Debra Martin Chase and Paolo Montalban talk ‘Cinderella’ l GMA 

This was the first time I saw an Asian especially a Filipino as a male lead in a Hollywood film. Up to date this is still my most favorite Cinderella film.

I cried again re-watching. The representation back then for Asian males

As a Chinese Filipino immigrant who loved Brandy and Whitney, this was so incredible to me. This movie and casting never ever left me. They have no clue how much it meant to me and I’m sure so many others growing up.

Ah, when a black woman and white man had an asian child and no one batted an eye

My favorite version of Cinderella. The cast was incredible. Black queen, white king, gorgeous Asian prince... makes sense to me!

I wish we can get an official soundtrack for this film that was Whitney’s biggest wish.

Long before Netflix's hit show Bridgeton, it was Disney's 1997 Cinderella that introduced a multiracial cast of reimagined characters in a well known period piece. I'm one of the now grown up adults who was in elementary school when it came out. And shout-out to Disney for airing it on public television so poor kids like myself could see the magic! I still remember the soundtrack.💓

We need movies like that today The 90's were great time...

Paolo and Brandy were absolutely Enchanting as Cinderella and the Prince! I especially kept wishing I had Brandy's sparkly blue ballgown in my closet!

Seeing the racial diversity in this movie had such a delightful impact on me. I was 7 when it aired, and this cast planted the seeds of possibility into my mind. Before this, I probably wouldn’t have considered that the princess could be Black, or that the prince could be Filipino, or that the king and queen could be different ethnicities. It caused me to expand my mind and realize that there are different types of people that should all be represented.

I was a huge Brandy fan and I remember crying from excitement seeing a black princess. I had three copies of this movie. Clearly a movie before it's time!

Unofficial? Nah she is the first black princess😂

Disney NEEDS to release the official studio recordings soundtrack for this movie!!! Also, I wish they’d at least mentioned Toni Braxton playing Belle on Broadway, that was groundbreaking as well.

What a beautiful voice Paolo has. I couldn't get enough of it when the film first came out. His songs and the duets with Brandy were magical.

RIP Natalie Desselle! This film and def jam's How to be a Player. BAPS! Impossible things are happening everyday!

Why the hell did it take so long to begin with? This movie should have been on Disney plus from the very start

The point made about the diversity within the background cast as well, really got me in the feels👑

I love the diversity of this so much

My mom recorded this on VHS too and we wore that shit out! My sister cried when we watched it on Disney+. *Representation Matters*

Talk about true diversity! They had people of African, Asian, and European descent.

The best live action Cinderella! 🕛🕛🕛🕛🕛🕛

I still have my vhs tape of this movie. As a little 5 yo Mexicana I remember it being one of my favorite movies without fully understanding y I loved it so much. I just knew that something felt different, a soothing/exciting kind of different.

This Cinderella was everything. I loved it so much.🤗

This was my favorite childhood film & I’m happy it’s finally on DisneyPlus

Still miss you Whitney, thank you for sharing your gift and the memories-RIP xx

I still sing it's possible till this day! I be so so shocked when ppl like what is that song from? I'm like hello! Brandy, Cinderella! Lol. I also appreciated the fact that Cinderella was played as a black woman. For young black girls to see this to know like hey it's a Cinderella that has the same skin color as me! Plus they used multiple races in this movie, which was great! Man I miss the 90s! 😌

"Captivated little girls" But I'm a boy 😶 I loved this movie the first time I saw it and it was so great seeing a POC cast. I too wore out the VHS as a kid cause this movie was so amazing! Super glad it's on Disney+

I remember watching this as a kid. It was one of the most heart warming feelings ever seeing a black princess.... A girl that looked like me 💓

I was a little 10 year old (white) girl when this came out. I was in love with it. Now at 33 I am watching this with my Asian husband and African American daughter.

A FAVORITE of mine and now my daughters.

Omg my favorite Cinderella story Ever, with an amazing multicultural cast In my eyes the first black Disney princess Anything is possible

Paolo is still handsome as he was in 1997. 🥰 My friends and I saw him on Broadway for The King and I. What a beautiful voice! Look at him! He didn't age a bit! Truly, Asians don't raisin'. 😂🤣

I don't have it on VHS, but I own the DVD version and my daughter and I watched it countless times. Love that a new generation will have the opportunity to enjoy Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella.

I cannot count how many times I watched that film when I was a little girl. It was the beautiful voices that captivated me at the time.

I loved this movie as child. I'm glad it's getting it's recognition it deserves.

I really liked how diverse the cast was.... it was really a change maker

Great to see you, Paolo!!!

I literally just finished watching this. Still my favorite Cinderella.

They way they did this just worked so much

Favorite movie of all time. Still have the vhs tape.

Paolo hasn’t aged a bit....it pays to be the Earthrealms champion.

I've read so many different cultures' versions of Cinderella but this movie with its diverse casting and amazing vocals will never leave me. I did wear out my VHS lol, I try to find it with Korean subs to show my ESL students.

We wore out our copy, too! Our absolute favorite Cinderella- stellar performances all-around. Amazing set design and costumes. We’re so white we’re practically see-through- and we thought the multicultural casting was a wonderful enriching update. This movie is for everts. Still love rewatching with my now-grown daughters ❤️❤️❤️

The 90s were the best they weren't perfect but, compared to every other decade they were the best.

No joke. I used to love this movie and esp how different it was. I watched it over and over.

My parents bought this movie on VHS for me when l was 10 and l watched it so much, l wore it out! Now lm 26 and when it was released on Disney Plus, l nearly cried. I legit texted my friends and family and told them not to bother me cus l was gonna be watching this and didn't want to be interrupted lol. Since it came on Disney Plus, I've already watched it 4 times. Ahh, to be a young black girl then and being a young black woman now, seeing Brandy as Cinderella really resonated with me. Also, RIP Whitney Houston & Natalie Desselle!

Rip Whitney and Natalie

I only knew about this version of Cinderella til I was around 7 years old lol I was obsessed with the songs. Then I finally saw the animated version

I remember when this was first released and it was AMAZING then and it's certainly a golden treasure now. Every child should see this!!

My life was like Cinderella. (Sort of). I had a “ball” before I met my “Prince” Now I cook, clean, wash dishes, do laundry, wait on my family. But, it’s my “happily ever after.” Wouldn’t change a thing! Love Brandy as Cinderella!

Man, i missed this movie. A white man, and black woman having an Asian child may have been ridiculous to pitch to the big boss, but whoever did it, did it.

It's always been my favorite Cinderella movie ♡

I'm Soo excited. This was my favorite version of Cinderella growing up. Brandy was and still is my role model. I can't wait to watch it.

My daughter loves this Cinderella 💕

I’m sooooo excited! This time I can watch it with 4 year old who thinks Cinderella is only white. Still a groundbreaking film! Priceless 💎

I want to thank the makers of this film. I enjoyed it as s kid and it gave me great joy to WATCH it TOGETHER with my 2 year old daughter who can't get enough of it. She can't fully understand it but she ALWAYS wants this version to any other Cinderella film.

I loved this movie so much 😭❤

I love this musical. It's so adaptable you could do so much with it and it would be great.

Where is my Asian hubby 😍 I had the biggest crush on this guy

I love Cinderella 1997 so much I’m so excited to see movie tomorrow

I just loved the colors of the ball 💜💙

This is still my favourite. I remember watching it as a child and I never forgot it. Still watch it on RU-vid from time to time and I'm in my 30s.

Little girls and LITTLE BOYS!! I remember this like it was yesterday. 🥰 Whitney was truly Brandy’s Idol, they literally have the SAME voice. I swear to bob, lower or deepen Whitney’s voice and it’s Brandy’s.

I LOVE 90'S

My daughter and I know ALL the songs by heart and almost every line. She grew up on that movie. Jason Alexander still has me cracking up with his employee grumbling, and then there's the wardrobe...OMG! Wore out my vhs & scratched my dvd. What u all know about "In my own little corner." Much love from T&T.

I remember watching this movie as a little kid and I still adore it to this day. I was crying when I watched it on Disney+ from all the wonderful memories that it stirred up. I will always love this movie and, one day, I will make sure my kids love it too 😄

this was my favourite version of cinderella in my childhood, glad it's coming back

My childhood 🤧. This movie was well done

No one will ever sound like Whitney Houston..

I still have it on VHS.

I love this movie!!! I watched it so many times. It was nice to see a culture of people in this loved fairytale.

Before the princess and the frog they was cinderella 1997

As soon as I knew it came on Disney plus I watched it n I remembered all the songs love love love this movie

Favorite version of Cinderella....no question

Me too i still know ever single song...I was a soft girl living in the hood and it was refreshing seeing a girl like me on screen dreaming and being gentle and dreaming about a better life. 😌

My most favorite Cinderella of all time Pure magic

It was a wonderful production of Cinderella. What an incredible cast, costumes, and music.

I remember this ! 💙

This is my three year olds favorite Cinderella! And mine I still have the VHS and bought it on dvd for her

I love this movie

Oh yes this brings me back to my childhood. I don’t recall it being on the news or talked about much that Cinderella was black, but maybe I didn’t know since I was a child. I also didn’t think it was strange for Whoopi Goldberg to have an Asian son or for that Asian son to fall in love with a black girl. Someone pointed it out to me later that week and school and I thought, “oh.” I was captured by the music and costumes in this movie... they were the best I had seen in my life at that point. I’m glad there were producers like her to make these decisions and children like me received the gifts of diversity without knowing, asking, or even thinking we needed it. We certainly did.

I loved this movie growing up. I

I taped this from a Sunday night showing of Disney back in the day and have cherished my vhs of it ever since! The soundtrack is amazing and the characters are inspired.

R.I.P Natalie

Oh I loved this version so much when I was a kid!!

One of the best live action cinderella film

I still have this awesome movie on VHS and still watch it ❤❤

It was part of my childhood! I'm white but I loved seeing Brandy as Cinderella! I watched it last night and it's still amazing!

Yessssssss! 💖

I LOVE THIS MOVIE!!! Oh the nostalgia 😭

I want to get the soundtrack 💯

🙏🏿😭🕊⚘👑💫🌠 rest in peace Ms Whitney Houston rest in peace Ms Natalie Desselle we will always love always will be and ❤🙏🏿😭🕊⚘

Once I seen todricks video of the melody of songs they sung. Then I got a notification from Disney plus I was like ooooooo y’all are so smart and immediately watched like I was a kid all over.

I loved this movie as a child but never realized how important this movie was till I was an adult.

One of my favs

What was awesome about this version of Cinderella was that it wasn’t typecasted and they got a mix of some of the biggest names on Broadway (victor garber, Bernadette peters), in pop music( Brandy, Whitney Houston) and in acting with Whoopie só they really had this crossing of genres in the movie that was just so cool

This was so sweet,

Hi. This version of Cinderella is available on RU-vid for free. I’ve been watching it for years on here. The only downside is that since it’s free, they have ads every 30 min but its worth it

I remember watch this movie on TV yearssss ago❤❤❤

Just watched this yesterday. Love, love LOVE this! So inclusive 👸🏽🤴🏻❤👗🎶