Whew. Who knew Beauty and the Beast could be so controversial (aside from the whole "man imprisons woman until she develops Stockholm Syndrome and falls in love with him" storyline)? Last week was all about Emma Watson getting slammed for posing topless, and homophobic movie theatre owners losing their shit about Josh Gad's LeFou being gay.
Thankfully, John Legend and Ariana Grande are here to help everyone calm down. The singers have joined forces to sing "Beauty and the Beast," the romantic ballad and theme song sung by Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Potts in the original 1991 Disney film, which was also released as a single by Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson. (Fun fact: The song won a Golden Globe, Oscar, and two Grammy Awards.)
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Legend and Grande have just released the music video for their take on the song. Directed by Dave Meyers of Missy Elliot's "Work It" and Katy Perry's "Firework" fame, the video takes place, predictably, in the Beast's mysterious castle, where Grande is holding court in an explosion of red tulle intended to mimic a rose. Also: no ponytail.
Legend, meanwhile, is rocking an embroidered jacket while he adopts his signature pose of dutifully taking selfies with Chrissy Teigen tickling the ivories. Throughout the video he and Grande are both surrounded by background dancers in red dresses who are presumably meant to be rose petals, but end up looking like extras from Hulu's new take on The Handmaid's Tale. There's a plot twist we didn't see coming.
Soon enough, the subjects of the song — Watson's Belle and Dan Stevens' Beast — surface to take a turn on the dance floor while Mrs. Potts, Chip, Cogsworth, and crew look on. It's all very sparkly and dramatic and Disney. Luna Legend, no doubt, would approve.
Watch the video below.