Brandy and Paolo Montalban Discuss 'Surreal' Cinderella Reunion for Descendants: 'Couldn't Stop Smiling' (Exclusive)

Brandy and Paolo Montalban are back together again! 

More than two decades after starring as Cinderella and Prince Charming in Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella, the actors are reprising their roles as the fan-favorite Disney couple in Descendants: The Rise of Red. 

Though they play slightly different characters from the 1997 film, including having a daughter named Chloe (Malia Baker), their onscreen reunion was magical, nonetheless.

Speaking exclusively with PEOPLE, Brandy and Montalban share that one of the biggest reasons they decided to reprise their characters after all this time was the chance to work alongside each other again. 

“They're such iconic roles, and you don't get a chance to do that very often in life, so I wanted to do it again,” Brandy explains adding, “And when I heard Paolo was doing it, I said, ‘Yes,’ right away.” 

Montalban echoes those same sentiments, noting that getting to sing and waltz with Brandy again was “so incredibly special.” 

Recalling that first day on set together, both Brandy and Montalban describe the moment as incredibly “surreal.” 

“I couldn't stop smiling,” Brandy says. “The whole moment was just spectacular."

Montalban adds that it was easy to get back into character with Brandy as his screen partner. “What I love the most is the regal quality that Brandy brings to Queen Cinderella,” he says. “As an actor, I don't have to act. It helps because my character has so much gratitude and respect for and love, above all, for Cinderella so it's so easy.” 

After all these years, Montalban notes that fans still come up to him and tell him how much they love the original 1997 film, something he is incredibly “grateful” for. “It was such a big part of their lives [and] now they're a part of my life. It’s a blessing,” he says. 

“It's a blessing to make history and to touch people and to inspire people,” Brandy adds. “That means a lot. You can't buy that. You have to live that and become that. I'm just so grateful.” 

With the new Descendants film, Montalban hopes it rings true to the original theme of the first film. “I am so proud that we get to bring forward the spirit of representation for a whole new generation in so many different ways,” he says. “We hope that everybody loves it.” 

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As for the future of the Descendants franchise, Brandy and Montalban add that they are more than ready to reprise their roles in a potential sequel. 

“You know we will be open for another Descendants,” Brandy says. “I'm open to everything. I just want to see how far they can take the characters because the sky's the limit.” 

Descendants: The Rise of Red will premiere on Disney+ on July 12.