Interview: Joshua Henry Reveals How He Prepared to Play Gaston in BEAUTY & THE BEAST: A 30TH CELEBRATION

This Thursday, Disney will be celebrating the 30th anniversary in the biggest way possible: a two-hour animated and live-action blended special with some of the biggest stars in music, screen, and stage.

Beauty & the Beast: A 30th Celebration will pay tribute to the original Disney Animation's "Beauty and the Beast" and its legacy by showcasing the fan-favorite movie, along with new never-before-seen musical performances, brand-new sets and breathtaking costumes inspired by the classic story.

Among the stars bringing the classic musical numbers to life is Tony nominee and Into the Woods star Joshua Henry, who will be playing Gaston. Henry will be joined by stars like H.E.R., Josh Groban, Shania Twain, David Alan Grier, Martin Short, Rita Moreno, Jon Jon Briones, and more.

Presented by The Wonderful World of Disney, the two-hour reimagining of the beloved story of "Beauty and the Beast" will be taped in front of a live audience at Disney Studios and will air THURSDAY, DEC. 15 (8:00-10:00 p.m. EST), on ABC and on Disney+ the next day.

BroadwayWorld caught up with Henry to discuss what audiences can expect from the special, working with the all-star cast, singing "Agony" on set with Martin Short, and more.

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The special is a live action/animated hybrid, which is a really cool new concept. What can audiences expect from it?

I think if you love the animated film, which who in their right minds does not, you get a bunch of that. Then if you're a fan of me and H.E.R. and David Alan Grier, Shania Twain, this incredible cast, you're going to hear this music sung in a way that it has never been sung before. That, for me, is the most exciting thing, like bringing my voice and bringing our voices to this classic score that so many people have grown to love since 1991.

30 years is such an incredible legacy for a film. Do you have any early memories of growing up with the film? What's your history with Beauty and the Beast?

I know I saw it growing up, I don't remember exactly when I saw it. The music for me, hearing Peabo Bryson and Celine Dion sing, "Tale as old as time..." I mean, are you kidding me? That recording got me and captured me. I do remember the movie for sure, but that music within that movie that then got nominated for an Academy Award, the first animated film to ever do that, that music stays with me.

And hearing Josh Groban and H.E.R. sing that song, I got really caught up in the Disney magic of it all. It was really emotional.

Gaston is such a fun part, too. How did you get into character and figure out how you were going to play him?

Well, it was cool because I love the gym. So playing Gaston, he's got lines that are like, "Look at my biceps." That's who he is. So I worked out even more just to get a little extra, you know, buff for him. But he's super charming. He's not too quick in his head. What's cool about playing him is that you get to see this character get rejected because he's only seeing skin deep. He's not thinking who Bell is and that's why he doesn't get where he wants.

It was so fun being able to portray this character with Rizwan Manji, who is Lefou. There's so many different beats and so many moments of comedy that we found. For me, doing Into the Woods and doing more comedy now, it feel good to show that even more.

Speaking of Into the Woods, I couldn't help but draw a few similarities between Gaston and Rapunzel's Prince. Did you find any of those while exploring the character?

A hundred percent. The idea that no one ever says no to you, you know? Like, you always expect to get everything that you want and when that doesn't happen, how that can rock your world. In into the Woods, that's when Rapunzel's Prince sings "Agony" because he's like, "What is this?" The, Gaston has this line right before the song "Gaston," like, "I've been rejected, like publicly humiliated." So yeah, when you're taking on a character like that, you're like, "How close am I to it and what's the easiest entry into it?" I definitely took on some characteristics that from Rapunzel's Prince. But there's more of a hunting aspect. I mean, he's a master hunter, Gaston, and he's very, very well respected within the community for being a hunter. Of course, my entire look is different, so folks aren't gonna be ready for that. You know, my hair, my chest hair, it's a really new look for me. So they'll be surprised. [laughs]

Speaking of your time on Broadway, I am sure it was an interesting experience to be filming a musical for TV. What were some of the similarities that you enjoyed while creating televised musical numbers?

The cool thing about this experience is filming in front of an audience. There's a live audience. So that feeling of performing, in a proscenium or in the round where there's people there, it's not just the cameras. So even in between numbers, we'll be able to get the audience involved and they can see our sweat. They can see mistakes just like you would in a live theater. So the cameras, for me, it's what I do on stage, except the cameras just happen to be rolling. Of course, there's some closeup moments that you play a certain type of way. But Hamish Hamilton, the director along with Jon Chu, one of the executive producers, they were like, "Just inhabit these characters exactly as you would, don't think about the cameras, don't think about anything." So it's all about the audience for me, just as it is on Broadway.

You also mentioned the cast before but it is such an all-star group with H.E.R., Josh Groban, David Alan Grier. What was it like working with them?

It was incredible. David Alan Grier and I did Porgy & Bess on Broadway so we got to relive some memories. It's funny, Martin Short had come to see Into the Woods two days before I got the call to play Gaston. So we talked about that when we were in rehearsal and we sang "Agony" together because he's a huge Into the Woods fan. I'm a massive H.E.R. fan. When I got the call, literally when I got the call to play Gaston, I was scrolling through my Instagram through H.E.R.'s account, so I'm like, "This is a sign. Like this is crazy." The cast is amazing. It's such a diverse cast, as well as in skill and genre. The really cool thing is that on December 15th, when this drops, Walt Disney Records is also releasing it on record. So, if you wanna listen to this for the rest of time, you can listen to it. The sound's gonna be really, really cool.

It's really brilliant. If you love the original, like you are gonna get to see that. You're gonna get to see bits and pieces of that. And then it's cool to also breathe new life because there are a lot of people who actually don't know what Beauty & the Beast is, but they know who H.E.R. is. They know who I am, possibly, and that's really, really cool. What a great way to honor what is and also breathe new life into it.

What do you want the families who will be tuning in to take away from the special, especially during the holiday season right now?

First of all, I just want them to have fun and get lost in the Disney Magic like I did. I want them to be cheesing just from ear to ear. But the deeper message is, you know, beauty is truly not just skin deep. There's so much power in seeing someone, seeing who someone is, not for who you want them to be, but like on the inside, I think that's what BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is about. As well as getting a second chance. With the Beast storyline, getting a second chance. Sometimes you get a SECOND CHANCE and what do you do with that second chance? So those are the two messages that I believe has resounded and made this musical so lasting. Everyone needs a SECOND CHANCE and everyone wants to be seen for who they really are.

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Watch a preview of the upcoming special here:

Photos: ABC/Christopher Willard