Beauty and the Beast Original Cast Then & Now
Belle
Former Broadway actress Paige O’Hara, now 66, made her movie debut in the original Disney animated feature. Today she’s an actress, singer and artist who paints Belle for Disney Fine Art. She appeared in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration as a townsperson. Grammy winner H.E.R. (born Gabriella Wilson) stars as Belle in the live event.
The Beast
Robby Benson, now 66, voiced the once-dashing-prince-turned-beast in the Disney classic. After He went on to become a professor of telecommunications at Indiana University. Tony and four-time Grammy winner Josh Groban, who previously contributed the song “Evermore” to the 2017 Beauty and the Beast film, stars as the Beast
Gaston
The original shallow villager who woos Belle was voiced by Richard White, now 69, an actor and singer in New York City. Luke Evans, 43, played Gaston in the 2017 version.
Maurice
Maurice was originally a wacky inventor voiced by Rex Everhart, a film and musical theater actor, who died in 2000. Jon Jon Briones stars as Maurice, Belle’s father and an inventor who entered the Beast’s castle in the 2022 version.
LeFou
Jesse Corti, now 67, the original LeFou, went on to voice the Spanish dignitary in Frozen and Mr. Manchas in Zootopia. Schitt’s Creek star Rizwan Manji will star as Le Fou, Gaston’s right-hand man in the 30th anniversary event.
Lumière
The Prince’s French valet who becomes a gilded candelabra as a result of a spell was voiced by Jerry Orbach (Detective Lennie Briscoe on TV’s Law & Order), who died in 2004. Martin Short lights up the screen and stage as Lumière in 2022, the suave and charming candelabra.
Cogsworth
The castle’s fastidious and tightly wound head butler who is transformed into a mantel clock was voiced by David Ogden Stiers, the actor best known for his TV role as Maj. Charles Emerson Winchester III in MAS*H. Stiers died in 2018 at age 75. Tony winner David Alan Grier brings the laughs as Cogsworth, a clock who serves as Lumière’s slightly more pessimistic foil.
Mrs. Potts
Angela Lansbury was the castle’s housekeeper-turned-teapot with a Cockney brogue. Lansbury died in October at age 96. While Lansbury is “Still the One” forever in our hearts, Shania Twain stars as Mrs. Potts in the live special.
