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Brandy, Rita Ora reunite for new ‘Descendants’ movie, tease duet

Brandy Norwood and Rita Ora attend the premiere of Disney Channel Original Movie ‘Descendants: Wicked Wonderland’ on July 14, 2026, in Los Angeles, California. (Amy Sussman/Getty Images)

Brandy and Rita Ora are returning to the world of Descendants.

The actresses reprise their roles as Cinderella and the Queen of Hearts in Descendants: Wicked Wonderland, the next chapter following the success of Descendants: The Rise of Red.

Speaking with ABC News entertainment contributor Kelley Carter in an interview aired on Good Morning America Thursday, the stars shared how the new film reimagines familiar Disney characters while bringing their own friendship to the screen.

Ora said she was drawn to the complexity of playing her role.

“I did love the idea of the Queen of Hearts, you never really know if she’s pretending or if it’s real,” Ora said. “You’ve got obviously Cinderella, who is always that anchor within the movies.”

Meanwhile, Brandy added, “I did have my villain pants on … that’s new for Cinderella.”

The pair also teased a new duet, which they said is one of the moments they’re most excited for fans to see.

“It was magical. The song is called ‘The Girl I Used to Be.’ I think people are gonna love it,” Brandy said.

Ora agreed, saying, “It was my dream to be not only on a song with her, but also just in anything with her because I’ve been looking up to her since I can remember.”

Their collaboration was years in the making.

“What people don’t really know is that I met Rita when she got her start,” Brandy said. “I saw this beautiful light in her then and I see it now. And when we got a chance to do this movie together, I mean, our chemistry was just unmatched.” 

Descendants: Wicked Wonderland premieres Wednesday on Disney Channel and begins streaming Friday on Disney+.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News and Disney Channel.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Woman learns man who attacked her killed a young mother years later

▶ Watch Video: Facing a Monster On Jan. 27, 1996, C.C. Opanowski was home alone from college in Hudson Falls, New York, house-sitting for her mother when her ex-boyfriend, Shawn Doyle, knocked on the door. Opanowski had grown up with Doyle and dated him in high school and into her freshman year of college.Once inside, Opanowski says Doyle became violent. "He pushed me onto the couch, started holding me down, restraining me, yelling at me. And he picked me up and pushed me against the French doors," she says. Then, she said, Doyle took scissors and cut off her ponytail. "He picked me up, held me up and cut off my hair, just all of it." "48 Hours" correspondent Anne-Marie Green asks Opanowski, "What was it like to have your hair cut off in this way?" Opanowski answers, "Demeaning." Green continues, "You think that is why he did it?" Opanowski answers, "Probably. Just to make sure he could knock me down somewhere." Opanowski says Doyle had gone in and out of violent rages, and at one point, he held scissors to her throat. "I thought he was gonna stab me," she tells Green.For the first time, Opanowski shares her powerful story with "48 Hours," speaking out about the attack, her long road to healing, and the strength it took to face her attacker in court. Green reports on a case that spans nearly three decades in "Facing a Monster," streaming now on Paramount+.C.C. Opanowski CBS News
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