Belle (Beauty and the Beast)

Last updated

Belle
Beauty and the Beast character
Belle disney.png
Belle with her ball gown as she appears in Beauty and the Beast (1991).
First appearance Beauty and the Beast (1991)
Created by Linda Woolverton
Based on Beauty
by Gabrielle-Suzanne de Villeneuve
Voiced by
Portrayed by
In-universe information
Affiliation Disney Princesses
Family Maurice (father)
Significant other Beast
ChildrenBen ( Descendants )
Nationality French

Belle is a fictional character in Walt Disney Pictures' animated film Beauty and the Beast (1991). Voiced by actress and singer Paige O'Hara, Belle, the book-loving daughter of an eccentric inventor, yearns to abandon her predictable village life in return for adventure. When her father Maurice is imprisoned by a cold-hearted beast in an enchanted castle, Belle offers her own freedom in exchange for her father's, and gradually learns to love the Beast despite his outward appearance.

Contents

Disney chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg commissioned Beauty and the Beast as an animated musical with a strong heroine, for which he hired first-time screenwriter Linda Woolverton. Basing her on the heroine of the 1740 fairy tale of the same name, Woolverton adapted Belle into a more proactive character for the film, deliberately conceiving her as a feminist to curtail criticisms Disney had long received for purportedly portraying female characters as victims. Inspired by the women's rights movement and actress Katharine Hepburn's performance in the film Little Women (1933), Woolverton created Belle as a unique departure from previous Disney heroines, particularly The Little Mermaid 's Ariel. However, some story artists often contested Woolverton's liberated vision for the character. Animated by James Baxter and Mark Henn, the former of whom based the character's graceful gait on those of impressionist Edgar Degas' ballerinas, Belle's European facial features were inspired by those of British actresses Vivien Leigh and Audrey Hepburn. Several additional Hollywood actresses inspired Belle's appearance, including Natalie Wood, Elizabeth Taylor, and Grace Kelly. Disney auditioned 500 candidates for the role, before casting O'Hara based on her mature-sounding voice and Broadway experience.

Belle has garnered widespread acclaim from film critics who appreciated the character's bravery, intelligence, and independence. Reception towards her feminism, however, has been more mixed, with commentators accusing the character's actions of being romance-oriented. The fifth Disney Princess, Belle is often ranked among the franchise's best members. Highly regarded as one of Disney's strongest examples of a feminist character, critics agree that Belle helped spearhead a generation of independent film heroines while changing the reputation of a Disney princess. Also one of Disney's most iconic characters, Belle was the only animated heroine nominated for the American Film Institute's greatest heroes in film ranking. The character also appears in the film's several sequels and spin-offs, as well as her own live-action television series. American actress Susan Egan originated the role of Belle in the Broadway musical adaptation of the film, for which she was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. Emma Watson played Belle in the 2017 live-action adaptation of the film.

Development

Creation and writing

Shortly after the success of Disney's first feature-length animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), Walt Disney himself had attempted to adapt the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale into one of the studio's earliest animated films several times, notably during the 1930s and 1950s. [3] The project was continuously shelved due to the fairy tale's "static" main characters and plot, [4] with Walt Disney expressing particular concern over depicting Belle's imprisonment. [5] Inspired by the success of 1989's The Little Mermaid , Disney chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg green-lit another attempt at adapting the fairy tale under director Richard Purdum. [5] However, Katzenberg was dissatisfied with Purdum's dark, somber interpretation, [6] [7] and ultimately ordered that the project be completely retooled into a Broadway-style musical film starring a strong heroine, similar to The Little Mermaid. [8] Largely in retaliation to critics' negative response towards The Little Mermaid's Ariel regarding her overall character and motivations, [9] Disney opted for a "feminist twist" on the original Beauty and the Beast story, [10] with Katzenberg hiring first-time screenwriter Linda Woolverton to write its screenplay. [7] [11]

Screenwriter Linda Woolverton based Belle on actress Katherine Hepburn's performance in Little Women (1933). Katharine hepburn little women.jpg
Screenwriter Linda Woolverton based Belle on actress Katherine Hepburn's performance in Little Women (1933).

Disney traditionally portrayed its female characters as victims prior to Beauty and the Beast, [12] with Belle's lack of empowerment in earlier drafts of the film proving contentious among its writers. [13] While the studio wanted Beauty and the Beast to resemble an old-fashioned film, the writers envisioned Belle as "a woman that was ahead of her time". [14] As the first woman to write a feature-length animated film for Disney, [15] Woolverton decided to use Belle as an opportunity to create a female character who would ultimately be better received than Disney's previous animated heroines, specially Ariel. [10] [16] [17] Aware of the task's daunting nature due to the mermaid's popularity, [17] Woolverton fought relentlessly to create "a new kind of Disney heroine". [18] Inspired by the women's rights movement Woolverton herself had experienced, [12] the screenwriter conceived Belle as a headstrong feminist to avoid creating another "insipid" Disney princess. [17] Woolverton strongly believed contemporary audiences would not identify with Belle unless she was updated appropriately, [12] and thus evolved the character into "a woman of the '90s". [19] Refusing to watch Jean Cocteau's 1946 film adaptation of the fairy tale, Woolverton instead based Belle on actress Katharine Hepburn's portrayal of Jo March in the 1933 film adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's book Little Women . [15] [20] Similarly, story artist Brenda Chapman drew influence from Hepburn's on-screen bickering with actor Spencer Tracy for certain scenes with the Beast. [21]

Beauty and the Beast's story department was predominantly male. [22] Woolverton often argued with the more traditional story artists over Belle's role and personality, [23] [24] but continued to be supported by Katzenberg and lyricist Howard Ashman, the latter of whom also lobbied for "a thinker and a reader" who "wasn't a victim". [24] Woolverton claims the story team challenged virtually everything she wrote for the character, [25] on one occasion replacing what Woolverton had scripted as Belle indicating where she wishes to travel on a map with the character baking a cake. [15] [26] Arguing that the liberated Belle would not even know how to bake, [23] Woolverton compromised by having the character read a book instead, [18] which ironically some writers considered too passive an activity. [15] To resolve this, Woolverton ultimately scripted Belle walking while reading, an activity in which she herself partook in as a child. [15] Despite constant re-writes she found "regressive", [18] Woolverton's overall vision for Belle generally remained intact. [12]

In the original fairy tale, Belle has two selfish sisters who have their own love interests, all of whom Woolverton omitted to focus on Belle's dynamic with Gaston. [27] The writer also eliminated the subplot surrounding Belle asking her father for a rose. [12] Supporting characters from Purdum's treatment, such as Belle's younger sister Clarice and cruel Aunt Marguerite, were also discarded, [28] [29] the former to emphasize Belle's loneliness, [30] and the latter replaced by Gaston as the film's villain. [28] In Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont's fairy tale, Belle is essentially forced to replace her father as the Beast's prisoner. [31] To emphasize the character's independence, Woolverton re-wrote Belle to willingly venture to the castle in search of her father, where she confronts the Beast and ultimately trades her own freedom in return for Maurice's. [16] To demonstrate that the character is not perfect, [32] Woolverton described "a little wisp of hair that keeps falling in her face," which was the only direction she used to describe Belle's physical appearance. [23] During Gaston's climactic fight with the Beast, the character's line "Time to die!", which had already been animated, was changed to "Belle is mine!" to refocus the story on Belle. [33]

Voice

Disney auditioned approximately 500 actresses for the role of Belle. [34] [35] They originally considered re-hiring Ariel's voice actress Jodi Benson, but ultimately decided Benson sounded too young and American for the character they had envisioned. [36] [37] Favoring a "more classical ... womanly" tone, [38] the filmmakers wanted Belle to sound closer to a woman than a girl, [14] describing her ideal voice as reminiscent of actress Judy Garland. [36] American actress and singer Paige O'Hara was working on Broadway when she first read about Disney's then-upcoming animated film Beauty and the Beast in The New York Times . [39] Upon learning that the studio was specifically scouting Broadway performers for the lead female role, [40] O'Hara immediately booked an audition through her agent. [39] Familiar with O'Hara's Broadway stint in the musical Show Boat , [41] Ashman had already been eyeing her for the role. [42] O'Hara auditioned five times, [40] first solely interviewing for casting director Albert Taveres. [38] For her next two auditions, she was simply required to mail voice recordings to Disney's studio in Los Angeles, [40] for which she sang "Heaven Help My Heart" from the musical Chess . [43] At her first legitimate in-person audition, O'Hara originally spoke and sang in a higher register than her own in an effort to mimic Snow White, but the filmmakers insisted that she use her own voice. [14] In addition to Katzenberg and Ashman, O'Hara's last few auditions were attended by directors Kirk Wise and Gary Trousdale, producer Don Hahn, and composer Alan Menken. [40] [43] The songwriters initially listened with their eyes closed before finally watching her audition. [38] An hour after her fifth and final audition, [43] Disney telephoned O'Hara to inform her she had been cast as Belle, which happened to occur on her birthday. [44] The actress was fairly confident she had secured the role before she had officially been cast, [14] [41] to which she credits Ashman's enjoyment of her vocal performance on the Show Boat cast recording. [45] [46]

Already 30 years-old by the time of her audition, O'Hara naturally imbued Belle's voice with a mature quality, despite her character's young age. [14] [37] Woolverton appreciated O'Hara for sounding more mature than traditional Disney heroines, [41] [47] while the quality of her voice reminded Wise of Garland. [43] [48] In addition to sharing Belle's love of reading, [48] O'Hara empathized with her character's ostracization by her peers due to her unconventional interests, [41] explaining, "I was into musical theater ... while people were going to Led Zeppelin concerts ... I had a one-track mind, and I think that Belle was like that a lot". [14] The actress worked on the film on-and-off for over two years, [41] and initially found it challenging to soften her voice during recording sessions due to having been trained to project as a stage actress. [44] O'Hara and actor Robby Benson, voice of the Beast, sought permission from Disney to record in the same booth as opposed to separately, which the studio agreed to despite its costliness, [14] [49] ultimately becoming the first voice actors to do so for Disney. [45] O'Hara credited the intimate recording sessions with helping Belle and the Beast's relationship sound more convincing. [14] [45] Although the actress would occasionally ad-lib her dialogue per the directors' encouragement, [42] none of her improvisation was included in the final film because it sounded "too modern". [50] Despite her successful stage career, O'Hara was virtually unknown to Hollywood audiences when she was cast in Beauty and the Beast; she was one of the last obscure actresses to be cast in a feature-length Disney animated film before the studio began casting better-known talent in subsequent animated projects. [40]

Since the film's 1991 release, O'Hara has reprised the role in a variety of follow-up films, tie-in media, and merchandise, including its direct-to-video sequels Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas (1997), Belle's Magical World (1998), and Belle's Tales of Friendship (1999); various video games such as the Kingdom Hearts series; and several music and video releases for the Disney Princess franchise. [36] Additionally, O'Hara performed the song "Belle" at the 64th Academy Awards in 1992, where it had been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song. [51] In 2012, O'Hara described Disney as her "main employer for 20 years". [52] In 2011, [53] O'Hara was officially replaced by actress Julie Nathanson, who first voiced Belle in the video game Kinect: Disneyland Adventures (2011). [54] [55] [56] O'Hara revealed to the Las Vegas Review-Journal that news of the replacement greatly upset her to the point of which she was willing to re-record much of Belle's dialogue in an attempt to prove to the company that she is still capable of voicing the character. However, O'Hara eventually admitted that she found the process quite difficult as a result of the way in which her voice changed over the course of 20 years. [52] O'Hara eventually returned to voice Belle in the film Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018). [57] She also reprised the role in the 2023 short Once Upon a Studio . [2]

Personality

According to producer Don Hahn, Beaumont's Belle is an "incredibly passive" character, the personality of whom he likened to those of Aurora from Sleeping Beauty (1959) and Cinderella, as well as American actress and animal rights activist Doris Day, describing them as women who are "capable, but filling a role that women might fill in the 1950s and 1960s." [58] The filmmakers painstakingly reworked Belle into a more three-dimensional character by providing her with goals and aspirations beyond romance and marriage, [58] while expanding her passive role into that of a more inquisitive heroine. [59] Determined to have Belle resemble "an unusual Disney heroine", Woolverton deliberately molded her into an independent character who is not a princess, enjoys books and has little interest in marriage, [8] and worked closely with Ashman to create a proactive heroine "who was a thinker and a reader and she wasn't about what she looked like and she wasn't a victim." [24] Although Belle being well-read is mentioned in the original fairy tale, it is hardly important to its plot. [60] Thus, Belle's passion for reading was vastly expanded upon, borrowing from both the Little Women character Jo March and Woolverton's own love of reading to further demonstrate the character's intelligence and open mind. [16] Both Woolverton and O'Hara encouraged the filmmakers to emphasize the intelligent and book-loving aspects of Belle's personality. [38] However, at times the animators struggled to fulfill Woolverton's vision. [61] Originally, Belle was depicted constantly crying throughout her imprisonment; Woolverton resented this, arguing that the character was much more likely to be either searching for an escape or simply "be intrigued that she was living in an enchanted castle" than crying. [23] "Once everybody realized she wasn't going to be this typical Disney female, they would go to the extreme ... She became bitchy"; the screenwriter argued that Belle would be "too smart" to act this way. [61] A few years older than The Little Mermaid's Ariel, Belle's love of reading makes the character more worldly and mature than her predecessor. [62] Belle is believed by Henn to be "probably" the oldest of Disney's princesses. [63] Although multiple sources have claimed over the years that the character is 17, [64] [65] [66] Henn estimated Belle to be in her early 20’s. [67] In an interview for Vanity Fair, Paige O'Hara stated to believe that Belle was the only Disney princess to be in her 20’s. [68] The official Disney Princesses (which Belle is part of), however, are estimated to be not older than 19, with Cinderella and Tiana being the oldest members in the official Disney Princesses lineup and franchise, being both estimated to be 19. [69] [70]

Design and animation

Belle's supervising animators were James Baxter and Mark Henn. [71] Wanting Belle to look significantly different from and more European than Ariel, the animators drew Belle with fuller lips, narrower eyes, and darker eyebrows inspired by British actress Vivien Leigh. [62] [72] Appearing more statuesque than traditional Disney princesses, Belle was also inspired by Jennie Garth and Alyssa Milano. [67] According to the Directory of World Cinema: American Hollywood by Lincoln Geraghty, Belle was inspired by actress Judy Garland's role as Dorothy Gale in The Wizard of Oz (1939) and Julie Andrews' performance as Maria von Trapp in The Sound of Music (1965). [73] [74]

Belle was Henn's second Disney heroine, after having previously worked on Ariel. [75] He was specifically assigned to animate scenes from the studio's Florida division, [76] and has since animated several Disney princesses since completing Beauty and the Beast. [77] Henn observed that, unlike Ariel, Belle does not "fall in love at first sight"; instead "there's an actual relationship you see grow". [78] Henn decorated his studio with photographs of famous women, specifically Hollywood actresses Natalie Wood, Elizabeth Taylor, Grace Kelly, and Audrey Hepburn, for reference. [41] [79] [51] Henn claims Belle's appearance started to form once O'Hara was cast and he heard her voice, from which point they married her performance with the designs they had already been conceiving. [79] O'Hara found herself intimated by the photographs of "all these beautiful women", but animator Lorna Cook reassured her that they would reference her own photo as well. [79] Henn hardly met O'Hara apart from rare occasions when he would travel to California for production meetings. [79] Meanwhile, the animators dissuaded O'Hara from seeing drawings of the character until much later into production, encouraging the actress to simply let the animators draw her. [79]

Baxter based his drawings on the work story artists Roger Allers and Brenda Chapman had already done for the character, deciding to draw Belle with a rounder face in addition to making her more European-looking. [80] They decided the character should definitely be a brunette, a hair color Disney had seldom used since Snow White. [80] Baxter studied the art of French impressionist Edgar Degas, a painter known for his portraits of ballerinas, [81] whose work inspired the animator to incorporate "graceful, swan-like movements" into Belle's performance. [72] Belle's ball gown was inspired by a similar costume Audrey Hepburn wore in Roman Holiday (1953). [72] Hahn and a team of male filmmakers designed the gown while consuming pizza and alcohol. [63] Originally, the marketing department ordered that Belle's dress be pink to cater to the female audience, but art director Brian McEntee convinced studio to make the dress gold in order to differentiate her from other Disney princesses, [82] specifically Aurora from Sleeping Beauty. [83] [84] McEntee also suggested that Belle be the only character in her village to wear blue, so as to emphasize the fact that she is different and an outcast. [33] The colors Belle wears also mimic her emotions, blue being associated with sadness and loneliness. [72] Blue was also used to symbolize good, while Gaston's red represents evil. [85]

Animators videotaped O'Hara's recording sessions to capture her mannerisms, expressions, and gestures, such as her hair's tendency to fall into her face, which they incorporated into her character's drawings. [38] O'Hara claims some of her family members immediately recognized O'Hara's physical traits in Belle upon watching the film for the first time. [79] Actress and model Sherri Stoner served as the performance model for Belle, providing live-action reference for the animators as they drew the character. [86] Belle's tendency to constantly brush her hair away from her face was also inspired by both Stoner and O'Hara. [44] The animators also incorporated O'Hara's eyes, cheekbones and the way in which she raises her eyebrow into Belle's face. [51] O'Hara felt that Belle originally looked "too perfect", comparing her to actress Angelina Jolie, [41] although Jolie would not make her film debut until four years later. [87] O'Hara initially feared children would not be able to relate to her until the animators made her appear less perfect. [79] [87] Writing for the Los Angeles Times , Charles Solomon observed inconsistencies in Belle's appearance, stating, "The prettiest and liveliest Belle waltzes with Beast in his marble ballroom and weeps over his body before he's transformed into the Prince" while "The Belle who receives the library from Beast has wider-set eyes and a more prominent mouth than the noticeably slimmer Belle who sings 'Something There.'" [88]

International versions

Upon its intitial release, Beauty and the Beast was dubbed into 21 languages, with more being created over the years. [89] Several countries also dubbed the movie's direct-to-video sequels. For the live action version, all new voice actresses provided the character's voice, with the exception of Alžbeta Bartošová, the Slovak voice; Madhura Kumbhar, who provided the singing voice for the Marathi dubbing of the original film in 2015, returned to provide the Hindi singing voice. [89] Gabrielle Pietermann, the German voice, and Anežka Pohorská, the Czech voice, are the regular dubbers for Emma Watson in their respective countries. Vietnam dubbed both the animated and live-action film at the same time in 2019. It was the first time Serbia and Croatia had dubbed a live-action Disney film.

Belle's dubbers worldwide
LanguageYears of releaseVoice(s)
Beauty and the Beast Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas Belle's Magical World Beauty and the Beast (live action) Beauty and the Beast Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas Belle's Magical World Beauty and the Beast (live action)
Arabic (Egypt) 200220102011Not dubbed لقاء الخميسى (Liqaa Al-Khamisy)  [ arz ](speaking)داليا فاروق (Dalia Farouq)Not dubbed
داليا فاروق (Dalia Farouq) (singing)
Arabic (Modern Standard) 2014Not dubbed20222017داليا فاروق (Dalia Farouq)Not dubbedأريج فودة (Arig Fouda)إيناس صبري (Inas Sabry)
2022أريج فودة (Arig Fouda)
Armenian 2016Not dubbedNot dubbedԿարինե Եսայան (Karine Yesayan) (speaking)Not dubbedNot dubbed
Սուսաննա Պետրոսյան (Susanna Petrosyan) (singing)
Bulgarian 20022017 Йорданка Илова (Yordanka Ilov)  [ bg ] Весела Бонева (Vesela Boneva)  [ bg ](singing)
Cantonese 199119971998Not dubbed陳寶珊 (Can Bou-Saan) and 郭碧珍 (Gwok Bik-Zan "Peggy Kwok") (speaking)(Gwok Bik-Zan "Peggy Kwok") (speaking)Not dubbed
楊淑貞 (Joeng Suk-Zing "Sarah Yeung") (singing)
Chinese (China) 20062006Not dubbed2017薛白 (Xuē Bái) (speaking)Not dubbed 季冠霖 (Jì Guān-Lín)  [ zh ](speaking)
于海英 (Yú Hǎi-Yīng) (singing) 王笑文 (Wáng Xiào-Wén)  [ zh ](singing)
Chinese (Taiwan) 19911997Not dubbed 劉小芸 (Liú Xiǎo-Yún)  [ zh ](speaking) 侯炳瑩 (Hóu Bǐng-Yíng "April Hou")  [ zh ](speaking)Not dubbed
施彩雲 (Shī Cǎi-Yún) (singing)馬毓芬 (Mǎ Yù-Fēn "Paula Ma") (singing)
Croatian 2010Not dubbed2017 Renata Sabljak Not dubbedMia Melcher (speaking)
Nina Kraljić (singing)
Czech 199419972010 Jana Mařasová  [ cs ] Anežka Pohorská  [ cs ](speaking)
Kateřina Jindrová Zítková (singing)
Danish 19911998 Louise Fribo Annevig Schelde Ebbe
Dutch Joke de Kruijf Not dubbed
English Paige O'Hara Emma Watson
Finnish Mervi Multamäki  [ fi ] Maaria Nuoranne  [ fi ]
Flemish Not dubbedNot dubbed Tinne Oltmans  [ nl ]
French (Canada) Not dubbed1997Not dubbedNot dubbed Violette Chauveau  [ fr ](speaking)Not dubbed Mylène Mackay (speaking)
Kathleen (singing)Emmylou Homs (singing -- European French dub)
French (France) 19911998 Bénédicte Lécroart  [ fr ] Léopoldine Serre  [ fr ](speaking)
Emmylou Homs (singing)
German Jana Werner Gabrielle Pietermann (speaking)
Julia Milena Scheeser  [ de ](singing)
Greek Κρίστη Στασινοπούλου (Krísti Stasinopoúlou)  [ el ] Άριελ Κωνσταντινίδη (Áriel Konstantinídi)  [ el ](speaking)Αλεξάνδρα Λέρτα (Alexándra Lérta)
Άριελ Κωνσταντινίδη (Áriel Konstantinídi)  [ el ](added dialogue "Human Again")Χριστίνα Αργύρη (Hristína Aryíri) (singing)
Hebrew 2002 רינת גבאי (Rinat Gabay)  [ he ]אלונה אלכסנדר (Alona Alexander)
Hindi 20002010 मोना घोष शेट्टी (Mona Ghosh Shetty) (speaking)समृिद शुका (Sumriddhi Shukla) (speaking)
स्मिता मल्होत्रा (Smita Malhotra) (singing)मधुरा कुं भार (Madhura Kumbhar) (singing)
Hungarian 199119971998 Kocsis Judit  [ hu ] Kardos Eszter  [ hu ]
Icelandic 20022010Not dubbed Selma Björnsdóttir Not dubbed
Indonesian 1991201220142020Ivonne Rose PattiaponSani Oktania (speaking)Nadia Rosyada
Merlinda Endah Setyowati Arifiani (singing)
Italian 199719982017 Laura Boccanera and Barbara De Bortoli  [ it ](speaking) Laura Boccanera (speaking) Laura Boccanera and Barbara De Bortoli  [ it ](speaking) Letizia Ciampa (speaking)
Marjorie Biondo  [ it ](singing)Ilaria De Rosa (singing)
Japanese 伊東恵里 (Eri Itō) 昆夏美 (Kon Natsumi)  [ ja ]
Karachay-Balkar 2013Not dubbedГергъокъаланы Халимат (Gerğoqalanı Xalimat)Not dubbed
Kazakh 20172018Not dubbedНазерке Серікболова (Nazerke Serıkbolova)Not dubbed
Korean 1991199719982017성유진 (Seong Yu-jin) and 서혜정 (Seo Hye-jeong)  [ ko ](speaking) 정미숙 (Jeong Mi-suk)  [ ko ](speaking)김서영 (Kim Seo-yeong) (speaking)
전수경 (Jeon Su-gyeong)  [ ko ](singing)이혜경 (Lee Hye-gyeong) (singing) 전수경 (Jeon Su-gyeong)  [ ko ](singing) 이지혜 (Lee Ji-hye) (singing)
Malay 2012Not dubbedJoan JimNot dubbed
Marathi 2015Not dubbedनेश्मा चेम्बुरकर (Neshma Chemburkar) (speaking)Not dubbed
मधुरा कुंभार (Madhura Kumbhar) (singing)
Norwegian 1991199719982017 Merethe Trøan Kristin Oftedal (speaking)Selma Søder Joner
Sissel Heibek (singing)
Polish 1993 Katarzyna Skrzynecka Jolanta Wilk  [ pl ](speaking) Olga Kalicka  [ pl ](speaking)
Jolanta Wilk  [ pl ](speaking)
2002Katarzyna Owczarz (singing)Sylwia Banasik (singing)
Katarzyna Owczarz (singing)
Portuguese (Brazil) 1991 Ju Cassou  [ pt ] Giulia Nadruz  [ pt ]
Portuguese (Portugal) 200220102011 Carla de Sá  [ pt ](speaking)Sissi Martins (speaking)
Alda Joana (singing) Sofia Vitória (singing)Inês Martins (singing)
Romanian 20102010 Alina Eremia Ioana-Maria Repciuc
Russian 20022013 Сауле Искакова (Saule Iskakova) Юлия Довганишина (Yuliya Dovganishina)
Serbian Not dubbedNot dubbed Мина Совтић (Mina Sovtić)  [ sr ](speaking)
Лејла Хот (Lejla Hot) (singing)
Slovak 2010Not dubbed Alžbeta Bartošová  [ sk ]Not dubbed Alžbeta Bartošová  [ sk ]
Slovene 2019Not dubbedNot dubbed
Spanish (Latin America) 1991199719982017 Diana Santos (speaking)Meli G
Lourdes Ambriz  [ es ](singing)Blanca Flores (singing)
Spanish (Spain) Inés Moraleda Michelle Jenner (speaking)
Bely Basarte  [ es ](singing)
Swedish Sofia Källgren Emmi Christensson  [ sv ]
Thai 1992 "โฟร์ท" นฤมล จิวังกูร ("Fourth" Naruemon Chiwangkun)  [ th ] "โฟร์ท" นฤมล จิวังกูร ("Fourth" Naruemon Chiwangkun)  [ th ]กานดา วิทยานุภาพยืนยง (Kanda Witthayanuparpyuenyong)
2002จันทร์จิรา นิ่มพิทักษ์พงศ์ (Chanchira Nimphithakphong)
Turkish 2010 Figen Sümeli  [ tr ](speaking)Elif Atakan (speaking)
Otilia Maria Radulescu İpek (singing) Tülay Uyar  [ tr ] (singing)Ezgi Erol (singing)
Ukrainian 2009Not dubbedГанна Сирбу (Hanna Syrbu)Not dubbed Дарина Муращенко (Daryna Murashchenko)  [ uk ]
Vietnamese 20192019Nguyễn Duyên QuỳnhNguyễn Duyên Quỳnh

Characterization and themes

Woolverton created Belle as part of "her self-directed mandate to move women and girls forward." [18] The Express-Times described the character as an intelligent young woman who "sings songs about reading and wanting to gain knowledge, rather than falling in love." [90] Woolverton credits Belle's knowledge and love of books with providing the character with a "point of view of her life and that doesn't necessarily involve a man getting her there." [62] One of the film's main themes, Belle is considered an outsider because her love of reading provides her with knowledge of the outside world as opposed to her "narrow-minded" village peers. [5] Writing for Wired.com, Matt Blum dubbed Belle "the geekiest heroine of any Disney animated film", exemplified by an opening number that demonstrates just how much she does not fit in with her peers due to her intelligence and active imagination. [91] Similarly, Boxoffice 's Amy Nicholson coined the character "Disney's Smartest Heroine", [31] while Rob Burch of The Hollywood News observed that the character "comes across as arrogant at times" because she "spends much of the first act complaining." [37] In her book Sex, Love and Abuse: Discourses on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, author Sharon Hayes described Belle as "the quintessential beautiful young ingénue." [92] Comparing Belle's personality to that of the princess in the Brothers Grimm's fairy tale "The Frog Prince", The Meanings of "Beauty and the Beast": A Handbook author Jerry Griswold described the character as a similarly "feisty and outspoken" heroine. [93] Writing for St. Francis Xavier University, Dawn Elizabeth England observed that Belle possesses equally as many traditionally feminine as she does masculine traits, citing her bravery, independence and assertiveness as masculine, and her sensitivity and fearfulness as feminine. [94] According to Hard Bodies: Hollywood Masculinity in the Reagan Era author Susan Jeffords, "Belle's credentials as heroine are established ... when she is the only one of the town's single women not to swoon over Gaston," while the character's love of reading is essentially manipulated "to mark her as better than the rest of the townspeople." [95] Writing for The Statesman , David O'Connor cited Belle's intelligence and bibliophilia as "in stark opposition to the insensitive and significantly dim-witted Gaston." [96] Critics continue to debate over whether Belle or the Beast is the film's protagonist. Susan Jeffords, author of Hard Bodies: Hollywood Masculinity in the Reagan Era, felt that although Belle appears to be the protagonist in Beaumont's original fairy tale, the character becomes "less the focus of the narrative" in Disney's adaptation and more of a "mechanism for solving the Beast's 'dilemma.'" [95] In her article "The Tangled Evolution of the Disney Princess," Noelle Buffam felt that Belle arrived just in time when Disney's heroines were "in a dire need for some change," awarding her "the red stamp of approval" for her intelligence and spirit. [97]

Analyzing ways in which Disney's heroines have evolved over time due to "the approach to the characterization of the princesses chang[ing]" as the characters gradually transformed from passive young women into heroines who "had ambitions and desires aside from finding true love," [98] critics often divide the Disney Princesses into three separate categories and rank Belle among the middle of the timeline, [99] with Kit Steinkellner of HelloGiggles.com observing that the character improved upon "the Disney princess archetype" by simultaneously serving as both a "dreamer" and a "doer" in her film, as opposed to exclusively the former. [100] Film historian Paula Sigman Lowery explained to the Daily Express that Belle's personality is a combination of Ariel's spirit and burgeoning independence, and Pocahontas' maturity, while Belle is "a little older [than Ariel] and a little further along in their journey towards independence." [101] About.com's David Nusair believes that Belle belongs to a category of Disney Princesses known as "The Lady Vanishes", in which the heroines, in spite of being brave, outspoken and independent, nonetheless "are forced to behave passively as others help them achieve their respective goals." [102] Michelle Munro, writing for Durham College, felt that even though Belle shares several traits with her more passive predecessors, the character introduced "new possibilities for princesses." [103] Girls in Capes wrote that Belle pioneered a generation of princesses who taught "about ambition, self-discovery and the pursuit of what we want." [98] Additionally, Belle remains Disney's first and only princess to have hazel eyes. [104] [105]

Appearances

Film and television

Belle debuted in Beauty and the Beast (1991) as a beautiful bibliophile [106] [107] who, although praised by her fellow villagers for her unrivaled beauty, is at the same time ridiculed for her intelligence and non-conformity. Having grown weary of her uneventful provincial life, in which she is relentlessly romantically pursued by an arrogant hunter named Gaston, Belle longs for adventure. After her father's horse returns without its rider, she willingly ventures into the woods in search of her father. She persuades the Beast that she will trade her own freedom in return for her father's, since her father is ill in the dungeon, promising to remain with the Beast in his castle among his staff of enchanted objects forever. Belle's curiosity leads her to the forbidden west wing where she discovers an enchanted rose without realizing that it is tied to the Beast's fate; and the Beast's rage at her trespassing causes her to flee the castle on horseback. Belle is pursued by wolves in the woods but they are driven off by the Beast, afterwards Belle helps the injured Beast back to the castle and nurses him back to health. Although she initially dislikes her captor, Belle gradually learns to accept the Beast in spite of his appearance and eventually befriends him. Belle and the Beast's strong bond greatly envies Gaston to the point of which he storms the castle and mortally wounds the Beast, though Gaston falls to his own death in the process. However, Belle breaks down and confesses her love for the Beast just in time to break the spell under which he had been placed by an enchantress as punishment for his selfish ways, and the Beast ultimately transforms back into a handsome prince. [108]

In Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas (1997), Belle attempts to reignite the castle's waning spirit by reintroducing and celebrating Christmas, in spite of the Beast's strong resentment towards the holiday. Meanwhile, a solemn pipe organ named Forte grows determined to sabotage Belle and the Beast's burgeoning friendship because he longs to maintain his co-dependent relationship with his master. Tricked by Forte into retrieving a large Christmas tree from a frozen pond, Belle nearly drowns, only to be rescued by the Beast. The Beast, however, having been misinformed by Forte, wrongly accuses Belle of trying to escape again, and locks her in the dungeon as punishment. When the Beast finally discovers the truth, they forgive each other, and Belle helps him thwart Forte's plan to destroy the castle. [109] Belle's Magical World (1998), depicts Belle as she interacts with both the Beast and his enchanted servants in various segments, exploring themes such as forgiveness, friendship, cooperation and respect. [110]

In Belle's Tales of Friendship (1999), a spin-off of the film series, Belle owns a bookshop in which she teaches valuable lessons to children by reading and retelling well-known stories and fairy tales, narrating four Disney animated shorts: The Three Little Pigs (1933), Peter and the Wolf (1946), The Wise Little Hen (1934), and Morris the Midget Moose (1950). For the first time, Belle appears as both animated and live-action versions of herself, voiced and portrayed by actresses Paige O'Hara and Lynsey McLeod, respectively. In the television series Sing Me a Story with Belle (1995–97), Belle, in a role reprised by McLeod, runs her own music and bookshop, where she is visited by children to whom she tells and sings stories. [111] [112]

Belle appeared in the animated television series House of Mouse and its direct-to-video films Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse and Mickey's House of Villains . [55] In the television series, Belle is voiced by American actress and singer Jodi Benson, while O'Hara reprised her role in Magical Christmas. [55] [113] [114]

A live-action version of Belle appears as a main character in the ABC television series Once Upon a Time , where she serves as the love interest of Rumplestiltskin (who is the show's version of the Beast). She is portrayed by Australian actress Emilie de Ravin. [115] Another live-action version of the character appeared in the 2015 television film Descendants , where she was played by Keegan Connor Tracy and serves as the Queen of the United States of Auradon, and along with Beast have a son called Ben. She return in the film's sequels Descendants 2 (2017) and Descendants 3 (2019). The series Sofia the First included a guest appearance by Belle in the episode "The Amulet and the Anthem". [116] British actress Amy Jackson who portrayed as Belle opposite Indian actor Vikram, who being portrayed as Beast for sequences in a dreamy song "Ennodu Nee Irundhal" in the 2015 Tamil language romantic thriller I . [117] The original prosthetic make-up for the characters were provided by Sean Foot (Shaun) and Davina Lamont and additional works were done by National Film Award winnersChristien Tinsley and Dominie Till. [118] [119]

Beauty and the Beast (2017 film)

English actress Emma Watson portrays Belle in the 2017 live-action film. Emma Watson 2013.jpg
English actress Emma Watson portrays Belle in the 2017 live-action film.

In January 2015, Emma Watson announced that she would be portraying Belle in a live-action version of the film, [120] which was released in 2017. [121] Beauty and the Beast was the first of the Disney remakes in which an A-list actress portrays a Disney princess. As a feminist and model, Watson suggested several changes to the character in the live-action film. For the costume design, Watson rejected the traditional "big princess dress" and corset for the golden gown as that would have reduced her mobility, with the gown seen as crucial for marketing the film, while for the village scenes she requested boots instead of ballet slippers to give the character more ruggedness. Nonetheless, Belle's attire in the live-action remake largely stays true to its animated predecessor. [122] [123]

Thanks to Watson's influence, Belle is not only a bookworm but also an inventor like her father – she uses her inventions for everyday chores such as laundry, which in turn provides her with time to pursue her passion for reading. It is also revealed that Belle's mother died of a disease plague during Belle's infancy, consequently Maurice is somewhat overprotective of Belle and does not allow her to leave the village. For instance, Maurice creates "music boxes playing tunes from faraway places, in a bid to sate her thirst for exploration", as he is unwilling to let Belle be adventurous due to her mother's death, although Belle harbors no hard feelings about this. [124] Watson's portrayal of Belle won her the MTV Movie Award for Best Performance at the 2017 MTV Movie & TV Awards and the Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actress – Sci-Fi/Fantasy at the 2017 Teen Choice Awards. [125] [126] She also received nominations for the Empire Award for Best Actress, the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award for "Favorite Movie Actress" and the Saturn Award for Best Actress. [127] [128] [129]

Broadway musical

Anneliese van der Pol as Belle in the stage musical Anneliesevanderpol as belle in beautyandthebeast.jpg
Anneliese van der Pol as Belle in the stage musical

Belle appeared in the Broadway musical adaptation of Beauty and the Beast . The role was originated by actress Susan Egan, [130] who was initially reluctant to audition for Beauty and the Beast because she "thought it was a terrible idea for Disney to put a cartoon on Broadway." [131] However, her agent managed to convince her otherwise, [131] and Egan ultimately turned down callbacks for roles in the musicals My Fair Lady , Carousel and Grease in favor of starring as Belle in Beauty and the Beast because she had always wanted to originate a Broadway role. [132] Egan had never watched Beauty and the Beast prior to her audition, [132] relying solely on "her own creative instincts" instead. [131] Egan's performance earned her a Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical at the 48th Tony Awards. [133] A total of seventeen actresses have portrayed Belle in the Broadway musical, among them recording artists Debbie Gibson and Toni Braxton, Tony Award nominees Kerry Butler and Andrea McArdle, The Sopranos ' Jamie-Lynn Sigler, and Disney Channel alumnae Christy Carlson Romano and Anneliese van der Pol, [134] the latter of whom became Broadway's final Belle when the show ended its thirteen-year-long run in 2007. [135] Actress Sarah Litzsinger remains Broadway's longest-running Belle. [136]

A best-selling R&B singer, Braxton made her Broadway debut when she was cast as Belle in 1998, [137] [138] turning down actress Halle Berry's role in the film Why Do Fools Fall In Love (1998). [139] Braxton's desire to pursue an acting career stemmed from a series of conflicts with the singer's record label at the time, [140] in turn making her the only African American to portray Belle in the show's history. [139] Belle's ballad "A Change in Me" was written by songwriters Alan Menken and Tim Rice specifically for Braxton. However, the song was ultimately so well-received that it has been included in the musical ever since. [141] [142] During her tenure as Belle, Braxton was stalked by an "obsessed fan". [143] [144] The stalker had reportedly "bombarded" Braxton with threatening e-mails and letters. [145] Several measures were taken to ensure the singer's safety, including forcing Braxton to dress in full disguise when traveling to and from the theater in addition to reducing her total number of weekly performances from eight to seven. [143] [145] The stalker was eventually arrested and charged with "aggravated harassment". [146]

Video games

She was featured as one of the seven Princesses of Heart in the Kingdom Hearts video game series. She appears in the titles Kingdom Hearts , Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories , Kingdom Hearts II , Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days , and Kingdom Hearts χ . [147] [148]

Belle appears as a playable character to unlock for a limited time in the video game Disney Magic Kingdoms . [149]

An alternate version of Belle appears as a playable character in the video game Disney Mirrorverse . [150]

Miscellaneous

Belle, as she appears at the Disney Parks. Disneyland 2012-06-30 Belle.jpg
Belle, as she appears at the Disney Parks.

Belle, along with Beast and Chip, appeared at the 64th Academy Awards as presenters for Best Animated Short Feature. She also makes a brief cameo appearance in The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) during the "Out There" musical sequence. [151]

Belle was also the main character in various comic books based on the film, including one set during Belle's stay at the castle published by Marvel Comics, and a prequel set several years before the film distributed by Disney Comics. In the former, the storylines generally have the servants trying to coax Belle into doing something with the Beast, only for it to backfire and nearly ruin their friendship before they make up. In the latter serial, Belle ends up locked up in a cellar by village children after reluctantly playing pirates with them, and later nearly goes down the path leading to Beast's castle. The latter serial also implies that she holds misandric views and refuses to associate herself with the village children, especially the males, due to their not being as well-versed in literature as she is. [152]

Belle and the other characters from the first film appear in the stage show, Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage at Disney's Hollywood Studios, Walt Disney World. Belle, along with the Beast, appears in a meet-and-greet attraction at Magic Kingdom's Fantasyland called Enchanted Tales with Belle, along with meet-and-greets in all of the other parks worldwide.

Belle, alongside the other Disney Princesses, appeared in the film Ralph Breaks the Internet , as was announced at the 2017 D23 Expo, with Paige O'Hara returning to the role after seven years. [153]

H.E.R. portrayed Belle in a live-action/animation special Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration that aired on ABC on December 15, 2022. [154]

Reception

Critical response

Belle has received largely positive reviews from film critics, who praised her bravery, intelligence, independence, and maturity. [155] [156] [157] Jennie Punter of The Globe and Mail described Belle as a "smart, courageous ... 'take-charge kind of gal'", crowning her the film's "main attraction". [158] Both Emma Cochrane of Empire and Annlee Ellingson of Paste enjoyed the character's feminism, with the former hailing Belle as "more rounded than previous Disney characters". [159] [160] According to Stephen Hunter of The Baltimore Sun , Belle is "no passive fairy tale princess, but a real live girl, with a spunky personality and her own private agenda". [161] A reviewer for TV Guide felt the film's familiar plot was improved by Belle's confidence and independence, concluding, "Unlike Disney heroines ... Belle is smart, knows what she wants, and doesn't spend her time pining away for the love of a handsome prince". [162] Marc Bernardin of Entertainment Weekly dubbed Belle "the hero" of Beauty and the Beast, [163] while the same publication's Christian Blauvelt opined, "Unlike previous Disney heroines who needed to be rescued by a prince themselves, Belle not only saves the Beast's life, she saves his soul". [164] TLC's Vicki Arkoff reviewed Belle a "smart" and "sharp-tongued", crediting the character with "break[ing] Disney's passive-princess mold". [165] About.com's David Nusair described Belle as an "admirable" heroine. [166] AllMovie's Don Kaye and Perry Seibert echoed each other's reviews of the character, with Kaye describing both Belle and the Beast as "three-dimensional ... complex individuals who defy stereotyping and change over the course of the story", [167] and Seibert calling Belle a "strong female character" who "sidesteps most of the clichés surrounding Disney heroines". [168] Common Sense Media hailed Belle as "one of Disney's smartest, most independent heroines". [169] In 2022, Matthew Stewart and Paul Sheehan of Gold Derby ranked Belle as the second best Disney Princess writing, "Belle is one of the smartest, bravest, and most tender-hearted characters the Disney company has ever created, and her story becomes more and more relevant all the time. By daring to improve her mind even when ridiculed for it, fortifying herself against Gaston's oafish advances, and making her own choice when it comes to love, she serves as a source of inspiration for all women." [170]

Several critics also voiced their preference for the character over her immediate predecessor, Ariel. [157] Hal Hinson of The Washington Post described Belle as a "compelling" character who is "more mature, more womanly and less blandly asexual" than Ariel, as well as "a more worldly girl", describing her as "a bookworm, with gumption and a mind of her own". [171] Similarly comparing Belle to Ariel, John Hartl of The Seattle Times wrote that, in Beauty and the Beast, "there's rarely a sense of déjà vu, perhaps because the heroine is so different from 'Mermaid's' dependent Ariel, and her dilemma is more poignant", [172] while Boxoffice scribed, "Undoubtedly in response to criticism that the cute little 'Mermaid' Ariel was nothing more than a precocious sexpot, the idea-people behind this beauty—aptly named Belle ... chose to make her an icon of self-reliance and a voracious reader with a curiosity and love for everything around her". [173]

Meanwhile, Belle's relationship with the Beast has also been met with positive reviews. About.com's David Nusair wrote that "the palpable chemistry between Belle and The Beast ensur[es] that Beauty and the Beast lives up to its reputation as one of the most memorable romances of all time." [174] Describing it as an "unconventional romance", Charles Solomon of the Los Angeles Times opined, "The idea of a young woman learning to love a gentle heart hidden beneath a baleful exterior represented a major break with tradition." [88] Likewise, critics enjoyed O'Hara's performance. According to Variety , Belle was "magnificently voiced by O'Hara." [175] The Star-Ledger 's Stephen Whitty enjoyed O'Hara's "pretty soprano". [176] John Hartl of The Seattle Times wrote, "O'Hara does a spirited job of investing the character with warmth, intuition and maturity," [172] while the Sun-Sentinel 's Candice Russel felt that O'Hara "does a good job of creating Belle as intellectual, wisely feminine and disarmed by the stirrings of her heart." [177]

One of the character's few negative reviews was written by Ethan Alter of Television Without Pity, who opined:

[T]he movie ... present[ed] audiences with a willful female protagonist that was firmly in control of her romantic destiny and regularly placed reading books above chasing after boys. And it's true that in that respect at least, Belle stood in stark contrast to past Disney heroines ... Still, the filmmakers didn't do the character any favors by swapping out that boy crazy trait for a pronounced maternalistic streak that comes across as a little creepy. Besides being utterly devoted to her father, Belle's relationship with the Beast possesses a distinctly mother/toddler dynamic ... Their romance also lacks spark because – due to the fundamental set-up of the narrative ... it's always clear that he needs her far more than she needs him. Particularly when compared to some of the dynamic animated heroines that came after her ... today Belle can't help but seem ... bland.

Television Without Pity's Ethan Alter's mixed analysis of Belle. [178]

Emma Watson's portrayal as Belle in the 2017 film was generally well-received by critics. A. O. Scott of The New York Times wrote that Watson "perfectly embodies Belle's compassion and intelligence." [179] The Washington Post's Ann Hornaday complimented Watson's performance, describing it as "alert and solemn" while noting her singing ability as "serviceable enough to get the job done." [180] Richard Roeper of Chicago Sun-Times also lauded Watson's performance writing that she "is all pluck and spunk and sass and smarts and fierce independence as Belle." [181] Stephen Whitty of the New York Daily News described Watson's portrayal of Belle as "breakthrough". [182] While Tim Robey of The Daily Telegraph did not find Watson to be "a flawless Belle", he did overall say that "she's good: that girl-next-door winsomeness and a sweet, clear singing voice see her through." He also remarked her portrayal of Belle as "dazzles" and "ideal". [183] For her performance as Belle, Watson won the MTV Movie Award for Best Performance as well as the Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actress – Sci-Fi/Fantasy. [184] [185] She also received nominations for the Empire Award for Best Actress, the Saturn Award for Best Actress, and the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie Actress. [186] [187] [188]

Feminist analysis

Feminist critics have argued both for and against whether Belle should be considered a positive depiction of a feminist character, [189] [190] with Disney affirmatively promoting the character as a feminist since 1991. [190] Jezebel determined that Belle "is often held up as the standard of the 'feminist' Disney princess". [191] According to Tales, Then and Now: More Folktales as Literary Fictions for Young Adults author Anna E. Altmann, Disney heavily promoted Beauty and the Beast as "a feminist fairy tale" due to Belle's characterization and role in the film. [192] In his book Hearing a Film, Seeing a Sermon: Preaching and Popular Movies, author Timothy B. Cargal agreed that the character indicated "Disney's ... continued efforts to reshape their heroines for a more feminist age." [193] According to Girl Culture: An Encyclopedia author Claudia Mitchell, Belle's feminism was influenced by third-wave feminism and the relatively new concept of Girl power during the 1990s. [194] Critics have been generally mixed in their analyzes of Belle, arguing over whether or not the character is in fact "feminist enough". [74] [195] Although Beauty and the Beast was initially lauded upon release for starring a "forward thinking and feminist" heroine, [196] critics tend to agree that, in spite of Belle's independence and resentment towards Gaston, Beauty and the Beast essentially remains a romance about a girl who finally "meets her ideal man." [197] Acknowledging that Belle "represented significant change from [her] sweet, mop-wielding predecessors," Twilight and History author Nancy Reagin observed that "the end result of fulfillment through marriage has been maintained." [198] Kathleen Maher of The Austin Chronicle cited Belle as an example of "pseudo-feminism" because she rejects one man, Gaston, in favor of another, a prince. [199] While commending Belle for "seeing past the beast's appearance," Judith Welikala of The Independent in the end accused the character of "melting back into the role of wife when he turns back into a handsome prince." [200] Fairy Tale author Andrew Teverson referred to Belle as Disney's attempt to address "feminist criticism of its representation of women in earlier films," but ultimately criticized the character's curiosity for "extend[ing] only to romance," additionally accusing her of being "a zealous individualist with a pathological hostility to common men and women". [201] Meanwhile, Stylist ranked Belle among the most feminist Disney characters, describing her as an "incredibly intelligent" woman who "doesn't stand for a man who considers her as just a piece of meat ... she wants someone who loves her for her mind too." [202] Acknowledging the character's "feminist longings", Daniel Eigen, author of America's Film Legacy: The Authoritative Guide to the Landmark Movies in the National Film Registry, cited Belle as Disney's "modern-day corrective to Snow White". [27] Beyond Adaptation: Essays on Radical Transformations of Original Works author Phyllis Frus wrote that, initially, Beauty and the Beast does not seem "remotely feminist". However, the author did acknowledge Belle as "an appealing character with a noticeable feminist streak," but in the end criticized Disney's Consumer Products of reversing what the film had nearly accomplished by inducting the character into the Disney Princess franchise. [195] In Refinery29's "Definitive Ranking Of Disney Princesses As Feminist Role Models," author Vanessa Golembewski ranked the character eighth but described her personality and ambitions as "confusing". [203] Complex 's Tara Aquino described Belle as "a kinda feminist ... who's well-read, self-sufficient, and with standards high enough that she doesn't fall for the town's brain-dead pretty boy." [204] [205]

Commentators have generally reacted more cynically towards Belle's relationship with the film's male characters, particularly the Beast, questioning its morality. Writing for the University of Central Florida, Faith Dickens felt that after Belle's introduction, the character becomes little more than "a vehicle for exploring the Beast's dilemmas," while her initial pining for adventure is replaced by romance. Dickens went on to criticize the fact that while Belle appears to be "perfect the way she is," the Beast "need[s] to be reformed." [196] Anna E. Altmann, author of Tales, Then and Now: More Folktales as Literary Fictions for Young Adults, disliked the fact that Belle appears to share a motherly relationship with both the Beast and Maurice. Altman also panned the fact that Belle's interest in reading appears to be limited to fairy tales, ultimately dismissing the character as little more than "a feisty North American version of" Beaumont's heroine. [192] Orange Coast writer Henry A. Giroux felt that Belle serves as little more than "a prop for resolving the Beast's problems." [206] Sonia Saraiya of Nerve ranked Belle the sixth-most feminist Disney Princess, writing that, unlike Ariel, "Belle's sass doesn't come from teenage rebellion, but rather from intellectual acuity." Saraiya commended Belle for resisting "her village's expectations of what her life should look like," crediting her with being "the first princess to express some skepticism about married life." While calling Belle's sacrifice "brave", the author also labeled it "not much of a step for womankind," in the end accusing her of falling "for a domineering man." [207] Similarly, Kit Steinkellner of HelloGiggles.com expressed concern over the "abusive undercurrents running through Belle and Beast's relationship." [100] Meanwhile, Bustle's Mary Grace Garis also commended Belle's aspirations and love of reading, but criticized her relationship with the Beast, concluding, "Though the '90s showed a move toward princesses wanting to buck conventions and free themselves from their fathers (or the town misogynist) the endgame is the still the same, elaborating, "When the movie ends, they're still solidly with a man, their dreams of adventure abandoned. Therefore, the Disney renaissance is characterized more by theoretical want of adventure rather than a genuine pursuit." [208]

Impact and legacy

Deemed an "iconoclast" by Boxoffice Pro, [209] Belle has been established as a cultural icon for her role in Beauty and the Beast. [40] [42] [210] [211] According to Time and Harper's Bazaar , the character holds the distinction of being Disney's first feminist princess. [18] [212] Commentators believe the character's reputation as one of Disney's first strong female characters is responsible for changing the way in which women would be depicted in subsequent animated films. [213] [214] [215] [216] According to Kevin Fallon of The Daily Beast , before Belle "being a Disney princess meant singing songs about how much you love combing your hair with a fork and giving away your voice if it meant you got to marry the guy with that dreamy chiseled jaw." [217] Charles Solomon of the Los Angeles Times considers Belle to be among four Disney Princesses responsible for breaking "the bonds of convention". [218] About.com's David Nusair agreed that Belle successfully "updated the princess formula for an entirely new generation". [102] The Atlantic 's Lindsay Lowe echoed Nusair's sentiment, citing Belle as the character responsible for ending Disney's "history of ... docile heroines". [215] Cathy Schmidt of The Daily Campus recognized Belle and Ariel as "the beginnings of the more modern Disney princesses". [219] Writing for Virgin Media, Limara Salt believes that the character "proved that audiences could fall in love with a brown-haired intellectual". [157] A survey conducted by Disney after the film's release determined that Belle's love of books inspired young women to read. [49] Justin Humphreys of The Hook expressed, "Belle remains a most successful princess because people can relate" to her. [220] Elina Bolokhova of Parenting believes that Belle's "bravery and independence helped redefine the meaning of a Disney princess". [216]

Belle is the fifth member of the Disney Princess franchise, [221] and one of its most popular and celebrated characters. [155] [222] According to Tyler B. Searle of Collider, who ranked the character the second best protagonist of the Disney Renaissance, Belle is often considered to be "one of if not the best Disney princesses". [223] According to Justine McGrath of Teen Vogue , Belle has "become one of the most popular classic Disney princesses of all time". [222] According to a 2020 poll conducted by PlayLikeMum, as reported by Marie Claire , Belle was voted the most popular Disney Princess in nine countries. [224] Commending her intelligence and humility, the character was placed at number one on E!'s ranking of the Disney Princesses, [225] while Cosmopolitan ranked her fourth. [226] In the magazine's "Definitive Ranking Of Disney Princesses", Seventeen ranked Belle fifth. [227] Similarly, BuzzFeed also ranked the character fifth, praising her love of reading. [228] A reader poll conducted by BuzzFeed also determined that Belle is the most popular Disney Princess, having garnered 18% of votes. [229] A similar poll conducted by ComingSoon.net also ranked Belle as the best Disney Princess, with 17% of the vote. [230] Belle is the fifth most successful Disney Princess in terms of box office revenue, with Beauty and the Beast having grossed over $350 million. [231] However, Belle was the lowest-selling Disney Princess on eBay in 2013, with sales of less than $7,000 despite the fact that she is often cited as a customer favorite. [232] [233]

As Disney heroines go, Belle was an iconoclast. Her strong-willed, independent personality feels invigorating in a medium where most damsels are in distress. That was definitely true 20 years ago when Beauty was released, and it's still half-true today.

Boxoffice Pro's Todd Gilchrist explaining the way in which Belle altered Disney heroines for the 20th and 21st centuries. [234]

Belle is considered to be one of Disney's most beloved animated heroines and princesses. [43] [235] [236] [237] [238] [79] In 2023, The A.V. Club ranked Belle the 10th greatest animated Disney character of all-time. [239] Chhavi Puri of Pinkvilla reported that Belle "is often regarded as one of the best female Disney characters". [155] Business Insider readers voted Belle the 15th most iconic female film character of all-time. [240] In 2016, Scott Huver of People said the character's "popularity remains a force to be reckoned with" over 25 years after the film's release. [42] Belle was the only animated heroine nominated for the American Film Institute's greatest film heroes ranking, [241] [242] from which only eight female characters were included on the final list. [243] CNN ranked Belle one of Disney's greatest heroines. [244] According to the Daily Mirror , Belle is Disney's second most iconic character, behind only Mickey and Minnie Mouse, describing her as a "portrait of bravery, teaching us to look beyond appearances and stand up for what we believe in". [245] Meanwhile, PopMatters ranked Belle Disney's second best hero. [246] Considered to be both a sex symbol and fashion icon, [247] the character was ranked 64th on UGO's list of the most attractive female cartoon characters, [248] while being ranked 14th on Complex 's "25 Hottest Cartoon Women of All Time". [249] E! ranked Belle the second best-dressed Disney Princess, crowning her "the most couture of all the Disney princesses". [250] Belle's golden ball gown is widely considered to be one of the most famous dresses in film history. [78] [83] [251] [252] Belle appeared on Stylist 's list of the "Best beauty looks in Disney" twice, both for the character's hairstyles. [253] As of 2022, Entertainment Weekly ranked Belle's hair seventh in the magazine's "Disney Princesses: Ranking Their Hairdos – and Don'ts!" [254]

Belle helped establish Woolverton as a prolific screenwriter, [60] who has since been commended for her dedication to creating strong female characters. [17] Ever since Belle, the majority of Woolverton's female characters have been headstrong, independent women, namely Nala from The Lion King (1994), Mulan from Mulan (1998), Alice from Alice in Wonderland (2010), and Maleficent from Maleficent (2014). [17] Susan Wloszczyna of IndieWire wrote that Woolverton's Belle "set a new standard for fully fleshed-out fairy-tale heroines", [22] in turn paving the way for Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games series, and Anna and Elsa from Frozen (2013). [17] Woolverton remains protective of Belle, [18] explaining, "[she] was my first-born child, so there's a little bit of possessiveness, which really I had to let it go". [24] [255] In Beauty and the Beast, Belle performs the film's opening number, "Belle", which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 64th Academy Awards in 1992. [256] In 1998, O'Hara was nominated for an Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Voice Acting in a Feature Production for reprising her role as Belle in the second of Beauty and the Beast's three direct-to-video sequels, Belle's Magical World . [257] To commemorate her work on Beauty and the Beast and various contributions to Disney, O'Hara was honored with a Disney Legends award on August 19, 2011. [258] Disney hired Spanish actress Penélope Cruz to pose as Belle in photographer Annie Leibovitz's Disney Dream Portrait Series. [259] [260]

Related Research Articles

<i>Beauty and the Beast</i> (1991 film) American animated musical fantasy romance film

Beauty and the Beast is a 1991 American animated musical romantic fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is based on the 1756 fairy tale of the same name by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont, while also containing ideas from the 1946 French film also of the same name directed by Jean Cocteau. The film was directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise and produced by Don Hahn, from a screenplay by Linda Woolverton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paige O'Hara</span> American actress

Paige O'Hara is an American actress, singer, and painter. O'Hara began her career as a Broadway actress in 1983 when she portrayed Ellie May Chipley in the musical Showboat. In 1991, she made her motion picture debut in Disney's Beauty and the Beast, in which she voiced the film's heroine, Belle. Following the critical and commercial success of Beauty and the Beast, O'Hara reprised her role as Belle in the film's two direct-to-video follow-ups, Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas (1997) and Belle's Magical World (1998), and for cameo appearances in Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018) and Once Upon a Studio (2023).

<i>Beauty and the Beast</i> (musical) Stage musical, based on the 1991 animated Disney film of the same

Beauty and the Beast is a Disney stage musical with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice, and a book by Linda Woolverton. Adapted from Walt Disney Pictures' Academy Award-winning 1991 animated feature musical film of the same name – which in turn had been based on the classic French fairy tale by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont – Beauty and the Beast tells the story of an unkind prince who has been magically transformed into an unsightly creature as punishment for his selfish ways. To revert into his true human form, the Beast must learn to love a bright, beautiful young lady who he has imprisoned in his enchanted castle before it is too late.

Jasmine (<i>Aladdin</i>) Fictional character from the 1992 Disney film Aladdin

Jasmine is a fictional character who appears in Walt Disney Pictures' animated film Aladdin (1992). Voiced by Linda Larkin – with a singing voice provided by Lea Salonga – Jasmine is the spirited daughter of the Sultan, who has grown weary of her life of palace confinement. Despite an age-old law stipulating that the princess must marry a prince in time for her upcoming birthday, Jasmine is instead determined to marry someone she loves for who he is as opposed to what he owns. Created by screenwriters and directors Ron Clements and John Musker with co-screenwriters Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio, Jasmine is based on Badroulbadour, a princess who appears in the One Thousand and One Nights folktale "Aladdin and the Magical Lamp."

Nala (<i>The Lion King</i>) Fictional character from The Lion King franchise

Nala is a fictional character in Disney's The Lion King film franchise. Introduced in the animated film The Lion King (1994), Nala subsequently appears as a less prominent character in the film's sequels The Lion King II: Simba's Pride (1998) and The Lion King 1½ (2004), and serves as a recurring character in The Lion Guard (2015–2019). In the original animated film trilogy, the adult Nala is voiced by American actress Moira Kelly. Young Nala's speaking voice in the original film is provided by actress Niketa Calame, while singers Laura Williams and Sally Dworsky provide the singing voices of young and adult Nala respectively. Nala is introduced as the daughter of an unnamed lion and Sarafina, the best friend of Simba, and ultimately becomes his wife as well as the daughter-in-law of Mufasa and Sarabi and the niece-in-law of Scar by the end of The Lion King. Nala becomes Simba’s wife as well as his Queen Consort. Nala is also the mother of Kiara and Kion, and in The Lion King: Six New Adventures, she is the mother of Kopa.

"Beauty and the Beast" is a song written by lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken for the Disney animated feature film Beauty and the Beast (1991). The film's theme song, the Broadway-inspired ballad was first recorded by British-American actress Angela Lansbury in her role as the voice of the character Mrs. Potts, and essentially describes the relationship between its two main characters Belle and the Beast, specifically how the couple has learned to accept their differences and in turn change each other for the better. Additionally, the song's lyrics imply that the feeling of love is as timeless and ageless as a "tale as old as time". Lansbury's rendition is heard during the famous ballroom sequence between Belle and the Beast, while a shortened chorale version plays in the closing scenes of the film, and the song's motif features frequently in other pieces of Menken's film score. Lansbury was initially hesitant to record "Beauty and the Beast" because she felt that it was not suitable for her aging singing voice, but ultimately completed the song in one take.

<i>Disney Princess</i> Walt Disney Company media franchise

Disney Princess, also called the Princess Line, is a media franchise and toy line owned by the Walt Disney Company. Created by Disney Consumer Products chairman Andy Mooney, the franchise features a lineup of female protagonists who have appeared in various Disney franchises.

Ariel (<i>The Little Mermaid</i>) Fictional character from Disneys 1989 animated film The Little Mermaid

Ariel is a fictional character in Walt Disney Pictures' animated film The Little Mermaid (1989). Ariel is voiced by Jodi Benson in all official animated appearances. Ariel is the youngest daughter of King Triton and Queen Athena of an underwater kingdom of merfolk called Atlantica. She is often rebellious, and in the first film, she longs to be a part of the human world. She marries Prince Eric, whom she rescued from a shipwreck, and together they have a daughter, Melody. She is the fourth Disney Princess and also the first Disney Princess to be developed during the Disney Renaissance.

Linda Woolverton is an American screenwriter, playwright, and novelist, whose most prominent works include the screenplays and books of several acclaimed Disney films and stage musicals. She is the first woman to have written an animated feature for Disney, Beauty and the Beast (1991), which is also the first animated film ever to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. She also co-wrote the screenplay of The Lion King (1994), provided additional story material for Mulan (1998), and adapted her own Beauty and the Beast screenplay into the book of the Broadway adaptation of the film, for which she received a Tony Award nomination and won an Olivier Award.

"A Change in Me" is a song written by composer Alan Menken and lyricist Tim Rice for the musical Beauty and the Beast, a stage adaptation of Disney's 1991 animated film of the same name. The song was written specifically for American singer Toni Braxton when she joined the production to play the role of Belle in 1998, four years into the musical's run. Menken and Rice wrote "A Change in Me" to appease Braxton after Rice promised the singer, who was hesitant to sign her contract, that he would write an entirely new song for her to perform in the musical on the condition that she finally agree to play Belle.

Gaston (<i>Beauty and the Beast</i>) Beauty and the Beast character

Gaston is a fictional character in Walt Disney Pictures' animated film Beauty and the Beast (1991). Voiced by American actor and singer Richard White, Gaston is an arrogant and ruthless hunter whose unrequited feelings for the intellectual Belle drive him to murder his adversary, the Beast, once he realizes she cares for him instead. Gaston serves as a foil personality to the Beast, who was once as vain as Gaston prior to his transformation.

Anya (<i>Anastasia</i>) Fictional character in Anastasia

Anya is a character in 20th Century Fox's animated film Anastasia (1997). An eighteen-year-old Russian orphan with amnesia, Anya travels to Paris, France, in hopes of re-discovering her past and family, collaborating with a pair of con artists who scheme to use her likeness to Russia's Imperial family to win a lucrative reward. Although largely fictionalized, the character is loosely based on two historical figures: Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia, the youngest daughter of Tsar Nicholas II, and Anna Anderson, an imposter famous for claiming to be the Grand Duchess. Plot elements from the film Anastasia (1956), in which the title character is played by actress Ingrid Bergman, served as a primary source of inspiration for Anya.

Aurora (<i>Sleeping Beauty</i>) Title character from Disneys 1959 animated film Sleeping Beauty

Aurora, also known as Sleeping Beauty or Briar Rose, is a fictional character who appears in Walt Disney Productions' animated film Sleeping Beauty (1959). Originally voiced by singer Mary Costa, Aurora is the only child of King Stefan and Queen Leah. An evil fairy named Maleficent seeks revenge for not being invited to Aurora's christening and curses the newborn princess, foretelling that she will prick her finger on a spinning wheel's spindle and die before sunset on her sixteenth birthday. Merryweather, one of the three good fairies, weakened the curse so Aurora would only sleep. Determined to prevent this, three good fairies raise Aurora as a peasant in order to protect her, patiently awaiting her sixteenth birthday — the day the spell can only be broken by a kiss from her true love, Prince Phillip.

Rapunzel (<i>Tangled</i>) Fictional character from the Disneys 2010 animated film Tangled

Princess Rapunzel is a fictional character who appears in Walt Disney Animation Studios' animated film Tangled (2010). Voiced by American actress and singer Mandy Moore, Rapunzel is a young princess kept unaware of her royal heritage by a vain old woman named Mother Gothel, who raises her in a secluded tower to exploit her hair's healing abilities to remain young and beautiful forever.

Meg (<i>Hercules</i>) Fictional character from Disneys Hercules

Megara, commonly known simply as Meg, is a fictional character who appears in the Walt Disney Pictures animated film Hercules (1997). Voiced by actress Susan Egan, Meg is introduced as a cynical young woman enslaved by Hades, god of the underworld. Hades forces Meg to uncover Hercules' weaknesses by seducing him in return for her freedom, only to develop genuine feelings for the hero instead. Loosely based on Megara and Deianira, Hercules' first and second wives in Greek mythology, directors Ron Clements and John Musker adapted Meg into a morally conflicted con artist, while basing her role and personality on 1940s screwball comediennes, particularly actress Barbara Stanwyck's performance in The Lady Eve (1941).

"Belle" is a song written by composer Alan Menken and lyricist Howard Ashman for Walt Disney Pictures' animated film Beauty and the Beast (1991). Originally recorded by American actress and singer Paige O'Hara and American actor Richard White, "Belle", a mid-tempo French and classical music-inspired song, incorporates both Broadway and musical theatre elements. The film's first song and opening number, "Belle" appears during Beauty and the Beast as a large scale operetta-style production number that introduces the film's heroine Belle, considered a book-loving nonconformist by the townspeople of the village, who has grown weary of the provincial life in which she is supposed to live, and Gaston, the film's narcissistic villain who wishes to desire her hand in marriage despite Belle's repeated rejections.

<i>Beauty and the Beast</i> (franchise) Disney media franchise based on fairy tale by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont

Beauty and the Beast is a Disney media franchise comprising a film series and additional merchandise. The success of the original 1991 American animated feature, Beauty and the Beast, directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise, led to three direct-to-video follow-up films, a live-action spin-off television series, a Disney World stage show, a Disney World restaurant, a trackless dark ride, several video games, merchandise, and the 10th longest-running musical in Broadway history, which was nominated for nine Tony Awards, winning for Best Costume Design. In March 2017, Disney released a live-action remake of the film.

"Something There" is a song written by lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken for Walt Disney Pictures animated film Beauty and the Beast (1991). Sung by the majority of the film's main cast, the song was recorded by American actors Paige O'Hara as Belle and Robby Benson as the Beast via voice over, featuring actors Jerry Orbach, Angela Lansbury and David Ogden Stiers as Lumiere, Mrs. Potts and Cogsworth, respectively. The only song performed by the Beast, "Something There" is heard midway through Beauty and the Beast during a scene in which Belle and the Beast finally begin to acknowledge their feelings for each other.

Maleficent is a Disney media franchise that began in 2014 with the theatrical release of Maleficent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belle's ball gown</span> Dress featured in the 1991 film Beauty and the Beast

In the ballroom scene from Disney's 1991 animated film Beauty and the Beast, during which the fictional character Belle dances with the Beast to the film's titular song, Belle wears an opulent golden off-the-shoulder ball gown with a voluminous skirt. Producer Don Hahn claims the dress was conceived by several intoxicated male filmmakers during production of the film. Although Beauty and the Beast is set in 18th-century France, the dress's streamlined, anachronistic design borrows inspiration from several different fashion eras, with some of its elements centuries removed from its historical setting.

References

  1. "'Wreck-It Ralph 2' Bringing Back Original Disney Princess Voice Actresses". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on July 16, 2017.
  2. 1 2 @Attractions (September 10, 2023). "We just saw a new animated short at #DestinationD23 called Once Upon a Studio featuring tons of characters from past Disney Animated films. It was so good, the creators got a one minute standing ovation when it ended" (Tweet). Retrieved September 15, 2023 via Twitter.
  3. Smith, Sarah (January 12, 2012). "Still the Belle of the Ball". D23. Archived from the original on January 15, 2012. Retrieved October 27, 2016.
  4. Noyer, Jérémie (October 11, 2010). "Beauty And The Beast: Glen Keane on discovering the beauty in The Beast". Animated Views. Archived from the original on January 22, 2015. Retrieved January 22, 2015.
  5. 1 2 3 Clarke, James (2012). Animated Films – Virgin Film. United States: Random House. ISBN   9781448132812 . Retrieved June 17, 2013.
  6. Taylor, Drew (January 12, 2012). "Review: 'Beauty and the Beast 3D' Is The Same Great Movie, With Some Added 3D Charm". Indiewire . Archived from the original on May 21, 2013. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
  7. 1 2 Galindo, Brian (July 15, 2013). "30 Things You Might Not Know About 'Beauty And The Beast'". BuzzFeed . Archived from the original on September 2, 2013. Retrieved September 29, 2013.
  8. 1 2 Susman, Gary (November 15, 2011). "25 Things You Didn't Know About 'Beauty and the Beast'". Moviefone . Archived from the original on November 30, 2015. Retrieved June 17, 2013.
  9. Cronin, Brian (July 1, 2015). "Movie Legends Revealed: The Feminist Origins of Disney's 'Beauty and the Beast'". Comic Book Resources . Archived from the original on January 7, 2019. Retrieved January 6, 2019.
  10. 1 2 Willstein, Paul (November 22, 1991). "'Beauty's' Story Was A Beast For Disney". The Morning Call . Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved September 20, 2013.
  11. Korkis, Jim (February 13, 2013). "Evolution of the Disney Princesses". MousePlanet.com. Retrieved May 21, 2013.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 McGovern, Joe (May 26, 2016). "Linda Woolverton, the $3 billion Alice and Beauty and the Beast screenwriter, remembers a Belle battle". Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on July 4, 2016. Retrieved June 26, 2016.
  13. Cronin, Brian (May 2, 2016). "Was Disney's Beauty and the Beast Re-Tooled Because Belle Wasn't Enough of a Feminist?". The Huffingon Post. Archived from the original on July 9, 2016. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Huver, Scott (May 30, 2012). "Beauty and the Beast 3D" Gives Original Star Paige O'Hara a Whole New Perspective". NBC Chicago . Archived from the original on March 2, 2016. Retrieved September 13, 2012.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 Dutka, Elaine (January 19, 1992). "Movies: Ms. Beauty and the Beast : Writer of Disney Hit Explains Her 'Woman of the '90s'". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on January 13, 2015. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
  16. 1 2 3 Ames, Katrine; Ansen, David (November 17, 1991). "Just The Way Walt Made 'Em". The Daily Beast . Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved March 9, 2013.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Rothman, Lily (May 30, 2014). "The Same Woman Wrote Maleficent and Beauty and the Beast—Here's How They're Linked". Time . Archived from the original on May 31, 2014. Retrieved January 16, 2014.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Berman, Eliza (May 23, 2016). "How Beauty and the Beast's Screenwriter Shaped Disney's First Feminist Princess". Time . Archived from the original on June 27, 2016. Retrieved June 27, 2016.
  19. Dutka, Elaine (January 25, 1992). "'Beauty And Beast' Writer Is As Feisty As Her Heroine". Orlando Sentinel . Archived from the original on January 16, 2015. Retrieved January 1, 2015.
  20. Goldstein, Jessica (June 7, 2012). "'Beauty and the Beast' gets a budget-friendly makeover". The Washington Post . Archived from the original on October 2, 2015. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
  21. Giardina, Carolyn (May 10, 2016). "Cast and Filmmakers Recall Making of 'Beauty and the Beast' at 25th Anniversary Screening". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on July 16, 2016. Retrieved June 27, 2016.
  22. 1 2 Wloszczyna, Susan (May 30, 2014). "Maleficent Writer Linda Woolverton on Adapting Fairy Tales for a New Generation". Indiewire . Archived from the original on October 28, 2016. Retrieved January 22, 2015.
  23. 1 2 3 4 Sampson, Wade (September 17, 2008). "Linda Woolverton and Belle". MousePlanet.com. Retrieved March 3, 2013.
  24. 1 2 3 4 Losgar, Maxwell (May 27, 2016). "Your Burning Questions about Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King, Answered". Vanity Fair . Archived from the original on July 1, 2016. Retrieved June 27, 2016.
  25. Alcala, Eunice (June 1, 2016). "'BEAUTY AND THE BEAST' WRITER WANTS A STRONG BELLE – SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T ONLY SIT AND 'WAIT FOR HER PRINCE TO COME'". Inquisitr . Archived from the original on July 7, 2016. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
  26. Keegan, Rebecca (May 29, 2016). "First Belle, now Alice: How screenwriter and headbanger Linda Woolverton is remaking Disney heroines for a feminist age". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on June 28, 2016. Retrieved June 27, 2016.
  27. 1 2 Eagan, Daniel (2010). America's Film Legacy: The Authoritative Guide to the Landmark Movies in the National Film Registry. United Kingdom: A&C Black. pp. 808–809. ISBN   9780826429773.
  28. 1 2 Omanski, Stephanie (December 17, 2014). "11 Evil Facts You Never Knew About Disney Villains". M Magazine . Archived from the original on January 28, 2015. Retrieved January 23, 2014.
  29. Cruise, Rachel (May 4, 2016). "'Beauty And The Beast' 2017 News: Original Disney Movie Was Retooled? What You Didn't Know About The First Film". Parent Herald. Archived from the original on July 10, 2016. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
  30. Woerner, Meredith (August 8, 2013). "The Disney Characters You Never Saw". io9 . Archived from the original on April 16, 2016. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
  31. 1 2 Nicholson, Amy (January 13, 2012). "Meet Paige O'Hara: The Voice—And More—Of Disney's Smartest Heroine". Boxoffice . Archived from the original on December 21, 2014. Retrieved September 22, 2012.
  32. Epstein, Leonora (June 9, 2014). "57 Things You Never Knew About Disney Princesses". BuzzFeed. BuzzFeed, Inc. Archived from the original on May 20, 2016. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
  33. 1 2 Klassen, Anna (November 13, 2013). "15 Things You Didn't Know About 'Beauty and the Beast'". Bustle . Archived from the original on February 3, 2014. Retrieved January 16, 2014.
  34. Brodie, Anne (October 7, 2010). "Paige O'Hara talks giving Belle voice for Beauty and the Beast". Monsters and Critics. Archived from the original on January 24, 2013. Retrieved May 29, 2013.
  35. Robinson, Melia (March 8, 2018). "These are the real faces behind every Disney princess". Business Insider . Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  36. 1 2 3 Hischak, Thomas S. (2011). Disney Voice Actors: A Biographical Dictionary. United States: McFarland. p. 158. ISBN   978-0786462711 . Retrieved May 20, 2013.
  37. 1 2 3 Burch, Rob (August 6, 2013). "Disney 53: Beauty And The Beast". The Hollywood News. Archived from the original on January 22, 2015. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
  38. 1 2 3 4 5 Peppel, Sarah (October 1, 2010). "Personal Interview with Paige O'Hara or Belle of Beauty and the Beast". Genesis Moments. Archived from the original on October 17, 2013. Retrieved October 13, 2012.
  39. 1 2 "Interview With Paige O'Hara, The Voice Of Belle In "Beauty and the Beast"". Disney Dreaming. October 5, 2010. Archived from the original on March 12, 2012. Retrieved September 1, 2012.
  40. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Sands, Jez (October 25, 2010). "Beauty And The Beast: Paige O'Hara Interview". On the Box. Archived from the original on March 2, 2016. Retrieved February 18, 2013.
  41. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Bean, Jason (April 21, 2013). "More than 20 years after 'Beauty and the Beast', Paige O'Hara still remembered as voice of Disney princess". Las Vegas Review-Journal . Archived from the original on April 25, 2013. Retrieved May 20, 2013.
  42. 1 2 3 4 Huver, Scott (September 20, 2016). "Beauty and the Beast's Animated Belle, Paige O'Hara Says Emma Watson's Casting Is 'Genius'". People. Archived from the original on October 28, 2016. Retrieved October 27, 2016.
  43. 1 2 3 4 5 "The Voice of "Belle" Paints Her Tale" (PDF). WordPress. Disney. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved September 2, 2012. just sing something that you love.
  44. 1 2 3 Benedictus, Leo (April 30, 2012). "How we made: Don Hahn and Paige O'Hara on Beauty and the Beast". The Guardian . Archived from the original on December 4, 2013. Retrieved August 31, 2012.
  45. 1 2 3 Cerasaro, Pat (January 25, 2012). "Spotlight on Beauty & The Beast 3D: Paige O'Hara". Broadway World . Archived from the original on March 2, 2016. Retrieved February 18, 2013.
  46. Stanek, Billy (November 4, 2011). "Dateline Disney: 1991". D23 . Archived from the original on November 14, 2011. Retrieved March 4, 2013.
  47. Edwards, Joyce (2013). "The Real Women Behind Disney Princesses". Yahoo! Movies . Archived from the original on August 1, 2013. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
  48. 1 2 Rusoff, Jane Wollman (November 22, 1992). "Beauty & The Bridge First She Charmed Us With Her Voice In Beauty And The Beast. Now Fort Lauderdale's Paige O'hara Takes On A Very Different Role In A Film About Chappaquiddick". Sun-Sentinel . Archived from the original on March 2, 2016. Retrieved June 4, 2013.
  49. 1 2 Molina, Melissa (January 15, 2012). "Interview: Paige O'Hara On 'Beauty And The Beast 3D'". Shockya.com. Archived from the original on December 25, 2012. Retrieved December 22, 2012.
  50. Abbay, Semein (January 13, 2012). "Gofobo Interview: Paige O'Hara (Belle) from Beauty & The Beast 3D". Gofobo. Archived from the original on November 3, 2013. Retrieved January 4, 2013.
  51. 1 2 3 Greenberger, Robert (October 3, 2010). "Paige O'Hara, the voice of Belle, on being part of 'Beauty and the Beast'". ComicMix. Archived from the original on November 7, 2014. Retrieved July 30, 2013.
  52. 1 2 Weatherford, Mike (January 15, 2012). "Belle still tolls for actress O'Hara". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Archived from the original on November 11, 2012. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
  53. Puchko, Kristy (January 17, 2012). "Paige O'Hara, Belle — Disney Princesses Then and Now". TheFW. Archived from the original on September 1, 2013. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
  54. "Julie Nathanson Starring Roles". Behind the Voice Actors. Behind The Voice Actors. Archived from the original on June 9, 2013. Retrieved January 27, 2013.
  55. 1 2 3 "Belle". Behind The Voice Actors. Archived from the original on December 9, 2012. Retrieved December 20, 2012.
  56. "OVGuide". Online Video Guide. Archived from the original on November 3, 2013. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
  57. Holmes, Adam (July 14, 2017). "Wreck-It Ralph 2 Is Bringing The Original Disney Princesses Back". CinemaBlend. Archived from the original on July 16, 2017. Retrieved July 15, 2017.
  58. 1 2 Gilsdorf, Ethan (June 16, 2012). "Pixar's new 'Brave' is fueled by girl power". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on November 3, 2013. Retrieved May 24, 2013.
  59. Green, Stanley (2010). Hollywood Musicals Year by Year. United States: Hal Leonard Corp. p. 286. ISBN   978-0881886108.
  60. 1 2 Atkinson, S. (May 28, 2016). "The One Thing 'Beauty And The Beast' Fans Probably Don't Know About The Creation Of Belle". Bustle. Archived from the original on July 1, 2016. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
  61. 1 2 Beck, Jerry (December 31, 2014). "In Her Own Words: Linda Woolverton". Cartoon Research. Jerry Beck. Archived from the original on January 18, 2015. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
  62. 1 2 3 Tracy, Joe. "An Inside Look at the Original Beauty and the Beast". Digital Media FX. Archived from the original on April 14, 2012. Retrieved October 13, 2012.
  63. 1 2 Radloff, Jessica (May 10, 2016). "Disney's Beauty and the Beast 25th Anniversary: The Story Behind Belle's Ball Gown and More Secrets You Never Knew". Glamour. Archived from the original on June 18, 2016. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
  64. "How Old Each Disney Princess Is (Including Frozen's Anna & Elsa)". ScreenRant. May 12, 2020. Retrieved June 19, 2022.
  65. "Disney Princesses: Height, Age, Relationships, & Ethnicity". March 22, 2022.
  66. "How Old are the Disney Princesses".
  67. 1 2 Mallenbaum, Carly (May 10, 2016). "8 things you never knew about 'Beauty and the Beast'". USA Today . Archived from the original on July 20, 2016. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
  68. "Beauty and the Beast Fun Facts in Honor of Its 30th Anniversary". People. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  69. Tyler, Adrienne (May 12, 2020). "How Old Each Disney Princess Is (Including Frozen's Anna & Elsa)". ScreenRant. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  70. Delicana, Ysmael (March 22, 2022). "Disney Princesses: Height, Age, Relationships, & Ethnicity" . Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  71. Lytal, Cristy (February 22, 2009). "Animator James Baxter puts imagination in motion". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved March 3, 2013.
  72. 1 2 3 4 Churchill, Alexandra. "50 Epic Things You Didn't Know About Disney Princesses". YourTango . Archived from the original on January 18, 2015. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
  73. Geraghty, Lincoln (2011). "Romance". Directory of World Cinema: American Hollywood, Volume 5. United States: Intellect Ltd. p. 232. ISBN   9781841504155 . Retrieved June 26, 2013.
  74. 1 2 Osmond, Andrew (2010). 100 Animated Feature Films. United Kingdom: Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 43–45. ISBN   9781844575633.[ permanent dead link ]
  75. Chan, J (November 14, 2014). "Meet the Disney Animator Who Helped Create Some of Your Favorite Princesses: Mark Henn". Animation School Daily. Archived from the original on January 19, 2015. Retrieved January 19, 2015.
  76. Noyer, Jérémie (January 8, 2010). "The Princess And The Frog's Supervising Animator Mark Henn – Part 2: The "Disney Decade"". Animated Views. Archived from the original on April 23, 2015. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
  77. "Disney Artist Mark Henn – The Man Behind the Princesses". ArtInsights. December 12, 2009. Henn has been a supervising animator for Jasmine, Mulan and Tiana. Archived from the original on January 23, 2015. Retrieved January 19, 2015.
  78. 1 2 "10 Things You Probably Never Knew About 'Beauty and the Beast'". tooFab. May 10, 2016. Archived from the original on August 6, 2016. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
  79. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Huver, Scott (September 21, 2016). "How Belle From 'Beauty and the Beast' Became One of Disney's Most Iconic Princesses". Moviefone . Retrieved September 6, 2022. one of the most beloved storybook heroines within Disney's considerable and historic pantheon:
  80. 1 2 Giardina, Carolyn (February 2, 2018). "'Beauty and the Beast' Animator on First Bringing Belle to Life". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  81. Figueiredo, Rodney (October 5, 2002). "Beauty And The Beast: Platinum Edition". Animated Views. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved January 22, 2015.
  82. Panisello, Stephanie (July 25, 2016). "'Beauty and the Beast' Creatives Reflect on Disney Tale 25 Years Later". Variety. Archived from the original on October 28, 2016. Retrieved October 27, 2016. [M]arketing wanted everything pink and lavender, because that's what every girl likes
  83. 1 2 Shamsian, Jacob (July 26, 2016). "Belle's 'Beauty and the Beast' gown was supposed to look totally different". Business Insider . Archived from the original on October 28, 2016. Retrieved October 27, 2016.
  84. Shamsian, Jacob (July 26, 2016). "Belle's 'Beauty and the Beast' gown was supposed to look totally different". Insider. Business Insider Inc. Archived from the original on October 28, 2016. Retrieved October 27, 2016.
  85. Nagi, Ariel (August 29, 2014). "15 Surprising Facts About Your Fave Disney Princesses". Seventeen. Hearst Communications, Inc. Archived from the original on February 8, 2015. Retrieved January 1, 2015.
  86. Bell, Elizabeth; Lynda Haas; Laura Sells (1995). From Mouse to Mermaid: The Politics of Film, Gender, and Culture. Indiana University Press. p. 264. ISBN   978-0-253-20978-8. Archived from the original on August 3, 2012. Retrieved January 19, 2013.
  87. 1 2 Bergeson, Samantha (September 20, 2022). "Original Belle in Animated 'Beauty and the Beast' Looked Like Angelina Jolie, Says Voice Actress". IndieWire . Retrieved September 28, 2022.
  88. 1 2 Solomon, Charles (December 31, 2001). "But It Was Big Enough Already". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 2, 2014. Retrieved April 17, 2014.
  89. 1 2 "Belle". CHARGUIGOU (CHARACTERS) (in Canadian French). Retrieved November 30, 2023.
  90. "The evolution of the Disney Princess". LehighValleyLive.com. PennLive. October 21, 2013. Archived from the original on February 11, 2015. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  91. Blum, Matt (January 13, 2012). "Beauty and the Beast 3D: Still a Great Film, and a Tangled Short, Too!". Wired. Archived from the original on January 16, 2015. Retrieved January 16, 2014.
  92. Hayes, Sharon (2014). Sex, Love and Abuse: Discourses on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. United Kingdom: Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 15–17. ISBN   9781137008817.
  93. Griswold, Jerry (2004). The Meanings of "Beauty and the Beast": A Handbook. Canada: Broadview Press. p. 251. ISBN   9781551115634.
  94. England, Dawn Elizabeth; Descartes, Melissa; Collier-Meek, Melissa A. (February 10, 2011). "Gender Role Portrayal and the Disney Princesses" (PDF). St. Francis Xavier University. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 24, 2015. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
  95. 1 2 Jeffords, Susan (1994). Hard Bodies: Hollywood Masculinity in the Reagan Era . United States: Rutgers University Press. pp.  150–155. ISBN   9780813520032. belle beauty and the beast feminist.
  96. O'Connor, David (April 29, 2013). "Evolution of Disney princesses shows societal progress". The Statesman. Statesman Association Inc. Archived from the original on February 13, 2015. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
  97. Buffam, Noelle (November 29, 2010). "The Tangled Evolution of the Disney Princess". The Script Lab. TSL Media Inc. Archived from the original on February 24, 2015. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
  98. 1 2 "The Evolution of the Disney Princess". Girls in Capes. April 7, 2014. Archived from the original on July 16, 2014. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  99. Welsh, Jennifer (April 1, 2011). "Disney Princes and Princesses Still Slaves to Some Stereotypes". LiveScience. Archived from the original on February 11, 2015. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
  100. 1 2 Steinkellner, Kit (November 11, 2014). "The evolution of the Disney princess–from dainty damsel to badass". HelloGiggles. Archived from the original on February 9, 2015. Retrieved February 9, 2015.
  101. Fox, Emily (September 18, 2012). "How Disney's princesses reflect the evolution of modern-day women". Daily Express. Northern and Shell Media Publications. Archived from the original on February 13, 2015. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
  102. 1 2 Nusair, David. "The Evolution of the Disney Princess". About.com. Archived from the original on April 6, 2015. Retrieved May 20, 2013.
  103. Munro, Michelle (2014). "Evolution of The Disney Princess – Disney has made quite the transformation from innocent Snow white to Independent Anna". The Water Buffalo. Archived from the original on July 11, 2015. Retrieved February 10, 2015.
  104. Mullins, Jenna (October 20, 2014). "53 Fascinating Facts You Probably Didn't Know About Disney Films". E!. Archived from the original on January 18, 2015. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  105. Kelly, Aoife (January 1, 2015). "7 things you didn't now about Disney's 'Beauty and the Beast' princess Belle". The Irish Independent. Archived from the original on January 28, 2015. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
  106. North, Jesse (December 22, 2011). "Beauty and the Beast Leading Lady Emily Behny on Her Hectic Wedding Day Audition". Broadway.com. Key Brand Entertainment. Archived from the original on April 3, 2015. Retrieved January 31, 2015.
  107. "'With her nose stuck in a book,' Belle is a kindred spirit". write meg!. October 14, 2010. Archived from the original on August 6, 2014. Retrieved January 31, 2015.
  108. Trousdale, Gary (director); Wise, Kirk (director) (November 13, 1991). Beauty and the Beast (Film). Buena Vista Pictures.
  109. Knight, Andy (director) (November 11, 1997). Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas (Motion picture). United States: Buena Vista Home Entertainment.
  110. "Beauty and the Beast: Belle's Magical World". Disney. Archived from the original on February 7, 2015. Retrieved January 31, 2015.
  111. "Sing Me a Story with Belle". TV.com. CBS Interactive Inc. Archived from the original on January 7, 2013. Retrieved December 22, 2012.
  112. "Disney's Sing Me A Story: With Belle Debuts in Syndication". D23. September 9, 1995. Archived from the original on June 4, 2019. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
  113. "Jodi Benson". Behind the Voice Actors. Archived from the original on March 8, 2013. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
  114. "Paige O'Hara". Behind the Voice Actors. Archived from the original on April 4, 2013. Retrieved February 23, 2013.
  115. Goldman, Eric (November 8, 2011). "Lost's Emilie de Ravin is Once Upon a Time's Belle". IGN. Archived from the original on January 25, 2013. Retrieved March 14, 2013.
  116. Busis, Hillary (September 9, 2013). "Disney's 'Sofia the First' meets Princess Belle – EXCLUSIVE CLIP". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on November 8, 2016. Retrieved June 6, 2016.
  117. I – Ennodu Nee Irundhaal Video – A.R. Rahman – Vikram -Shankar (video) (in Tamil). Sony Music India. February 3, 2015. Event occurs at 0:12. Archived from the original on August 4, 2018. Retrieved March 6, 2017 via YouTube.
  118. "Shankar has taken technology to a totally different level in Ai" – PC Sreeram". Behindwoods.com. June 22, 2014. Archived from the original on June 25, 2014. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
  119. "Vikram stuns everyone with beast get-up". The Times of India . January 16, 2017. Archived from the original on November 27, 2015. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
  120. Zuckerman, Esther (January 26, 2015). "Emma Watson will be Disney's new Belle in live-action musical 'Beauty and the Beast'". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on March 10, 2016. Retrieved January 26, 2015.
  121. Ford, Rebecca (March 16, 2015). "Disney's Live-Action 'Beauty and the Beast' Gets Release Date". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on January 7, 2017. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
  122. Genevieve Valentine (March 28, 2017). "Belle's costumes don't fit the live-action Beauty and the Beast, but they fit her brand". Vox. Archived from the original on June 20, 2017. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
  123. How the 'Beauty and the Beast' Costume Designer Worked With Emma Watson to Bring a 'Modern, Emancipated' Belle to Life
  124. Dray, Kayleigh (November 3, 2016). "Emma Watson convinced Disney to give Beauty and the Beast a feminist makeover". Stylist. Archived from the original on January 6, 2017. Retrieved January 5, 2017.
  125. N'Duka, Amanda (May 7, 2017). "MTV Movie & TV Awards: 'Beauty And The Beast,' 'Stranger Things' and 'Get Out' & Among Winners". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on May 8, 2017. Retrieved May 8, 2017.
  126. Ramos, Dino-Ray (August 13, 2017). "Teen Choice Awards 2017 Winners: 'Wonder Woman', 'Beauty And The Beast', 'Riverdale' Among Honorees". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Business Media. Archived from the original on August 14, 2017. Retrieved August 14, 2017.
  127. Travis, Ben (January 18, 2018). "Star Wars The Last Jedi and Thor Ragnarok Lead Empire Awards 2018 Nominations". Empire.com. Archived from the original on February 20, 2018. Retrieved January 22, 2018.
  128. Pedersen, Erik (February 26, 2018). "Nickelodeon Unveils 2018 Kids' Choice Awards Nominations". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 27, 2018. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
  129. McNary, Dave (March 15, 2018). "'Black Panther,' 'Walking Dead' Rule Saturn Awards Nominations". Variety . Archived from the original on March 16, 2018. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  130. "Susan Egan, the Belle of Broadway, Talks About Her New CD". DIS Unplugged. Werner Technologies. November 15, 2011. Archived from the original on November 4, 2012. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  131. 1 2 3 Callaway, Tim (July 29, 2012). "Susan Egan: Belle, Meg, Glamour and Goop – Part 1". The Mouse Castle. Archived from the original on September 5, 2012. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
  132. 1 2 "Susan Egan on her dirt-catching days as a Disney Princess and humble motherhood". Stage Rush. October 25, 2011. Archived from the original on June 16, 2012. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  133. Handelman, Jay (January 23, 2014). "Broadway's Belle celebrates musical theater in concert". Arts Sarasota. Archived from the original on January 12, 2015. Retrieved January 11, 2014.
  134. "Beauty and the Beast". Playbill Vault. Playbill, Inc. Archived from the original on August 22, 2012. Retrieved September 1, 2012.
  135. "Anneliese van der Pol Will Be Beauty and the Beast's Final Belle". Broadway.com. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved February 8, 2013.
  136. Nesti, Robert (December 29, 2005). "Sarah Litzsinger: From Belle to Evita". Edge. EDGE Publications, Inc. Archived from the original on January 12, 2015. Retrieved February 8, 2013.
  137. Daniel Baker, C. (January 29, 2013). "Toni Braxton Decoded: "Family Values" Help Put Struggling Singer Back in Spotlight". Black Enterprise. Black Enterprise Magazine. Archived from the original on June 25, 2017. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
  138. "Braxton To Join Broadway's 'Aida'". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 2, 2014. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
  139. 1 2 "Toni Braxton Makes Broadway Debut As Belle In Disney's 'Beauty And The Beast'". Jet. Johnson Publishing Company. October 26, 1998. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
  140. "Toni Braxton". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 2, 2014. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
  141. Ehren, Christine (October 7, 1998). "Toni Braxton Premieres Beauty 's New Song, Oct. 7 On 'Rosie'". Playbill. Playbill, Inc. Archived from the original on July 26, 2013. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
  142. Fitzharris, Dustin (April 24, 2012). "Toni Braxton Says 'I Heart You'". HuffPost. Archived from the original on November 13, 2013. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
  143. 1 2 Speers, W (October 27, 1998). "A Stalker Disrupts Toni Braxton's Broadway Stint". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on May 1, 2011. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
  144. "Toni Tells Her Troubles". Newsweek. April 30, 2000. Archived from the original on October 28, 2016. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
  145. 1 2 "Toni Braxton Is Stalked By An Obsessed Fan". Jet. Johnson Publishing Company. November 16, 1998. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
  146. Hatza, George (October 27, 1998). "Another stalker targets Broadway's 'Beauty'". Reading Eagle. Reading Eagle Company. Retrieved May 19, 2013.
  147. Square (November 15, 2002). Kingdom Hearts (PlayStation 2). Square Electronic Arts.
  148. Birlew, Dan (2003). Kingdom Hearts Official Strategy Guide. BradyGames Publishing. ISBN   0-7440-0198-6.
  149. Disney Magic Kingdoms (March 3, 2017). "Update 9: Beauty and the Beast | Livestream". YouTube.
  150. "Belle - Disney Mirrorverse". Kabam. November 18, 2020.
  151. Galindo, Brian (June 7, 2013). "27 Disney Movie Easter Eggs You May Have Seriously Never Noticed". BuzzFeed. BuzzFeed, Inc. Archived from the original on August 27, 2014. Retrieved January 24, 2014.
  152. The New Adventures of Beauty and the Beast, Issue 1; story 2: Bothered, Page 14. Disney Comics, 1993.
    "Maurice: You should be playing outside with the other children! // Belle: I'm having a much better time in King Arthur's Court! Sometimes I can see myself living in a castle surrounded by servants. I might even entertain the thought of a handsome prince... ...As long as he was gentle and kind... Not like those childish roughnecks in the square! Not one of them could even spell gallant! // Maurice: A day will come when those boys will look like knights in shining armor to you. // Belle: Never! I won't have anything to do with them. Men are such... such... // Maurice: Hear that, Pierre? According to my daughter there isn't an ounce of difference between us! // Pierre: Oink! // Belle: Well, I suppose there are some exceptions."
  153. Carbone, Gina (July 14, 2017). "'Wreck-It Ralph 2' Brings All of the Disney Princesses Together (With C-3PO)". Moviefone. Archived from the original on July 16, 2017. Retrieved July 16, 2017.
  154. Behzadi, Sofia (July 20, 2022). "H.E.R. To Star As Belle In ABC's "Beauty And the Beast' Hybrid Live-Action & Animation Special". Deadline. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
  155. 1 2 3 Puri, Chhavi (August 17, 2022). "14 Best Disney characters that made our childhood awesome". Pinkvilla . Retrieved September 1, 2022. Belle has received lots of love and praise from the critics, who appreciated her bravery, intelligence, and sense of independence.
  156. Kim, Brendan (November 29, 2021). "Original Beauty & The Beast Star Says Belle Paved The Way For Mulan". Screen Rant . Retrieved September 2, 2022. Since its release, Disney's Beauty and the Beast has been praised for its depiction of Belle. Critics point out that she is the first of Disney's princesses to break free of many of the problematic tropes that saddle earlier princesses in Disney's fairy tale canon.
  157. 1 2 3 Salt, Limara (August 14, 2012). "The evolution of Disney princesses". Virgin Media . Archived from the original on February 13, 2015. Retrieved February 13, 2015. [Ariel] became an instant favourite but also received mixed reviews from critics who noted that, although she's an explorer keen to escape the kingdom run by her strict father, she also gives up her family and home for a man. No such criticisms were thrown at Belle.
  158. Punter, Jennie (January 13, 2012). "Beauty and the Beast 3D: Disney classic gets added pop". The Globe and Mail . Archived from the original on September 30, 2013. Retrieved September 15, 2012.
  159. Cochrane, Emma. "Beauty And The Beast". Empire . Archived from the original on October 12, 2013. Retrieved March 27, 2013.
  160. Ellingson, Annlee (January 12, 2012). "Beauty and the Beast 3D". Paste . Archived from the original on October 23, 2013. Retrieved November 18, 2013.
  161. Hunter, Stephen (November 22, 1991). "'BEAUTY and the BEAST' Stunning animation fills characters with life". The Baltimore Sun . Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved November 25, 2013.
  162. "Beauty and the Beast". TV Guide Magazine . Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved April 17, 2014.
  163. Bernardin, Marc (August 1, 2012). "Best Animated Movies Ever". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on October 22, 2012. Retrieved November 21, 2012.
  164. Blauvelt, Christian (August 8, 2013). "Disney Animated Films: Best/Worst". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on August 11, 2013. Retrieved August 13, 2013.
  165. Arkoff, Vicki (October 10, 2006). "Ultimate Guide to Disney Princess". HowStuffWorks . Archived from the original on November 2, 2013. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  166. Nusair, David. "Character Bios for Disney Princesses". About.com. Archived from the original on March 22, 2016. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
  167. Kaye, Don. "Beauty and the Beast (1991)". AllMovie . Archived from the original on August 20, 2013. Retrieved August 30, 2013.
  168. Seibert, Perry. "Beauty and the Beast (1991)". AllMovie . Archived from the original on December 7, 2013. Retrieved August 30, 2013.
  169. "Beauty and the Beast". Common Sense Media . September 19, 2005. Archived from the original on August 26, 2013. Retrieved May 9, 2013.
  170. Stewart, Matthew; Sheehan, Paul (October 24, 2022). "Disney Princesses: Ranked From Worst to Best". Goldderby.com. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  171. Hinson, Hal (November 22, 1991). "Beauty and the Beast 3D". The Washington Post . Archived from the original on February 1, 2012. Retrieved September 4, 2012.
  172. 1 2 Hartl, John (November 22, 1991). "A Classic Feel Already – Voices, Visuals Fit Superbly In Disney's 'Beast'". The Seattle Times . Archived from the original on December 2, 2013. Retrieved November 25, 2013.
  173. "Beauty And The Beast". Boxoffice . November 22, 1991. Archived from the original on November 24, 2014. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
  174. Nusair, David. "Top 10 Animated Films of the 1990s". About.com. Archived from the original on October 21, 2013. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  175. "Review: 'Beauty and the Beast'". Variety. December 31, 1990. Archived from the original on November 10, 2013. Retrieved October 3, 2013.
  176. Whitty, Stephen (January 13, 2012). "Back to 'The Beast': Disney tinkers with an old favorite". The Star-Ledger. Archived from the original on November 5, 2013. Retrieved October 3, 2013.
  177. Russel, Candice (November 22, 1991). "Timeless Tale Taps Deep Emotions". Sun-Sentinel. Archived from the original on December 2, 2013. Retrieved November 25, 2013.
  178. Atler, Ethan (January 13, 2012). "Beauty and the Beast 3D: Tale as Bland as Time". Television Without Pity. Archived from the original on February 4, 2015. Retrieved November 18, 2013.
  179. "Review: 'Beauty and the Beast' Revels in Joy and Enchantment". The New York Times . March 3, 2017. Archived from the original on September 10, 2017.
  180. "Remake of 'Beauty and the Beast' convincingly springs to life". The Washington Post . Ann Hornaday. March 16, 2017. Archived from the original on September 10, 2017.
  181. Richard Roeper (March 15, 2017). "Lavish 'Beauty and the Beast' true as it can be to original". Chicago Sun-Times . Archived from the original on March 14, 2017. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
  182. Whitty, Stephen (March 3, 2017). "'Beauty and the Beast' a magical delight with Emma Watson: movie review". Daily News . New York. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved November 30, 2017.
  183. Collin, Robbie (March 17, 2017). "Beauty and the Beast review: Emma Watson dazzles in Disney's show-stopping chocolate box of a remake". The Daily Telegraph . London. Archived from the original on March 17, 2017. Retrieved March 17, 2017.
  184. "Here Are Your 2017 MTV Movie & TV Awards Nominations: See The Full List". MTV News. Archived from the original on May 1, 2017. Retrieved April 8, 2017.
  185. Ramos, Dino-Ray (August 13, 2017). "Teen Choice Awards 2017 Winners: 'Wonder Woman', 'Beauty And The Beast', 'Riverdale' Among Honorees". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 14, 2017. Retrieved August 14, 2017.
  186. Ritman, Alex (January 22, 2018). "'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' Leads Nominations for U.K.'s Empire Awards". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on November 16, 2018. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
  187. McNary, Dave (March 15, 2018). "'Black Panther,' 'Walking Dead' Rule Saturn Awards Nominations". Variety . Archived from the original on March 16, 2018. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
  188. Farber, Lindsay (February 26, 2018). "Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards 2018: Watch Host John Cena Announce the Favorite Movie Nominees". E! News . Archived from the original on March 25, 2018. Retrieved September 4, 2018.
  189. Acito, Marc (2017). "A Feminist Perspective". Oregon Shakespeare Festival . Retrieved August 31, 2022. Twenty-five years after Disney introduced Belle to the world, debates still flare online and in numerous scholarly papers as to whether she's a positive role model for girls.
  190. 1 2 Grady, Constance (March 23, 2017). "Is Beauty and the Beast "a tale as old as Stockholm syndrome"? Depends how you read it". Vox . Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  191. Saraiya, Sonia (July 12, 2012). "A Feminist Guide to Disney Princesses". Jezebel. Archived from the original on January 19, 2015. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  192. 1 2 Altmann, Anna E.; De Vos, Gail De (2001). Tales, Then and Now: More Folktales as Literary Fictions for Young Adults. United States: Libraries Unlimited. pp. 41–42. ISBN   9781563088315.
  193. Cargal, Timothy B. (2007). Hearing a Film, Seeing a Sermon: Preaching and Popular Movies. United States: Westminster John Knox Press. p. 44. ISBN   9780664236335.
  194. Mitchell, Claudia; Reid-Walsh, Jacqueline (2007). Girl Culture: An Encyclopedia. United States: Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 484. ISBN   9780313084447.
  195. 1 2 Frus, Phyllis; Williams, Christy (2010). Beyond Adaptation: Essays on Radical Transformations of Original Works. United States: McFarland. pp. 168–180. ISBN   9780786455782.
  196. 1 2 Dickens, Faith. ""The Guy with the Problem": Reform Narrative in Disney's Beauty and the Beast". University of Central Florida. Archived from the original on January 19, 2015. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  197. "The Evolving Princess: The Progressive Feminism in Disney Films: Part Two – Beauty and the Beast". Flickering Myth. February 6, 2014. Archived from the original on January 19, 2015. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  198. Reagin, Nancy (2010). Twilight and History. United States: John Wiley & Sons. pp. 63–64. ISBN   9780470619780.
  199. Maher, Kathleen (November 29, 1991). "Beauty and the Beast". The Austin Chronicle. Archived from the original on November 20, 2014. Retrieved November 13, 2014.
  200. Welikala, Judith; Emily Dugan (December 16, 2012). "How Walt Disney's women have grown up". The Independent. Archived from the original on August 19, 2019. Retrieved December 24, 2012.
  201. Teverson, Andrew (2013). Fairy Tale. United Kingdom: Routledge. p. 140. ISBN   9781134105700.
  202. "The most feminist characters in Disney". Stylist. Archived from the original on March 25, 2014. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  203. Golembewski, Vanessa. "A Definitive Ranking Of Disney Princesses As Feminist Role Models". Refinery29. Archived from the original on February 16, 2016. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
  204. Barone, Matt; Serafino, Jason; Scarano, Ross; Aquino, Tara (April 10, 2013). "The 50 Best Animated Movies of All Time". Complex. Complex Media Inc. Archived from the original on June 21, 2016. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  205. Barone, Matt; Scarano, Ross (February 21, 2013). "100 Movies You Need to See Before You Die". Complex. Complex Media Inc. Archived from the original on December 1, 2014. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  206. Giroux, Henry A. (1995). "Are Disney Movies Bad for Your Kids". Orange Coast. Retrieved January 24, 2015.
  207. Saraiya, Sonia (July 10, 2012). "Ranked: Disney Princesses From Least To Most Feminist". Nerve.com. Nerve.com Inc. Archived from the original on November 11, 2017. Retrieved December 12, 2012.
  208. Garis, Mary Grace (October 24, 2014). "From Snow White to Moana: The Evolution of the Adventurous Disney Princess". Bustle. Bustle.com. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  209. Gilchrist, Todd (January 12, 2012). "Beauty And The Beast 3D". Boxoffice. Archived from the original on November 3, 2014. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
  210. Wilken, Selina (November 8, 2011). "'Once Upon a Time' recruits 'Lost' alum for iconic role of Belle!". Hypable. Archived from the original on November 6, 2013. Retrieved October 5, 2013.
  211. "Beauty and the Beast's Leading Lady Hilary Maiberger on Why Belle is 'Not Your Average Disney Princess'". Broadway.com . October 12, 2012. Archived from the original on November 6, 2013. Retrieved October 5, 2013.
  212. Gonzales, Erica (May 24, 2016). "How Belle from 'Beauty and the Beast' became Disney's first feminist princess". Harper's Bazaar. Hearst Communications, Inc. Archived from the original on June 28, 2016. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
  213. Ahlfield, Krisitine (December 4, 2011). "How children's movies have changed". Ethos Magazine. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved February 15, 2014.
  214. Terrill, Ashley (November 8, 2010). "Ladies, Leading – Linda Woolverton, Writer". Elle. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved June 17, 2013.
  215. 1 2 Lowe, Lindsay (March 7, 2013). "Enough Feisty Princesses: Disney Needs an Introverted Heroine". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on September 1, 2013. Retrieved May 8, 2013.
  216. 1 2 Bolokhova, Elina. "Best Animated Movies for Kids". Parenting. Archived from the original on November 1, 2013. Retrieved May 19, 2013.
  217. Fallon, Kevin (June 1, 2014). "The 'Maleficent' Screenwriter Also Wrote 'The Lion King' and 'Beauty and the Beast'". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on May 20, 2016. Retrieved June 27, 2016.
  218. Solomon, Charles (June 26, 1998). "Animated Heroines Finally Get in Step With the Times". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on November 6, 2013. Retrieved May 8, 2013.
  219. Schmidt, Cathy (January 21, 2010). "Disney princesses are not the role models they appear to be". The Daily Campus. Archived from the original on March 31, 2013. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  220. Humphreys, Justin (November 4, 2010). "FILM- Fairest of Them All: Disney's Beauty, Paige O'Hara". The Hook. Archived from the original on November 2, 2013. Retrieved May 24, 2013.
  221. Mehta, Ankita (March 16, 2017). "Beauty and the Beast: From Snow White to Rapunzel, take a look at Disney princesses through the ages". International Business Times . Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  222. 1 2 McGrath, Justine (May 12, 2016). "Our Official Ranking of the 10 Best Disney Princesses of All Time". Teen Vogue . Archived from the original on November 7, 2016. Retrieved November 6, 2016.
  223. Searle, Tyler B. (November 27, 2022). "Ranking the Protagonists of the Disney Renaissance, From Ariel to Tarzan". Collider . Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  224. Troy-Pryde, Jadie (October 3, 2020). "This is the world's most popular Disney princess". Marie Claire . Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  225. Boone, John (May 12, 2014). "All of the Disney Princesses, Ranked". E!. Archived from the original on January 6, 2015. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
  226. Breslaw, Anna (December 27, 2013). "The Definitive Ranking of Disney Princesses". Cosmopolitan. Hearst Communications, Inc. Archived from the original on January 12, 2015. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
  227. Rosa, Jelani Addams (May 7, 2014). "The Definitive Ranking Of Disney Princesses, From Distressed Damsels To Most Kickass". Seventeen . Archived from the original on January 21, 2015. Retrieved January 19, 2015.
  228. Madison III, Ira (October 27, 2014). "A Definitive Ranking Of Disney Princesses". BuzzFeed. BuzzFeed, Inc. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
  229. Leonora, Epstein (November 18, 2014). "Here Are The Most Popular Disney Princesses". BuzzFeed. BuzzFeed, Inc. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
  230. Hermanns, Grant (November 26, 2019). "POLL RESULTS: Who is the Best Disney Princess?". Comingsoon.net . Archived from the original on March 21, 2020. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
  231. "The Top 10 Disney Princesses at the Box Office". The Fiscal Times . 2014. Archived from the original on January 20, 2015. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
  232. Dockterman, Eliana (April 29, 2014). "And the Most Popular Disney Princess Is…". Time. Archived from the original on March 1, 2016. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
  233. Morrissey, Tracie Egan (April 28, 2014). "Who Is the Most Popular Disney Princess on eBay?". Jezebel. Archived from the original on January 20, 2015. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
  234. Gilchrist, Todd (January 12, 2012). "Beauty and the Beast 3D". Boxoffice. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved November 26, 2013.
  235. Pereira, Marta (October 1, 2017). "15 Best Disney Characters of All Time". The Cinemaholic. Archived from the original on December 25, 2018. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
  236. Thomas, Bri (August 1, 2020). "Belle: Her 5 Best & 5 Worst Traits". Screen Rant . Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  237. Libbey, Dirk (January 17, 2017). "Why Emma Watson Wanted To Play Belle More Than The Other Disney Princess She Was Offered". CinemaBlend . Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  238. Ondes, Issac (July 21, 2022). "HER to Play Belle in Disney's 'Beauty and the Beast' 30th Anniversary Special". The Golden News. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
  239. Jackson, Matthew (January 25, 2023). "The 50 best Disney animated characters of all time – Beauty and the Beast "Belle"". The A.V. Club . Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  240. Clark, Travis (August 30, 2018). "The 17 most iconic female movie characters of all time, according to audiences". Business Insider . Retrieved May 12, 2022.
  241. "The 50 greatest heroes and the 50 greatest villains of all time 400 Nominated Characters" (PDF). American Film Institute. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 4, 2013. Retrieved December 17, 2012.
  242. "America's 100 Greatest Heroes & Villains – Virtuous Heroes and Wicked Villains". Filmsite . Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  243. McConnell, Liv (September 22, 2016). "13 things you never knew about Belle from 'Beauty and the Beast'". Revelist. Archived from the original on October 29, 2016. Retrieved October 28, 2016.
  244. Goldberg, Stephanie (June 22, 2012). "'Brave's' Merida and other animated heroines". CNN . Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved April 1, 2013.
  245. Best, Jessica (October 17, 2013). "Disney at 90: The 20 most iconic Disney characters". Daily Mirror . Archived from the original on December 5, 2013. Retrieved October 31, 2013.
  246. Gibron, Bill (August 19, 2014). "Disney's Best Heroes... and Villains". PopMatters . Archived from the original on December 25, 2014. Retrieved December 25, 2014.
  247. McGrath, Kara (May 10, 2014). "The Most Stylish Disney Princesses: A Definitive Ranking". Bustle. Bustle.com. Archived from the original on January 19, 2015. Retrieved January 19, 2015.
  248. "Top Animated Hotties". UGO. December 2, 2008. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved November 15, 2013.
  249. Sanfiorenzo, Dimas (January 27, 2011). "The 25 Hottest Cartoon Women of All Time". Complex. Archived from the original on November 3, 2013. Retrieved April 15, 2013.
  250. Popp, Emily (July 18, 2014). "All of the Disney Princesses' Wardrobes, Ranked". E! . Archived from the original on January 6, 2015. Retrieved January 19, 2015.
  251. Rebecca Hawkes (May 23, 2016). "New Beauty and the Beast trailer offers teasing glimpse of Emma Watson's Belle". The Daily Telegraph Limited. Archived from the original on May 29, 2020. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  252. Karmali, Sarah (March 23, 2013). "Most Famous Dresses". Vogue. Archived from the original on February 16, 2015. Retrieved May 13, 2015.
  253. "Best beauty looks in Disney". Stylist. Archived from the original on February 16, 2016. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  254. Barrett, Annie (June 17, 2016). "Disney Princesses: Ranking Their Hairdos — and Don'ts!". Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on August 5, 2017. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
  255. "LINDA WOOLVERTON AND THE MAKING OF MALEFICENT". Interview. November 14, 2013. Archived from the original on January 30, 2016. Retrieved June 27, 2016.
  256. Sara Munson Deats; Lagretta Tallent Lenker, eds. (1999). Aging and Identity: A Humanities Perspective. Praeger Publishers. p. 211. ISBN   9780275964795 . Retrieved June 17, 2013.
  257. "26th Annual Annie Award Nominees and Winners (1998) – Outstanding Individual Achievement for Voice Acting by a Female Performer in an Animated Feature Production". Annie Awards . Archived from the original on January 2, 2013. Retrieved October 31, 2013.
  258. Draskovic, Marina (August 19, 2011). "Joining the Prestigious Circle". D23. Disney. Archived from the original on January 31, 2013. Retrieved March 4, 2013.
  259. Finn, Natalie (March 3, 2011). "Penélope Cruz Swept Away by a New Prince Charming". E!. Archived from the original on June 20, 2015. Retrieved June 25, 2013.
  260. "Annie Leibovitz's Latest Disney Ad Campaign (PHOTOS)". HuffPost. March 3, 2011. Archived from the original on June 13, 2013. Retrieved June 25, 2013.