Whoopi Goldberg gave the “Cinderella” queen her trademark vocal quality: “She doesn’t finish sentences, she makes noises.”

Whoopi Goldberg revealed the many ways she helped create memorable comedies and royal looks for Queen Constantine in the 1997 TV movie. Cinderella by Rodgers and Hammerstein.

Appearing as part of a special issue of ABC 20/20 inside Cinderella: The Reunionthat aired on Tuesday night, the actress, comedian and Vision The co-host talked about how he delivered one of the funniest (and most majestic) performances in the film.

During a segment about Goldberg’s casting, he expressed that the character was based on himself and even went beyond his trademark vocal characterization, which he responded to with reactions of fake anger, shock, or pain.

“I wish it was me in the dress. A little silly, a little funny. And I named him,” Goldberg said. “He doesn’t finish sentences, he makes sounds.”

After describing it as “the soul of the production”, Goldberg also revealed that the very regal and very expensive jewelry worn by Queen Constantine throughout the film was her idea.

“I love Harry Winston,” admitted Goldberg. I said, listen, I’m playing this queen and I want to keep the jewels. Can you lend us some jewelry? They said, “Let’s select our most royal jewelry.” And they do so.”

Jason Alexander, who plays Lionel, a servant to the Queen of Goldberg, Victor Garber’s King Maximilian, and his son Prince Christopher (played by Paolo Montalbani), said the jewels were for protection.

“There were armed guards right next to the camera,” she said, “so if someone showed up or Whoopi made a mistake and tried to leave the kit with these jewels, someone would get shot.”

Elsewhere in the special, Starr Goldberg, Starr Brandi, Montalbán, Garber, Alexander, Bernadette Peters and Wayne Cox discuss the importance of the film’s presentation, Whitney Houston’s unforgettable performance as the fairy godmother, and how the film was made. The luck of waiting has become the favorite fairy tale of a whole generation of girls and women.

during the last interview NPRMontalbán, a Filipino actor who played Prince Brandi in Cinderella and the son of a black woman and a white man on screen, spoke about his experience casting the film.

The special is not described as colorblind, but rather as a diverse cast, as Montalbán told him. NPR He thought the public, not Hollywood, was ready for this.

“I can at least say I mentioned that I thought the industry wasn’t ready for our colorblind cast. it’s cinderella But what was the community like, because the response was overwhelming acceptance and appreciation,” he said.

But the actor says he thinks Hollywood has achieved the vision that the 1997 film did. “I would say after 25 years, the industry really caught on. Examples of this can be seen in other period dramas that have an unconventional cast. bridgerton. Or do you have people of color playing traditionally Caucasian characters in the story, say? Hamilton“, he explained. “I think the proof of concept that we did in 1997 spread very positively throughout the industry.”

He also answered the old man. New York Times A TV movie review describes it as “improvised it’s cinderella For this moment, not for centuries. “

Montalban’s response emphasized what the special forces had observed: that it’s cinderella Unlike anything that came before or since, it resonated deeply and personally with those who saw it.

“I guess I could say that maybe The New York Times newspaper I was wrong ’cause I got people saying it’s theirs it’s cinderellaand this is the only one it’s cinderella They’ll admit it,” he said. “And to me, that kind of ownership means it’s it’s cinderella That spoke more to them. ”