I think my favourite thing about Brandy's Cinderella is they show her kindness doesn't make her a pushover.
Because that's the main trait of her character and I do think a lot of adaptations acknowledge that exists, but they don't seem to acknowledge what that kindness looks like.
Kindness is not niceness! Being kind to someone can be about putting them out of their misery! It's about being honest and truthful when those around you don't want to hear it cause you know it will be better for them! Kindness can make you an outcast, it can make you a rebel.
And we see this right away in Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella!
Like we open with her stepsisters asking her which of them look better with an insane feather hat they both want.
And she says! That hat does not flatter either of you.
That's a kindness, it doesn't flatter them, she's honestly trying to help, and of course they're both immediately offended and say that damn Cinderella😭
She's honest with the prince about his kingdom because she cares about the people in it. He likes her because she's not afraid to challenge him, but she's honestly just saying it because it Needs to be said! As a royal he is a bit blind, and she's saying hey, work on that!
And I feel like the adaptations out there that try and make Cinderella badass or a 'boss' strip away her kindness.
If you want to make a rebel Cinderella, you can do that! That trait is not incompatible with being a kind or loving person, it's actually vital to it.
Cinderella is not naive, she's already a realist, almost too much so! She has a raw and unfiltered view of the world around her.
(Which is why the prince is a good partner for her! He's a dreamer! He helps her to dream and feel that it's okay to want things for yourself and make choices that are only good for you. They're a good match.)
Anyways, one of my favourite adaptations out there, Brandy's voice is so soothing as she absolutely eviscerates the worldview of people around her and drags them into being better people
