ABC's Beauty and the Beast Special Casts Josh Groban as the Beast, Plus Rita Moreno and Joshua Henry

The hairy half of ABC’s Beauty and the Beast special will have a beautiful singing voice, at least: Josh Groban will play the Beast in the upcoming 30th anniversary celebration, the network announced on Friday.

The chart-topping singer — who also recorded a song for the 2017 Beauty and the Beast live-action film starring Emma Watson — joins H.E.R., who was announced as playing the role of Belle back in July. Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration is billed as a “reimagining” of the classic 1991 animated film, with a blend of animation and live-action performances to be taped in front of a live audience. It airs Thursday, Dec. 15 at 8/7c on ABC and will stream on Disney+ the next day.

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Along with Groban, Rita Moreno (One Day at a Time) joins the cast as the evening’s narrator, “taking viewers on a journey through the classic enchanted tale,” per the official description. Plus, Tony nominee Joshua Henry (See, Broadway’s Carousel) will play the brutish villain Gaston. Hamish Hamilton will direct the special, with Jon M. Chu serving as an executive producer.

Additional castings will be announced at a later date. Are you excited to see Groban and company bring Beauty and the Beast to life? Hit the comments to share your thoughts.  

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