Emma Watson Disney

Disney’s costly live-­action musical 3-D version of “Beauty and the Beast” arrives Friday and continues the Mouse House’s recycling of classic fairy tales.

Walt Disney’s feature-length cartoon empire began with 1938’s “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, ” and its canny founder realized that a new generation of kids would always be right around the corner.

But DVD home viewing made reissues history. So Disney now regards their animated classics as ready source material for the stage and big screen.

Emma Watson Reveals How She Demanded That Disney Didn't Overly Sexualise Belle In Beauty And The Beast

Already the studio that Walt built has fielded global­ smash hits having live actors rework the animated footprint of “Alice in Wonderland” (2010) and “Cinderella” (2015).

Which is why Oscar-winning best actress Emma Stone is to play evil Cruella de Vil, the dog-napping vixen of “101 Dalmations, ” in “Cruella.”

“Beauty” holds an esteemed spot in Disney history. The 1991 Howard Ashman-Alan Menken animated musical literally revived Disney’s fortunes and ushered in a critically praised and hugely popular era of Broadway-style animated movie musicals, which spawned today’s crowded animated landscape.

Emma Watson Talks Beauty And The Beast And Cinderella

Tinkering with an Oscar-winning movie — the first animated film to ever be Oscar nominated for best picture — has big risks.

Casting brave Belle was crucial. Belle offers herself as prisoner in the Beast’s opulent mansion in exchange for her father’s release. While captive, she grows to love the sensitive soul under the ghastly exterior.

“Harry Potter” veteran Emma Watson had an agonizing choice to make. The 26-year-old was not just first choice for Belle but also first choice to star in a new original, contemporary musical a hot young director wanted to make: “La La Land.” This decision may have cost Emma Watson a shot at an Oscar, as she was originally offered a part in “La La Land” and had to choose one or the other.

Beauty And The Beast': Cast Of Disney's Live Action Retelling

In an interview on ITV’s “Lorraine, ” Watson explained, “With a movie like ‘Beauty and the Beast, ’ it’s like three months prep, it’s like three or four months shooting, it’s in the U.K. I had to be there to do that, and as I was saying before, it’s like you can’t half-(expletive) a project like this, you know, you’re in or you’re out. And I was like I’ve kind of got to be all in and so this was really where my heart was.

Film critic and entertainment reporter Stephen Schaefer writes regularly for The Boston Herald with interviews, features, reviews and Hollywood & Mine, a weekly /entertainment/movies column. He frequently speaks with film clubs about upcoming releases and often covers film festivals in Berlin, Venice, New York and Toronto. was getting a reboot, I was less than thrilled. Disney films were a large part of my childhood and Belle happened to be a character that, strangely, I identified with. Why? Because Belle was clearly a feminist – and casting Emma Watson in the remake solidified that sentiment.

Most young girls grow up with the notion that the prince will swoop in and save them from distress. Look at Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Sleeping Beauty; it’s a common theme for the damsel to await a heroic gesture from her male counterpart. Yet,  Belle was different – she didn’t need a man. Gaston, the nauseously macho man from town, makes multiple, intrusive advances and Belle squashes them all. Belle’s father suggests that she marry so that she’s not alone, but it’s just not a part of her agenda. Books are what she loves.

Emma Watson On 'beauty And The Beast': 'i Didn't Have

In the classic “Little Town” scene, after visiting the bookshop, she walks through the rest of town with her head stuck in a book. The townspeople remark how she is peculiar, odd and different because she is reading and not paying attention to the ogling from Gaston. Reading, the mere act of a woman opening a book and enjoying a story, is enough to have the townspeople deem Belle an outsider. It’s not like she’s leading an uprising of the resistance, the girl just likes to read! Sure, not needing a prince to complete you or having a penchant for reading are feminist leaning, but it is Belle’s decisions after she enters the castle are when the real story begins.

Belle goes looking for her father after he doesn’t come home. She traces him back to the castle where she will discover the Beast and his musical house staff. First, can we take a second to acknowledge that it’s a pretty big deal for her to go wandering off in the woods on her own? And when she finds her father, and subsequently the Beast, she doesn’t run off crying or scared. Here’s where the feminism kicks in – she

Now, I hope anyone reading this would know that feminism is about men and women having equal rights and one of those rights is for women to make their own choices. That is exactly what Belle did – and she makes even more choices throughout the film, like when she chooses to escape the castle. Yet, the escape goes awry and Belle is almost attacked by wolves until the Beast steps in and saves her. Yes, that part is typical Disney.

Emma Watson As Anna

After Belle sees the Beast injured, she once again makes a choice and decides to go back to the castle to take care of him. All of these choices set Belle apart from the rest of the women in Disney films, or fairy tales in general. By taking action and creating her own destiny, Belle forges out to create a life of her own, not one that was made for her.

The first piece of casting that I heard was Dan Stevens as the Beast (on a side note – if you haven’t seen

Starring Dan Stevens,  you must certainly get on that), with the announcement of Emma Watson following shortly after. In retrospect, the casting of Emma Watson seems like a no brainer.

Fan Casting Emma Watson As Belle In Disney Princesses On Mycast

Series, so she is well-accustomed to a large scale production. The character of Hermione became an idol for young girls around the world and now a new generation will be seeing Watson as the character of Belle for the first time. In my opinion, it is what Watson does for women’s rights in her down time is what makes her casting as Belle even more important.

Watson is an outspoken feminist who works with the United Nations for women’s rights initiatives. She has spoken up on numerous occasions about the pay gap in Hollywood and sexism in the casting process. Her personal life mirrors that of her character Belle in that she won’t allow society to dictate how her life should be lived. To me, that is a positive role model for young boys and girls to look up to.

As I get older, I realize how important certain films from my childhood were in helping me develop into an adult. I see how some films, or stories, instilled fear in me, while others instilled hope. The character of Belle in

Tom Felton Talks About His Special Bond With Emma Watson

Made me feel proud of being a little different. I wasn’t the girl who was riding bikes and playing volleyball, I was reading and watching movies. Now, a new generation of girls will have a character to look up to with Emma Watson at the helm.

How is the portrayal of a character targeted for children important to you? Were there any that left a lasting impression on you, like Belle left on me? Tell us in the comments below!

Become a Member and support film journalism. Unlock access to all of Film Inquiry`s great articles. Join a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about cinema - get access to our private members Network, give back to independent filmmakers, and more.

Emma Watson Disney Channel Awards In March 15, 2003

Michelle Sabato is an actor and writer from Cleveland, Ohio. By the age of 2 Michelle had memorized all the words to The Wizard of Oz. So, yes, she can carry a conversation with just using movie quotes.Emma Watson says she has made her Belle ‘the kind of woman I would want to embody as a role model’. Photograph: Laurie Sparham/PR Company Handout

She’s about to star as the heroine of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, but post-Potter she has received more plaudits for her activism than her acting

I t may seem strange that one of the most anticipated films of 2017 should be a live-action remake of a Disney cartoon about Stockholm syndrome, but Beauty and the Beast has already built up the kind of fan base that is normally reserved for rebooted sci-fi franchises and adaptations of erotic bestsellers. When the first trailer went online in November, it was viewed a record 127m times in 24 hours, beating the previous leaders in that particular field, Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Fifty Shades Darker. Stranger still, 27m of those views were on the Facebook page of the film’s star, Emma Watson.

Hot Toys Disney Beauty And The Beast Belle Emma Watson 1/6 Scale Figur

That figure might suggest that the 26-year-old who played Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter series is now a bona fide superstar. But Watson’s celebrity status is slightly more complicated. As a Hollywood player, she isn’t going to give Jennifer Lawrence or Scarlett Johansson sleepless nights, but as an actor-activist she has the kind of influence that would