Josh Groban To Play Beast In ‘Beauty And The Beast’, Joshua Henry & Rita Moreno Also Cast In ABC Special

Josh Groban is set as the co-lead opposite H.E.R. in ABC’s animated and live-action blended special, Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration. The announcement was made during Friday’s panel at D23 Expo 2022.

Groban, who previously recorded a song for the 2017 Beauty and the Beast live-action movie, will play Beast alongside previously announced H.E.R. as Belle. Joshua Henry has been tapped to play antagonist Gaston, while EGOT winner Rita Moreno will serve as the night’s narrator.

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Presented by The Wonderful World of Disney, the two-hour reimagining of the beloved story of Beauty and the Beast will be taped in front of a live audience at Disney Studios and will air Dec. 15 on ABC and on Disney+ the next day.

Jon M. Chu is set to executive produce the special and Hamish Hamilton set to direct. Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration is produced by Done+Dusted in association with Walt Disney Television Alternative and Electric Somewhere. Executive producers are Chu, Caitlin Foito, Hamilton, Raj Kapoor, Richard Kraft and Katy Mullan. H.E.R. serves as a producer.

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