Angela Lansbury Lent Her Voice For Mrs. Potts In Multiple Video Games

Accomplished and iconic actor Dame Angela Lansbury passed away on October 11 at 96 years old. Lansbury's momentous career spanned several decades, beginning in the 1940s and continuing well into the 2010s. Over that time, she earned five Tony Awards along with three nominations for Academy Awards, an Academy Honorary Award, and numerous other honors.

In her later years, she was probably most well-known for starring in "Murder She Wrote," but Lansbury provided audiences with a number of amazing performances over the years. Some of her best-remembered film roles included Nancy in "Gaslight" (the performance that earned her first Oscar nomination) and Eglantine Price in "Bedknobs and Broomsticks," while she also lit up the Broadway stage in productions such as "The King & I" and "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street." These various roles highlighted Lansbury's remarkable range as an actor and made her a favorite of fans across genres and generations. For Disney fans, however, she will be most fondly remembered as the voice of Mrs. Potts, the talking teapot in "Beauty and the Beast." 

Lansbury returned to the role on a few occasions, including the direct-to-video sequel, "Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas." However, that was not the last time that Angela Lansbury would play Mrs. Potts, nor would the character be limited to movies. What fans may not know is that, beyond playing Potts in the film, she also lent her voice to the character in multiple video games.

In addition to bringing the beloved character of Mrs. Potts to life in the Academy Award-winning Disney movie in 1991, she reprised her role in both "Disney's Beauty and the Beast: Magical Ballroom" in 2000 and "Kingdom Hearts 2" (and its various rereleases) in 2005. While "Magical Ballroom" was a simple, relatively obscure title built around minigames intended for young children to enjoy, the "Kingdom Hearts" series has become a major franchise in video games. "Kingdom Hearts 2" has often been considered as one of the best RPGs of all time, largely due to its faithfulness to the Disney films that inspired many of its worlds.

While Mrs. Potts' appearance in the game was relatively brief, it was an important part of the Beast's Castle section of the game, and Lansbury brought her skill and star power to the role. In a chapter taking place after the ending of the original film, Mrs. Potts and the other servants of the castle find themselves locked away by a confused and furious Beast. It's the gentle Mrs. Potts who convinces her friends to trust Sora and his companions, who ultimately save the day and reunite Belle and the Beast. 

These roles were the only video game appearances Angela Lansbury would make over her long career, making them feel all the more special. As they mourn her passing, fans will remember her many performances from the stage to the silver screen. For gamers, however, "Kingdom Hearts 2" will likely always stand out and provide plenty of warm memories.