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 Disney's 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 World's favorite bookworm in eight Harry Potter movies and runs her own feminist book club, Watson can portray Belle's passion for the written word. Like the animated movie it's based on, this Beauty & The Beast is a musical. And until now, Watson hasn't 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 it's easy to understand why fans were so curious about her chops. Watson hasn't 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.
1. "Belle"
On Broadway, it's called the "I Want" song. The audience needs to know what their protagonist is after, whether that's 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 Disney's most memorable character introductions, and in this trailer, Watson has Belle's dreamer quality down pat.
2. "Something There"
Okay, so technically there's just audio here. But it's another preview of Watson singing the Beauty & The Beast score — this time, Belle's half of her duet with the beast, when they sing about their "new and a bit alarming" friendship.
3. "Belle (Reprise)"
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 princess's discontentment with the boring, submissive future society dictates she should have.
4. The Hogwarts School Song
In Harry Potter & The Goblet Of Fire, Ron, Hagrid, and Hermione harmonize on the school song as they tramp through the Hogwarts grounds. It's just a short excerpt, but Watson's voice rings out confidently over her co-stars'.
5. Recording For Beauty & The Beast
This B-roll footage shows cast members of the film including Josh Gad and Luke Evans recording their vocals for the film. Listen closely while Audra McDonald (who plays Madame Garderobe) performs her solo for a new song. You can hear Watson's vocals on playback.
6. "Gender Equality Rap"
Though initially shy to show them off, Emma Watson has some passable beat-boxing skills. (Beat-boxing is singing-adjacent, okay?) She dropped a beat for Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda to freestyle about feminism and equality in an ABC News segment, and to be honest, I'd buy that whole album on iTunes.
Will Beauty & The Beast lead to more musical roles for Emma Watson? She may have caught the bug singing those timeless Disney songs.
