Emma Watson to play Belle in Beauty and the Beast
She calls landing the role “surreal”
Emma Watson has been cast as Belle in a new movie adaptation of classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast.
Breaking the news to her 29million Facebook followers, Emma called landing the role “surreal” and that the Disney animated movie “was such a big part of my growing up.”
Her full statement reads:
“I'm finally able to tell you... that I will be playing Belle in Disney's new live-action Beauty and the Beast! It was such a big part of my growing up, it almost feels surreal that I'll get to dance to 'Be Our Guest' and sing 'Something There'. My six year old self is on the ceiling - heart bursting. Time to start some singing lessons. I can't wait for you to see it. Emma xx”
The movie will be directed by Bill Condon, the man behind the first two instalments of the Twilight saga, and filming is expected to begin later this year. A tentative release date is yet to be announced.
The animated Disney movie, loosely based on the fairy tale written by French novelist Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont in the 1700s, was a huge success upon its release in 1991 winning two Oscars, two Golden Globe Awards and three Grammys.
It spawned the popular songs ‘Beauty and the Beast’, ‘Little Town’ and ‘Be Our Guest.’
This March a live action version of Disney’s Cinderella is being released starring Downton Abbey's Lily James as the title character and directed by Kenneth Branagh.