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Heroes and villains reunite in Descendants: Wicked Wonderland, the latest installment in the fan-favorite franchise. A direct sequel to 2024’s The Rise of Red, the movie follows Red and Chloe on a brand-new journey, filled with its hallmark song and dance numbers.
Also back are three legacy characters as seen in the last film: Leonardo Nam as Maddox Hatter, Rita Ora as the Queen of Hearts, and Brandy as Cinderella. The latter, who also played the role in the 1997 television musical, was eager to play opposite Queen of Hearts in the new movie.
“For me, I felt like I needed to do more scenes with Rita,” Brandy told BroadwayWorld. “We were friends in the past and I mean, we might as well go head on and get this future together. We both have children and so it was just great for us to connect in this new one and sing together and do queen things together.”
Nam, who serves as the central antagonist here, looked to Ora’s performance in the previous movie for how to tap into the required villainy. “I really remember how Rita brought so much humor to her character, the villain. It really was so incredible to see how well it worked inside this universe. And it’s very daring to do that. I wanted to bring as much of that as I could and… the integrity that Brandy brought to Cinderella.”
Watch the full interview to find out Nam’s unique inspirations for his villain song, which range from classic Disney tunes to mainstream popular music. The cast also shares which Broadway cast albums they would choose as a favorite for their characters, or, in the case of Brandy, herself: “I would listen to Chicago because that musical changed my life. Playing Roxie Hart changed my life and that music woke up something in me.”
Descendants: Wicked Wonderland premiered on Disney Channel on July 16 and is now streaming on Disney+. The soundtrack, featuring 12 tracks, including 11 new original songs such as “Perfect Princess” and “Mad-Wicked Wonderland,” is available now.
