Paige O'Hara
Template:Short description Template:Infobox person Paige O'Hara (born Donna Paige Helmintoller; May 10, 1956)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> is an American actress, singer, and painter. O'Hara began her career as a Broadway actress in 1975 when she portrayed Della in The Gift of the Magi. In 1991, she made her motion picture debut in Disney's Beauty and the Beast, in which she voiced the film's heroine, Belle. Following the critical and commercial success of Beauty and the Beast, O'Hara reprised her role as Belle in the film's three direct-to-video follow-ups, Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas (1997), Belle's Magical World (1998), Belle's Tales of Friendship (1999), and for cameo appearances in Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018) and Once Upon a Studio (2023).
Early life
O'Hara began acting at the age of four, attending acting classes in her home state of Florida.<ref name="Disney Dreaming">Template:Cite web</ref> It was not until she was 12 years old that she developed an interest in singing and enrolled in a performing arts high school.<ref name="Disney Dreaming"/> O'Hara cites American actress and singer Judy Garland as one of her idols.<ref name="The Guardian">Template:Cite news</ref>
Career
Broadway and stage
O'Hara made her first appearance on the Broadway stage as Della in The Gift of the Magi in 1975. She was later play Ellie May Chipley in the revival of Showboat in 1983 starring Donald O'Connor. She repeated the role for the Houston Grand Opera's 1989 production and continued with them when the show was moved to the Cairo Opera House in Egypt. Continuing her legacy as Ellie, she also sang the part on the 1989 Grammy-nominated recording of the musical with Jerry Hadley, Frederica von Stade, and Teresa Stratas, conducted by John McGlinn on the Angel EMI label. Her other American stage credits include the title role in The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Broadway and national tour) and Ado Annie in a national tour of Oklahoma! directed by William Hammerstein. In 1995, she joined the Broadway production of Les Misérables, where she played the role of Fantine.
Internationally, O'Hara has played the role of Nellie Forbush in South Pacific (Australia).
In April 2011, O'Hara played the role of Judy Garland in From Gumm to Garland: JUDY, The Musical at the Tempe Center for the Arts in Tempe, Arizona.
Transition to film and Beauty and the Beast
A longtime fan of Walt Disney Pictures,<ref name="The Guardian"/> O'Hara auditioned for Beauty and the Beast at the age of 35<ref name="NBC New York">Template:Cite news</ref> after reading about the film in The New York Times.<ref name="Disney Dreaming"/>
In Season 2 of The Legend of Prince Valiant (which starred her Beauty and the Beast co-star Robby Benson), O'Hara had a recurring role as Princess Aleta (who was later promoted to queen). Benson's character Prince Valiant fell in love with Aleta at first sight.
O'Hara also starred as Venus in the BBC's recorded broadcast of the live presentation of Kurt Weill's "One Touch of Venus" and in tribute to her Belle character from Beauty and the Beast, she portrayed Angela, a character in a fictional soap opera, for Disney's 2007 live-action/traditional 2-D animated film Enchanted.
For her work as Belle, O'Hara was honored with a Disney Legend Award on August 19, 2011.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
O'Hara was replaced by Julie Nathanson as the official voice of Belle in 2011, since her voice has aged over time.<ref name="still-tolls" /> Regardless, she has reprised the character on two subsequent occasions: the 2018 film Ralph Breaks the Internet<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and the 2023 short Once Upon a Studio.<ref name="Destination23"/> She continues to paint Belle for Disney Fine Art and also does promotional appearances for Disney.<ref name="still-tolls">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2016, O'Hara appeared at numerous special screenings of Beauty and the Beast in honor of the film's 25th anniversary.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> She also appeared as a librarian in the TV special Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Personal life
In May 1980, O'Hara married actor Lew Resseguie (May 3, 1932 - June 30, 2019).<ref name=apone>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They met in 1979 while performing in Fiorello! at Paper Mill Playhouse.<ref name=apone/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They later divorced.
O'Hara married actor, Michael Piontek in 1990.<ref name="Philly" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
She is Catholic.<ref name="Philly">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Paige O'Hara is feeling blessed. September 4, 2016 · Public My true heroine, Mother Teresa is now in sainthood. St Teresa who was an angel on earth, is now a saint in heaven. What a glorious celebration". Facebook.</ref>
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Beauty and the Beast | Belle (voice) | Nominated — Grammy Award for Album of the Year |
| 1997 | Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas | ||
| 1998 | Belle's Magical World | Nominated — Annie Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement for Voice Acting by a Female Performer in an Animated Feature Production | |
| 1999 | Belle's Tales of Friendship | ||
| 2001 | Legend of the Candy Cane | Jane Aubrey (voice) | |
| Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse | Belle (voice) | Direct-to-video | |
| 2004 | Sing Along Songs: Disney Princess: Once Upon a Dream | ||
| 2005 | Disney Princess Party: Volume Two | ||
| 2007 | Enchanted | Angela | |
| 2016 | Always Belle | Herself | Documentary |
| 2018 | Ralph Breaks the Internet | Belle (voice) | |
| 2023 | Once Upon a Studio | Short film<ref name="Destination23">Template:Cite tweet</ref> |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | The Legend of Prince Valiant | Princess Aleta / Queen Aleta (voices) | 9 episodes |
| 1995 | The Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat | Girls (voice) | Episode: "Felix in Nightdrop Land/Shocking Story", uncredited |
| 1996 | Adventures from the Book of Virtues | The Princess / June Washington (voice) | Episode: "Honesty" |
| 2002 | Rapsittie Street Kids: Believe In Santa | Nicole (voice) | Television film |
| 2022 | Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration | Bookseller | TV special |
Video games
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Disney's Beauty and the Beast Magical Ballroom | Belle (voice) | |
| 2005 | Kingdom Hearts II | English version | |
| 2007 | Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix+ | ||
| Disney Princess: Magical Jewels | |||
| Disney Princess: Enchanted Journey |
Theatre
Discography
- Jerry Herman: Mack and Mabel in Concert (Live at the Theatre Royal), conducted by David Firman, First Night Records, 1988<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Jerome Kern: Show Boat, conducted by John McGlinn, EMI, 1988
- Loving You: Paige O'Hara Sings Jerry Herman, conducted by Dennis Buck, Varèse Sarabande, 1995<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Rodgers and Hammerstein: South Pacific, conducted by John Owen Edwards, Jay Records, 1996<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Paige O'Hara: Dream With Me, Intersound, 1998<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
References
External links
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- 1956 births
- Living people
- 20th-century American actresses
- 20th-century American women painters
- 20th-century American painters
- 20th-century American women singers
- 20th-century Roman Catholics
- 21st-century American actresses
- 21st-century American women painters
- 21st-century American painters
- 21st-century American women singers
- 21st-century Roman Catholics
- Actresses from Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- American musical theatre actresses
- American people of British descent
- American people of Dutch descent
- American people of German descent
- American people of Irish descent
- American Roman Catholics
- American sopranos
- American stage actresses
- American video game actresses
- American voice actresses
- Audiobook narrators
- Catholics from Florida
- Musicians from Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Nova High School alumni
- Walt Disney Records artists