There are some serious qualifications involved in being a Disney Princess and only some of them have to do with having enviable hair. So when it was announced that Emma Watson would be playing Belle in Disneys live-action reboot of Beauty & The Beast, the world wanted to know if she truly fit the bill. The star of The Perks Of Being A Wallflower and Bling Ring can certainly act. And since she played the Wizarding Worlds favorite bookworm in eight Harry Potter movies and runs her own feminist book club, Watson can portray Belles passion for the written word. Like the animated movie its based on, this Beauty & The Beast is a musical. And until now, Watson hasnt played any parts that have been this heavy on song. Fear not, Disney purists. Check out these videos of Emma Watson singing and know that your beloved Belle is in good hands.
Most recordings I could find of the actor singing are actually from Beauty & The Beast, so its easy to understand why fans were so curious about her chops. Watson hasnt really shown off her singing ability before taking on this role — only one that many of her fans grew up on, with a score they know by heart. Reinventing a Disney Princess is a huge responsibility. Fortunately, Emma Watson and her clear, emotive singing voice have it all under control.
On Broadway, its called the “I Want” song. The audience needs to know what their protagonist is after, whether thats love, money, or to control the goings on of the Parisian opera house under which they live. (The Phantom Of The Opera is too relatable.) In her first song, “Belle,” this princess sings about how she wants a bigger life, however she can get it. This sequence remakes one of Disneys most memorable character introductions, and in this trailer, Watson has Belles dreamer quality down pat.
Okay, so technically theres just audio here. But its another preview of Watson singing the Beauty & The Beast score — this time, Belles half of her duet with the beast, when they sing about their “new and a bit alarming” friendship.
Belle expands on her desires in this TV spot, which premiered during the 2017 Golden Globes telecast. “Belle (Reprise)” is a musically bare-bones character moment that further explores this princesss discontentment with the boring, submissive future society dictates she should have.
In Harry Potter & The Goblet Of Fire, Ron, Hagrid, and Hermione harmonize on the school song as they tramp through the Hogwarts grounds. Its just a short excerpt, but Watsons voice rings out confidently over her co-stars.
Watson Had the Choice of Disney Princesses
Emma Watson has said that her favorite Disney princess would probably be Belle. In February 2013, rumors started circulating that Watson was in talks with Disney to play Cinderella in the live-action remake.She ultimately turned down the role because she felt like she couldn’t connect with the character.
In the end, Lily James ended up playing Cinderella with Cate Blanchett starring as her “evil” stepmother. Little to Watson’s knowledge, she would be offered the role of a Disney princess that she could get on board with, Belle.
Only a month after rumors said she was going to be playing Cinderella, new rumors arose saying she had turned down the role. The same reports said Emma Watson was now attached to Guillermo Del Toro’s version of Beauty and the Beast. Del Toro was initially set to direct the live-action film of Beauty and the Beast, however, he stepped back to take on the role as producer only. The film was ultimately directed by Bill Codon. It also starred Dan Stevens as the Beast and Luke Evans as the villain, Gaston.
If Watson had decided to take the role of Cinderella over Belle, she would not have had to sing. This is because unlike the original Cinderella film, the live-action film was not made as a musical.
Aside from the promo clips, you might have already heard Watson sing a tiny bit in Noah, on this Ben Hammersley song, or in this goofy interview:
“I can answer that she does — she sings throughout this film,” Stevens says in the above interview. “She sings a lot, fantastically.” In fact, youll find Watson listed on five of the soundtracks songs, including “Belle,” “Days in the Sun,” and “Something There.”
But Disney Musical Truthers shouldnt read too much into that B-roll. While stars like Josh Gad and Audra McDonald signed onto Beauty and the Beast as Broadway veterans, Watson still came as a dedicated actress willing to throw herself into a big, belty role. No easy task, as evidenced by what she and her castmates had to say during the movies lead-up:
Disney wouldnt plug Watsons pipes till the end of 2016, with promo clips and song snippets tempering some of the heated reactions. Maybe she had pulled it off? Yeah, though the Mouse House would keep much of its training tactics behind closed doors. Early behind-the-scenes footage, for example, sticks to pre-takes and costar interludes:
The doubt dates back to 2015, when the Harry Potter actress first addressed the starring role on social media, writing that it was “time to start some singing lessons.” Facebook comment sections lit up. Beauty and the Beast was a precious property, and while Watson looked the part, sounding the part was key.
Most recordings I could find of the actor singing are actually from Beauty & The Beast, so its easy to understand why fans were so curious about her chops. Watson hasnt really shown off her singing ability before taking on this role — only one that many of her fans grew up on, with a score they know by heart. Reinventing a Disney Princess is a huge responsibility. Fortunately, Emma Watson and her clear, emotive singing voice have it all under control.
In Harry Potter & The Goblet Of Fire, Ron, Hagrid, and Hermione harmonize on the school song as they tramp through the Hogwarts grounds. Its just a short excerpt, but Watsons voice rings out confidently over her co-stars.
On Broadway, its called the “I Want” song. The audience needs to know what their protagonist is after, whether thats love, money, or to control the goings on of the Parisian opera house under which they live. (The Phantom Of The Opera is too relatable.) In her first song, “Belle,” this princess sings about how she wants a bigger life, however she can get it. This sequence remakes one of Disneys most memorable character introductions, and in this trailer, Watson has Belles dreamer quality down pat.
Belle expands on her desires in this TV spot, which premiered during the 2017 Golden Globes telecast. “Belle (Reprise)” is a musically bare-bones character moment that further explores this princesss discontentment with the boring, submissive future society dictates she should have.
Okay, so technically theres just audio here. But its another preview of Watson singing the Beauty & The Beast score — this time, Belles half of her duet with the beast, when they sing about their “new and a bit alarming” friendship.
FAQ
Was Emma Watson’s voice Autotuned?
Does Emma actually sing in Beauty and the Beast?
