellan, Ewan McGregor, Luke Evans, and Broadway veteran Josh Gad.

Disney has modified the film for modern audiences with songs from the original film, along with new songs by Alan Menken, Howard Ashman, and Tim Rice.

McDonald’s career has spanned over two decades, from Ragtime and Private Practice to Porgy & Bess and Lady Day, a stunning performance immortalising Billie Holiday at Emerson’s Bar and Grill, which earned the star her latest Tony in all four performance categories. However, we’ve never seen her like this!

McDonald lends her voice to the Prince’s opera-singing lady in waiting; the French word “Garderobe” translates to “wardrobe.” She’ll appear singing a new number, “Aria,” during the prologue, as well as the “Beauty and the Beast” reprise.

Listen to the finale here.

Recently, McDonald sat down with The View to share some information and insight into her character, describing her as a “diva”: “[Garderobe] fancies herself the greatest opera singer in the world and now she’s stuck in this castle, in this wardrobe,” she continued, “She’s also very fashionable and loves fashion—so the chance to dress Belle makes her very happy.”

Beauty and the Beast stands in a long line of upcoming Disney live-action features including Mulan, Dumbo, Winnie the Pooh, The Little Mermaid, Pinocchio, and the recently-announced The Lion King, starring Donald Glover and Tony-winner James Earl Jones.

While the film has faced some controversy and backlash over the inclusion of its “first gay character,” it has demolished the box office in ticket pre-sales with predictions that it may open to over $120 million, according to Deadline.

See Garderobe make a memorable grand entrance in the clip below:

The ageless tale of “loving the beauty within” has a release date of Friday, March 17, 2017.

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