Billy Porter Is Playing The Fairy Godmother In The New ‘Cinderella’ Movie, So Wishes Are Coming True

Move over, Disney, because Sony's remake of a classic rags to riches story is getting some serious hype over its recent casting announcements. Six months after The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that a Cinderella reboot from Sony is in the works with Camila Cabello at its helm, we're learning more details about who else will be starring alongside the "Señorita" hitmaker. According to the New Yorker's Instagram Stories, Billy Porter will play Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother in the new adaptation, and it's the casting choice we never knew we needed.

It's safe to say there's been no shortage of film iterations of the folk tale (versions of which date back hundreds of years and across numerous cultures), but the most famous are Disney's animated classic in 1957, the subsequent 2015 live-action movie featuring Lily James, Richard Madden, and Helena Bonham Carter, and Rodgers & Hammerstein's 1997 musical starring Brandy and Whitney Houston. So, when The Hollywood Reporter revealed that yet another remake of the iconic story was in the works back in April, I wasn't sure exactly what to expect from the musical, even with the exciting casting choice of Camila Cabello as the movie's lead.

However, it now looks like viewers can expect a breath of fresh air when the newest Cinderella dances into theaters on Feb. 5, 2021, as a male actor will be playing the role of the Fairy Godmother for the first time ever.

While making an appearance at the New Yorker Festival on Saturday, Oct. 12, the Emmy Award-winning Pose actor confirmed the news via the publication's Instagram Stories.

"I have a couple movies that I'm working on," Porter announced. "I'm gonna be playing the fairy godmother in the new Cinderella movie with Camila Cabello."

Not only does the Pose star have some serious singing chops as evidenced in his Broadway background, but the casting choice is also significant as he recently became the first openly gay African American man to be nominated, let alone win, the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in September. In short, the newest Cinderella is already shaping up to be more diverse and representative than any of the earlier versions.

While there's no word who will be playing the prince opposite Cabello, Deadline reported on Oct. 11 that Broadway heavyweight Idina Menzel of Frozen and Wicked fame is in talks to play the evil stepmother Evelyn in the James Corden-produced film. As a refresher, you can expect some of the plot lines you know and love from the original, as the "story is described as a modern reimagining of the traditional tale of the orphaned girl with an evil stepmother, with a musical bent thrown in for good measure," according to The Hollywood Reporter.

With director Kay Cannon of Blockers and Corden of Carpool Karaoke taking the reins on this film, and Cabello slated to be "integrally involved in the music for the film," per the publication, I have a feeling that this re-telling will bring a fresh angle on the classic story. In the meantime, I'll be keeping an eye out for more cast announcements leading up to 2021.