Pop star Rita Ora has been left “devastated” after losing her dream TV role just days after announcing the news.
The singer was set to appear in the new Disney+ Beauty and Beast prequel series but the entertainment giants have since shelved the project after reports of production issues and delays.
The 31-year-old was set to rub shoulders with a host stars for the big-budget eight-part prequel to the 2017 remake, including returning star Luke Evans, who plays Gaston, and Frozen’s Josh Gad as his sidekick LeFou.
A source told The Sun: “Rita was absolutely devastated when she was told Beauty And The Beast had been put on ice.
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“There have been issues with the script. No one has any idea how long it will take to get the series back on track.”
A second production source added: “Disney are huge fans of Rita. Senior execs there are backing her all the way.”
Rita was cast in an unnamed role, described only as a “fugitive with surprising abilities who carries with her a secret that could potentially affect an entire kingdom”.
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Gad and Evans posted the same message to Twitter, saying: “Sadly, ‘Tis true. We tried to make it all work but under the gun it wasn’t meant to be… for now.
“These characters and this story will live on, but sometimes the best intentions and reality collide and nothing can be done.”
Rita’s boyfriend Taika Waititi led the praise for her after she bagged the role in the prequel, which was confirmed earlier this week just days before the series was canned.
Rita will now have more time to work on new music after signing a deal with BMG.
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The Anywhere singer parted ways from her label Atlantic Records after six years and signed with the new team, which helped mastermind Kylie Minogue’s epic comeback.
The new move means she will own the rights to her future catalogue, avoiding the havoc which Taylor Swift went through when her masters were bought by Scooter Braun — forcing her to re-record all of her albums.
A source told The Sun: “Rita’s battle to control her career stretches all the way back to when she was with JAY-Z’s label Roc Nation and got locked in a bitter feud with music bosses who she accused of effectively paralyzing her career.
In total Rita has had a whopping 13 Top Ten singles in the UK, including the No1 hits I Will Never Let You Down and Hot Right Now.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
