How Emma Watson plays a different Belle in 'Beauty and the Beast'
-
Molly Driscoll Staff writer
A new trailer has been released for the upcoming live-action version of Disney鈥檚 animated film 鈥淏eauty and the Beast,鈥� and star Emma Watson says she and others behind the scenes have made an effort to make her character, protagonist Belle, even more active in her own story than the character was in the 1991 original film.
This version of 鈥淏eauty鈥� stars Dan Stevens, Ms. Watson, Emma Thompson, Ewan McGregor, and Ian McKellen.聽
The new trailer begins by showing Belle鈥檚 father, Maurice (Kevin Kline), exploring a garden, presumably in the Beast鈥檚 castle, before being startled by the appearance of the Beast.聽
鈥淭he master鈥檚 not as terrible as he appears,鈥� Mrs. Potts (Ms. Thompson) tells Belle. The clip also shows the Beast (Mr. Stevens) rescuing Belle from an attack by wolves and the Beast and Gaston (Luke Evans), who is also interested romantically in Belle, fighting.聽
Watson has spoken recently about changes that have been made to the character of Belle. She had previously discussed her admiration for the character, telling , 鈥淚 loved that she was this feisty heroine whose whole life wasn鈥檛 about marrying the most handsome guy in the village. Belle wants to read, she wants to go on adventures and be her own woman, her own person. She was one of my first tastes of feminism, so it鈥檚 pretty cool to play her now.鈥�
Now Watson tells that the character has been adjusted for the new film to make Belle even more involved in the events of the story. One of these is that Belle has a talent for inventing, a trait that belonged to her father, Maurice, in the original film.
Watson says Belle鈥檚 wardrobe is more suited for outdoor work and her interest in inventing as well. 鈥淪he鈥檚 very practical, she鈥檚 a very good horse-rider,鈥� she says. 鈥淪he always has these pockets on her where she鈥檚 carrying tools and books. In the movie, she wears these little ballet shoes, and I knew that they had to go, because if you鈥檙e going to ride a horse, and tend your garden, and fix machinery, then you need to be in proper boots 鈥� She looks quite grounded and earthy and practical, as far as possible.鈥�
