Brandy Norwood, known for her iconic role as Cinderella in the 1997 musical adaptation alongside Whitney Houston, takes on a darker narrative in The Front Room. This horror film presents her in a twisted version of a fairy tale.
In the movie, Norwood plays Belinda, an anthropology professor facing financial struggles as she nears the birth of her child. After her husband’s father passes away, she invites his wealthy stepmother into their home. However, this stepmother figure harbors malevolent intentions.
Solange, played by Kathryn Hunter, brings emotional and physical chaos to Belinda’s life, constantly crying and demanding care, much like a newborn. She even exhibits a disturbing fixation on the baby. Despite claiming to possess powers from the Holy Spirit, Solange’s true nature is revealed as racist and vengeful.
While Norwood has previously dabbled in horror with I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998), she admitted to Yahoo Entertainment that joining this film, filled with visceral horror, was a challenging choice.
“This role was unlike anything I’d done before, and it terrified me,” Norwood revealed. “That fear is what drew me in because I wanted to push my acting to new heights and see if I could truly bring it to life.”
The experience of working alongside Kathryn Hunter helped Norwood remain fully engaged in each scene. She likened Hunter to the legendary Michael Jordan in her ability to raise those around her.
“Just like Jordan elevates his teammates, [Hunter] pushed me to give my best,” Norwood said. “Her unpredictability kept me sharp since she never repeated the same take.” For Hunter, the rich writing was what made her character, Solange, stand out so vividly.
“With great writing, you instantly sense the character’s aim,” she told Yahoo. “It felt like the character was already alive, waiting for me to step into her.” The Eggers brothers, Sam and Max, who directed the film, shared personal stories about their grandfather with Hunter, grounding Solange’s manipulative and vicious tendencies in reality.
“She’s not just a symbolic figure but a very real elderly woman with all her quirks and malice,” Hunter explained. Rehearsing with Hunter for a week prior to filming helped ease Norwood’s initial anxiety, allowing her to fully embody her character.
Norwood hopes audiences connect with Belinda’s resilience, feeling the range of emotions from fear to humor while rooting for her survival. “Belinda fights for everything—her life, her dignity, her child, and her freedom,” Norwood shared, emphasizing her character’s strength.
In 2024, Norwood has seen a resurgence in her career, revisiting some of her most beloved roles. She joined Ariana Grande and Monica for a remix of “The Boy Is Mine,” a hit she originally recorded in 1998. She also stepped back into her glass slippers to reprise her role as Cinderella in Descendants: The Rise of Red.
The Front Room is now showing in theaters.