play one of their own childhood ha heroines. first. the "nightline" five. at jcpenney we can guarantee spring trends, blush, neutral, and block heel. now save more with your jcpenney credit card and coupon. priced to buy, guaranteed to love. that's getting your penney's worth. >> try cool mint zantac. it releases a cooling sensation. works in as little as 30 minutes. try cool mint zantac. nothing relieves heartburn faster. >> number one in just 60 seconds. ♪ ♪ good evening. tonight, we take a look inside a disturbing practice, parents worried that their children might be gay sending them to programs promising to change their child's sexual orientation. abc's brian ross visited some of the organizations across the country, in a year-long investigation. and found that in some cases, their methods can range from simply controversial to extremely cruel. >> okay, this is bit of a rush job. >> reporter: after jeremy jordan was busy filming his role as supergirl side kick in the series. >> are you crying? >> no. >> reporter: when he got some news that would affect him. the news about his 17-year-old lesbian cousin, sarah, who had been sent away by her parents. >> they were taking drastic measures and putting her away for being gay. and she was terrified. >> reporter: sarah was being held at heart life christian kept, sprawling, ranch like facility. her parents deny they sent her here because he schadd a girlfriend. heartlight said it is a refuge for teens in deluding lesbians. >> we specialize in that now. >> mark gregston describes the work. >> i meet with girls across the country struggling in same sex relationships i think i gained an understanding how to approach them. >> reporter: sarah's friends feared she was about to put through an ordeal designed to stop her from embracing her sexuality. >> she had no contact with the outside world. they took away her phone. she is just basically in this, sort of -- surprise prison almost. >> prison. >> yeah. >> jordan's cousin sarah is one of the unknown number of american gay teens who have been sent away to religious programs. >> as a christian i believe that the bible teaches that to choose to engage in homosexual conduct is a >> pastor peter sprigg of conservative group, family research council insists what he calls sexual reorientation therapy with spirituality can work. >> with teenage biz and girls, probably most likely effective because their sexuality is still developing. and therefore, they're less set in their ways. >> even though leading medical groups and u.s. surgeon general say it is not effective and may cause harm. >> no, i don't agreen with that. >> you think it is sound? >> i think it is sound. >> it does not harm the people put through the therapy? >> that's correct. >> heartlight in texas says it does not practice gay conversion but does warn parents of lesbians on its website that doing nothing only allows her to sink deeper into a lifestyle that god warns against. but help was on the way for sarah thanks to her cousin. ♪ there's change coming >> reporter: a small town texas boy making it big in show business. this was jeremy jordan in campaign. we started a go fund me page. it basically told sarah's story. >> family members of a gay teen want her out of a christian boarding facility. >> within like a couple days it was picked up by all big news sites around the country. around the world. >> reporter: there were also those angry about what jordan was doing to help his gay cousin. against her parents' wishes. >> you know, i can't believe that you are going against this girl's parents. >> reporter: in a statement to abc news, sarah's parents said the program they sent their daughter to were loving and could help her. although we do not agree with some of our daughter's decisions we love her unconditionally and pursue a close relationship with her. >> at the root of it was her sexual identity and not being able to truly be who she was. >> but the campaign for sarah in all the weak of the public attention, the heartlight christian school sent sarah home. >> eventually they had me leave, people were threatening to come protest, and, like, force their way in to get me out. >> reporter: for other gay teens who don't have a famous cousin they have been on their own. especially in places like this. down a dirt road in alabama. blessed hope boys' academy. ♪ a place where the christian pastor in charge told our abc news undercover investigators that with a bible, and some times a belt, he know house to deal with teenagers who consider themselves gay. >> it's going against the word of god. it is not bib lickly right. >> calling himself, brother gary, he has an 80% success rate. >> you know this boy here claims to be homosexual. >> requires parents to give written permission so he can strike their children if they act up because, for one just because the he says he is queer, i'm not going to do that. >> reporter: under the religious freedom law there is no requirement to be licensed or supervietzed because it is considered part of a christian ministry. >> for every camp like this, there are 100 more nobody knows about. that nobody is exposing on tv. >> including another place we discovered in alabama, outside mobile. unlicensed, and surrounded by barbed wire. run by this man, william knot, who also calls himself a christian pastor. but has a track record of physical abuse and cruelty. everybody was scared of him. >> lucas greenfield, a gay teen was sent to knot's camp at 13 by his christian parents. >> go to isolation. beaten. and everything else. because -- they were -- they were assumed to be gay. gay was a sin. >> gay is a sin. gay is evil. god. gay is horrible. >> we saw for ourselves how this christian pastor reacts to some one he does not like. >> i don't want to talk to you! >> why not? >> i don't look you. get away from me. >> is this how you treat the young boys? >> this is how i treat you. get away from me, sir. >> knot did not know it at the time. he was about to be taken down thanks to the courage of some of the teens he abused. just a few months later at circuit courthouse in mobile, alabama, we would see a much different william knot. the christian pastor now on trial for child abuse. >> don't get me wrong, these are not religious people. >> reporter: the case was prosecuted by assistant district attorney, keith blackwood. >> these are people using religion as a weapon against the kids for nurfurther abuse. >> reporter: lucas greenfield, and five other kids, grey and straight, took the stand, coming face to face with the man they say abused him. was it difficulto >> at first. >> he tried giving me that little stare, the evil little man, stare. like i am going to do something. but he couldn't do anything. >> reporter: you told the truth? >> yes. >> reporter: what did you say? >> exact plea whly what happene. the beatings, abuse, told them about everything, handcuffs, shackles, isolation. >> lucas' testimony is extremely important to the trial. the main reason is because he was -- one of the first witnesses that was willing to tell the truth about what happened. >> mobile county jurors heard from child abuse victims today. >> reporter: after five days of testimony the case went to the jury. >> like a weight lifted off. it brings a lot of peace to me to know what i do is stand up for what is right and what i believe in. this was definitely something i needed to do. >> reporter: and then the verdict. guilty on all counts. knot and two other so-called christian pastors taken away in handcuffs. sentenced to 20 years in prison. a sentence the judge hopes send a message across the country. for "nightline," brian ross, abc news, mobile, alabama. such huge acts of courage from such young people. our thanks to the brian ross team. up next -- we are with the stars of the new live action remake of "beauty and the beast." why emma watson says belle its not your typical fairy tale princess. ♪ i sure had a lot to think about. what about the people i care about? 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>> how many actors get to play one of their own childhood heroines. >> and a good feminist. beauty and the beast is one of the only fairy tales with a decent heroine who gets to do things. >> a princess tale getting star wars level buzz. this trailer viewed more in the first 24 hours online than any other in history including the force awakens. it helps that watson enjoys a massive fan base who followed her as harry potter's spunky side kick, hermine granger. >> everyone likes to point out the similarities between hermine, bookish, feisty, and belle. >> what i loved so much about hermine and belle, they're the perfect mix of head and heart. >> reporter: this princess like the woman who plays her cares more about her brains than beauty. >> we live in a a world which really loves to reinforce and validate the idea that you are intelligent, it's nice that you care about things, ultimately, darling what's important, is how you look. and, it's really depressing message to receive. and it really its heard at home an awful lot. >> will you join me for dinner? >> reporter: the man or beast, played by dan stevens, leading man of downton abbey transformed by the latest in computer graphics. there is the one look in the preview where you say come into the light. you come in. you make a facial expression. it feels real. >> yeah. >> well it was. >> it was -- >> it was my real face making that expression at emma. >> you are the world's most gorgeous thing i have ever seen. nobody deserves you. >> luke evan is gaston, the narcissistic brute vying for belle's affects. >> i would say gaston is even more because he hasn't got special powers. what he does, how he manipulates, and rallies a crowd of villagers to do something that they will regret. he does all thatten h ein human. >> plays on people's fear and the fear of the unknown. >> adding some light to the darkness, the actor brought olaf to person. >> lafue is a blind follower who is either desperately in love with the idea of gaston or wants to be gaston. >> me neither. >> he hears this, almost demagoguery coming out of gaston and he questions it. i think that is interesting. >> lafue also question his feelings for gaston. sparking an unexpected gay backlash from russia, the cultural ministry there restricting children under 16 from seeing the movie. director bill about accepting people for who they really are. on the screen, we will see everybody. and that was important to me. ♪ there she goes >> reporter: at its core, a mortality tale, with sweeping themes. underscored by soaring music and lyrics. ♪ tune as the old as time >> the oscar winning song, beauty and the beast made famous by celine dion and peabo bryson, refreshed by arianna grande and john legend. ♪ beauty and the beast >> reporter: the beauty and the beast sound track was a master class in musical theater? >> reintroduced the form to a new audience through animation. but you always knew that it kind of wanted to be -- more. it feels like circle to bring it back into >> reporter: isn't easy when your character is a candelabra or teapot. >> you can't judge people by who their father is can you. >> reporter: oscar winner, emma thompson pours herself into the role of mrs. pots. >> as an english woman, what more could either of us want to play, than something that contains tea. >> what time is it? >> madam gardarode, played by audra mcdonald. ♪ >> what i love about this, this, reimagining of beauty and the beast, i feel look you are getting more of a back story about the characters. >> reporter: stanley tucci plays her husband. you said you wanted to do it if you don't have to sing. >> i don't sing. i don't sing in the movie. it's great for everyone. everyone benefits. >> reporter: despite fans, some criticize a love story that begins with a woman being held prisoner. >> you have taken me as your prisoner, now you want to have dinner with me? are you insane? >> i told you to join me for dinner. >> i told you no. >> belle are gugues with beast t everything. and by the way it is beast that does the transforming. belle doesn't change. belle stays the same. >> reporter: no matter how modern audiences interpret the fresh version of an age old tale, what endures is the love story. >> strength, unapologetic, romance, it is so coachful, and so full of joy, and -- it's just kind of, so defiant in that. >> defiantly joyful. beauty and the beast opens next friday. coming up -- the 20th anniversary of buffy the vampire slayer. sarah michelle gellar reveals her favorite episode. >> announcer: abc news "nightline," brought to you by volks waggen. it's time. it is a big decision for us... let's take the $1000 in cash back. great! yeah, i want to get one of those gaming chairs with the speakers. oh, you do? that's a surprise... the volkswagen 3 and easy event, where you can choose one of three easy ways to get a $1000 offer. hurry in to your volkswagen dealer now and you can get $1000 as an apr bonus, a lease bonus, or cash back. 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[cheers and applause] [dramatic music] ♪ hey, everybody, welcome to the show. you guys ready to play "millionaire" today? [cheers and applause] let's do it. having worked as a mailman for the last ten years, our first contestant is ready to deliver his own check for $1 million. from henderson, nevada, please welcome alan gegax. >> all right! all right. >> hey, what's up, buddy? >> hey, how are you? >> good to see you. [cheers and applause] >> yeah. >> i'm glad you got the memo about the plaid tie. >> that's right. >> we're killing it today. >> so that means you accept my invitation to sadie hawkins? >> i do, sir. yes, i do. >> all right. >> you were a mailman for quite a long time. >> i was. i still am. >> what's the best thing about being a mailman? >> you know, probably the best day i ever had as a mailman came early in my career when i got to deliver packages on christmas day. we went through all the mail and found things that looked like christmas gifts, and to see the surprise on people's faces when i knocked on the door and gave them that, it was awesome. >> and... [applause] then when i ask you the worst part about it, you'd be like, "working on christmas day." >> right, right. no, it's the dogs. >> the dogs? >> yeah, that is not a myth. >> so that's just not a cliché. >> no, no. i ha b