Beast (Disney character)

Beast
First appearance	Beauty and the Beast (1991)
Created by	Linda Woolverton (film adaptation)
Based on	The Beast by Gabrielle-Suzanne de Villeneuve
Voiced by	Robby Benson (1991 film and related project) Dan Stevens (2017 film; voice and motion capture)
Portrayed by	Terrence Mann (Beauty and the Beast originated role for Broadway) Jeff Bridges (Disney Dreams Portraits photographs) Dan Payne (Descendants) Dan Stevens (2017 live action film) Chuck Wagner (Beauty and the Beast played role for Broadway) Steve Blanchard (Beauty and the Beast played role for Broadway) Earl Carpenter (Beauty and the Beast played role for West End) Josh Groban (Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration)
Title	Master of the Castle
Occupation	Prince
Spouse	Belle
Children	Prince Ben (son; in Descendants only)
Relatives	Maurice (father-in-law)
Nationality	French

The Beast is a fictional character who appears in Walt Disney Animation Studios' animated film Beauty and the Beast (1991), as well as in the film's two direct-to-video followups Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas and Belle's Magical World. Based on the hero of the French fairy tale by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont, the Beast was created by screenwriter Linda Woolverton and animated by Glen Keane.

A pampered prince transformed into a hideous beast as punishment for his cold-hearted and selfish ways, the Beast must, in order to return to his former self, earn the love of a beautiful young woman named Belle whom he imprisons in his castle. All this must be done before the last petal falls from the enchanted rose on his twenty-first birthday. In all animated film appearances, the Beast is voiced by American actor Robby Benson. The 1991 animated film was adapted into a Broadway musical in 1994, with the role being originated by American actor Terrence Mann. Dan Stevens portrays a live-action version of the character in the 2017 adaptation of the 1991 film.