On December 16, Tony winner Idina Menzel posted a music video of her rendition of “Wind Beneath My Wings” on her official Facebook page as a teaser for the Beaches movie soundtrack—now available for pre-order.
Menzel will star alongside Nia Long in the Lifetime remake of the 1988 film, premiering January 21, 2017. Menzel and Long play the roles originated by Bette Midler (who originally recorded “Wind Beneath My Wings”) and Barbara Hershey, respectively.
Directed by Garry Marshall, the original movie earned an Oscar nomination, and “Wind Beneath My Wings” won a Grammy for Record of the Year and Song of the Year in 1990.
The television remake is directed by Allison Anders. Menzel plays CC, an aspiring singer in Los Angeles; Long plays Hillary, a lawyer trying to find her own way. When the two meet as children on the Venice Boardwalk, they become unlikely lifelong friends.
Beaches was adapted for the stage as a musical with a book and lyrics by Iris Rainer Dart and Thom Thomas, and music by David Austin. It premiered in 2014 at Virginia’s Signature Theatre.
The film features another face familiar to theatre fans: Gabriella Pizzolo (who played young Alison in Broadway’s Fun Home) as a young CC. The film also stars Grace Capeless, Jodi Capeless, Sanai Victoria, and Antonio Cupo.
