Rita Ora: “Brandy is the perfect mentor”

In 2015, Disney made a live-action TV movie that became a cult for a generation of teenagers. “Descendants” features the young children of the most iconic villains in the Disney universe, ready to redeem their “good” name without losing their distinctive verve. The success was such that two more feature films followed, and a generation of young performers entered the hearts of younger viewers.

Among these young enthusiasts are also the two adopted daughters of Rita Ora, a British singer who in the 90s, as a young girl, also consumed another film. The 1997 one directed by Robert Iscove in which her musical idol, the singer Brandy, played a modern and brilliant version of Cinderella.

More than 20 years later, Rita Ora found herself singing on the set of a new title in the “Descendants” franchise, alongside her long-time idol, back in the blue clothes of Cinderella. A twist of fortune and fate that leaves even her speechless.

Were you familiar with the “Descendants” franchise before being cast as the Queen of Hearts?

I was already familiar with this series of films, yes. They are iconic titles and really loved by a certain part of the young audience, for many reasons. “Descendants” entered my life before being part of its cast, in many ways. For example, I am friends with the singer and actress Dove Cameron, who worked on the first three films of the series. Also now that I have two adopted daughters I spend a lot of time with them and I hear about it all the time. As children they were avid fans of the franchise and grew up watching these films.

How did you get involved in the project?

They offered me a really crazy role, that of the Queen of Hearts. I distinctly remember Helena Bonham Carter’s version of the character… I wanted something really special for my acting career and this offer was just that for me. As soon as they asked me if I was interested, I said I was, 100%. I only found out later that my role was also involved in the musical side of the film. At that point I was even more sure that I had made the right choice.

You accepted the role of the villain of the film. Did you expect to be offered a role of this kind, considering your career, or did you think the call from Disney would come to play a more “princely” role?

I think it’s a type of role that suits me very well. In everyday life I’m cheerful, I talk a lot, I like to make people feel at ease. For me the challenge was to immerse myself completely in the shoes of someone who on the contrary takes a certain pleasure in putting others in difficulty. Also this queen is evil, yes, but also very glamorous. My Queen of Hearts reminds me of the charming and regal villains of Charlize Theron in “Snow White and the Huntsman”, of Angelina Jolie in “Maleficent”. They are some of the best female Disney villains we’ve seen on screen.

You are used to singing on stage, at concerts. Here instead you were on set. As a singer who also competes as an actress, what was the most complicated part to face?

The costumes were definitely a challenge. They were sumptuous, but also heavy and very tight at the waist. The queen’s crown in particular was quite heavy, the train of the dress was very long. Visually it was a great eye-catcher, but it was not a comfortable outfit to work and sing in.

In the film you sing the unreleased song “Love Ain’t It”, in a rather complex sequence between costumes, choreography and, indeed, singing. How did you approach it as a singer on a set?

In this film all the main characters sing a song that represents them as a character, introduces them to the audience. When it was my turn, I wanted to find the voice of my character at all costs. Being the Queen of Hearts, my song is more intense than others, more “bad”, right? I sing it while a sort of coup d’état is underway, the other characters are engaged in some duels, they are fighting. I was excited to face a musical number so full of charisma, I had never played a role like that.

Was there room for improvisation?

When we were shooting the sequence where I sing “Love Ain’t It,” Brandy, who plays Cinderella, had this idea. She suggested that I do a very elaborate warble and sing it live on set. I was into it, but then we started doing the scene over and over again, to make sure it was perfect and I thought, “Why did I say yes and now I’m singing in front of Brandy, who is one of the best singers in the world?” But then everything went well. She also helped me a lot on set, she was the perfect mentor for me.

Brandy returns in this film as Cinderella, a role she had already played in the 90s with great success. How was it to be at her side in this cinematic experience?

When I heard she was in the cast I was speechless. I grew up with Brandy’s music, as a young girl I watched the 1997 film many times. I couldn’t believe I was next to her.
I remember going to a concert of hers in Japan, in 2012 or 2013. At the time I had the opportunity to meet her backstage, I brought her a teddy bear as a gift and approached her saying: “Hi, I’m a big fan of yours”. On the set of this film I couldn’t believe that I had ended up working with her. It was an amazing experience.

“Descendants: The Rise of Red” is available exclusively on Disney+ on July 12, 2024.