First Look: Carrie Underwood as Maria in The Sound of Music

Underwood will star opposite Stephen Moyer in the network's live adaptation of the classic Broadway musical, which will air in December

By Tierney Bricker Sep 17, 2013 12:17 AMTags
Carrie Underwood, The Sound of MusicNBC

The hills are alive with the sound of Carrie Underwood's voice!

The country superstar is set to take on the role of Maria Von Trapp in NBC's live adaptation of The Sound of Music, which will air in December, and the network has just released the first poster for the special, featuring Underwood in the role made famous by Julie Andrews in the musical's 1965 film version.

In the pic, Underwood looks pretty darn cheery and cute in her braids as NBC boasts, "The beloved family classic comes alive again!" Starring opposite Underwood in the three-hour holiday event as Capt. Georg Von Trapp is True Blood leading man Stephen Moyer.

"Speaking for everyone at NBC, we couldn't be happier to have the gifted Carrie Underwood take up the mantle of the great Maria von Trapp," NBC's chairman Bob Greenblatt said in a statement. "She was an iconic woman who will now be played by an iconic artist."

In addition to releasing the first poster, NBC announced three new castmembers, all Broadway vets, that will be joining the live adaptation. Smash star Christian Borle will play Max Detweiler, Private Practice's Audra McDonald is set to play Mother Abbess and Laura Benanti will star as the Captain's former fiancée Elsa Schrader. Fun fact: Benanti played Maria on Broadway in 1998!

The Sound of Music Live! will once again team Borle with Craig Zadan and Neil Moran, Smash's producing team who is behind the special airing Dec. 5.

(E! News and NBC are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)