Angela Lansbury Nailed This Classic Disney Song Recording On The First Try
Dame Angela Lansbury had many iconic film moments, but perhaps one of her best was singing the title track for "Beauty and the Beast." According to Paige O'Hara (who voiced Belle), there wasn't a single dry eye in the room when the song was recorded. What's surprising, however, is that Lansbury nailed the song in one take after it appeared she would not make the recording due to her flight being delayed.
O'Hara recalled the details at the 25th anniversary screening of "Beauty and the Beast" in NYC. "And then Ms. Lansbury — who I have admired my whole life — came in after being up all night ... and was a trooper. We were all worried she would be too exhausted and then she comes out and sings 'Beauty and the Beast' in one take," said O'Hara (via Business Insider). Lansbury elaborated that the flight she was on had received a bomb threat that ended up being a hoax, but she believed the excitement from travel allowed her to do the song in one take.
Angela Lansbury was in another popular animated film in the 90s
There are many interesting things you may not know about Angela Lansbury. Her role as Mrs. Potts is a career highlight, but it was not the only animated film she appeared in in the 1990s. Lansbury was also the voice of Dowager Empress Marie Feodorovna in the 1997 animated film "Anastasia." While Lansbury did not lead any of the major songs from the film, she does sing a few lines of "Once Upon a December" in a scene with Kirsten Dunst (who voiced Young Anastasia).
Lansbury died in 2022 at the age of 96, but her legacy lives on through her prolific career. Looking back at Lansbury's life and career, she also had various iconic on-screen roles in films such as "Gaslight" and "The Manchurian Candidate." She received Oscar nominations for her roles in both of those films. Lansbury also received many accolades for her performances on Broadway and other musical theater productions. Ultimately, Lansbury remains an important figure whose versatile performances charmed audiences across film, stage, and television for decades.