ABC has recently confirmed that Grammy and Oscar-winning singer/songwriter H.E.R. will star as Belle in their latest televised live production, Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration, as reported by Deadline. The event will be partially animated and partially live-action and is set to air on December 15th. The casting marks the first time that an Afro-Filipina actress will tackle the role of the Disney princess.
Although the 1991 Disney adaptation is the most famous, there have been numerous interpretations of the characters from the French fairy tale penned by novelist Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont. Each actress brings a unique spin to the character, but some stand out as better than others.
Keegan Connor Tracy in Descendants (2015)
The 2015 Disney Channel Original Movie Descendants launched a franchise of made-for-television content that includes two sequels and a spinoff series. The clever premise follows the children of several Disney villains banning together to free their parents from prison.
In this universe, Belle and the Beast have become Queen and King of the fictional United States of Auradon. Keegan Connor Tracy brings a familiar elegance to Belle that resembles the 1991 film, but she incorporates a maternal instinct and motherly love that fit in well with the premise of this film. However, the role is ultimately minor compared to other versions featuring the character.
Emilie de Ravin in Once Upon A Time (2011)
ABC has produced a number of television programs that expand upon the Disney universe, one of which was the long-running Once Upon A Time. This fantasy drama follows a realistic world as well as a fairytale universe in which various characters from Disney movies have been frozen in time.
Emilie de Ravin, who is perhaps best known for her work on Lost, makes her first appearance as Belle in season 1 before joining the cast as a series regular the following year. In this retelling, Belle's romantic interest is Rumpelstiltskin (Robert Carlyle), who serves as a compilation of his namesake and the Beast. Emilie de Ravin's sensitive portrait of lost romance, particularly in season 1, was one of the more memorable subplots of the series.
Vanessa Hudgens in Beastly (2011)
Daniel Barnz's modern-day adaptation of the fairy tale based on Alex Finn's 2007 novel brings the romance into present-day New York City. In this version, a wealthy and attractive high school bully (Alex Pettyfer) is transformed into a "beastly" figure and is tasked with finding someone to love in spite of his new outward appearance.
Lindy Taylor, who fulfills the "Beauty" role in Beastly, is played by High School Musical alum Vanessa Hudgens, who lends her usual on-screen charm. Unfortunately. the movie as a whole suffered in the adaptation, and the film currently holds a 21% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Hudgens was largely spared from much of the criticism and does her best with the material she had been given.
Kaho Nakamura in Belle (2021)
One of the more recent retellings of the original fairy tale remains completely separate from the Disney interpretation. The 2021 Japanese animated film, Belle is a loose adaptation of the source material that follows Suzu Naito, a high school student who becomes a famous singer online through her alter ego, Belle.
Eventually, Belle undergoes a quest in this virtual online world to uncover the identity of the Beast. What sets this adaptation apart from other versions is that Suzu is given a much more vibrant inner life, with talents and goals of her own that go beyond romance. Much of this is helped by Kaho Nakamura's voice acting, which carries the audience on a journey from Suzu's shy naiveté to her more adventurous and daring self.
Linda Hamilton in Beauty and The Beast (1987)
Before Linda Hamilton portrayed Sarah Conner in James Cameron's Terminator franchise, she starred in a 1980s CBS procedural drama for three seasons. Although the series is loosely based on the same fairy tale, there are several differences between this TV adaptation and any other version.
In this iteration, Catherine Chandler (the "Beauty") is a high-powered attorney who changes course and becomes a district attorney after being beaten on the street and rescued by the "Beast" (played by Ron Perlman). The '80s setting adds a lot to the series and to the portrait of Catherine, who is simultaneously fiercely independent and a swooning romantic love interest.
Susan Egan in Beauty and the Beast on Broadway (1994)
Before Julie Taymor's landmark Broadway adaptation of The Lion King, the first Disney theatrical production on the Great White Way was the 1994 production of Beauty and the Beast. Mounted only three years after the animated film, Beauty and the Beast ushered in a new wave of mainstream Disney spectacles on stage.
Susan Egan originated the role of Belle on Broadway and received a Tony nomination for her performance. Her vocals on the cast album include songs from the film as well as original compositions. Her voice is effervescent and passionate, and she brings the animated character to life with poise and authenticity.
Emma Watson in Beauty and the Beast (2017)
The 2017 live-action film version of Beauty and the Beast had an all-star cast that included Emma Thompson, Ewan McGregor, and Kevin Kline, yet much of the success of this adaptation rested on the shoulders of Harry Potter alum Emma Watson.
Watson's Belle was a natural evolution from the 1991 film. Here, Belle is an inventor just like her father. Her strength and resilience are on display along with her vulnerability. Belle is no damsel in distress in this version, and Watson brought her natural charm as well as her piercing intelligence to the character.
Paige O'Hara in Beauty and the Beast (1991)
While the 2017 live version and the 1994 Broadway adaptation have their own merits, as do the various retellings of the original fairy tale, Disney's original Belle is impossible to beat. In fact, this characterization of "Beauty" would inform all subsequent interpretations of the character to some degree.
Even though Belle is animated, O'Hara's voice acting gives her multiple dimensions: she is intelligent, strong-willed, and empathetic. Furthermore, the costumes and animated facial expressions complete the picture of a woman who is classic in terms of the period, but very modern for her time.