Harry Potter alum and UN Goodwill Ambassador Emma Watson will be playing the book-loving Belle in Disney's new movie Beauty and the Beast, the actress announced on her Facebook page.
"I'm finally able to tell you... that I will be playing Belle in Disney's new live-action Beauty and the Beast! It was such a big part of my growing up, it almost feels surreal that I'll get to dance to 'Be Our Guest' and sing 'Something There,'" Watson wrote. "My six year old self is on the ceiling - heart bursting. I can't wait for you to see it."
The actress will be brushing up on her singing in preparation for the movie, which features a script by Evan Spiliotipoulos rewritten by Stephen Chbosky. It will be directed by Bill Condon of Twilight fame and production will begin sometime in 2015. No release date has been announced.
Chbosky and Watson have already worked together on the novel-turned-film The Perks of Being a Wallflower, also starring Percy Jackson star Logan Lerman. The two are also planning to work again on the film adaptation of Adena Halpern's novel While We're Young, although there has been no green light on this project, according to Entertainment Weekly.
Watson definitely has her plate full these days. Just this January, she went to Switzerland for the World Economic Forum at Davos and delivered another speech encouraging world and corporate leaders to take action on gender equality, as part of the HeForShe campaign program.
Aside from her role as UN Goodwill Ambassador, she is also working on a series of movies including La-La Land, an indie musical set in Los Angeles, and Colonia, a Chilean thriller.
La-La Land is directed by Whiplash director Damien Chazelle while Colonia will be helmed by Florian Gallenberger. She will co-star with Daniel Bruhl in the film.
