As wonderful as H.E.R. and Josh Groban were in the lead roles as Belle and the Beast, the thing people will be talking about after the show is the tribute to the late Angela Lansbury Lansbury, one of our three favorite animated objects (teapot, candelabra and clock) in the 1991 animated feature, died in October at age 96. “We definitely do a nod to her for sure. How could we not pay tribute?” producer Jon M. Chu told Variety before the special aired. Toward the end of Shania Twain’s performance of “Tale as Old of Time,” a clip from the 1991 classic played showing Mrs. Potts kissing her son Chip and telling hime to go to bed before saying, “Good night, love.” Then a photo tribute showed Lansbury with her birth and death dates. The tribute was brief, touching and exactly what the theatrical legend deserved—one of the most emotional moments of the night. This two-hour animated special paid tribute to the original movie and its legacy by blending clips from the classic tale with new musical performances by H.E.R. and Groban, Martin Sheen (Lumière), David Alan Grier (Cogsworth) and Shania Twain (Mrs. Potts). Rita Moreno rounded out the cast as the Narrator—a role we can’t help but think producers had planned for Angela Lansbury. Next: Shania Twain’s Jaw-Dropping Net Worth
