Emma Watson reveals nerves at singing in Beauty and the Beast: ‘I hadn’t sung since I was 12’

Emma Watson admits she was nervous about singing in Beauty And The Beast because she had not used her voice for well over a decade.

The Harry Potter star, 26, plays Belle in Disney’s live-action film, from director Bill Condon, which is out next week.

She told the Daily Mail: “I hadn't sung since I was about 12. This was something I'd always wanted to do, but I thought, 'is my voice still there?'

“I just hadn't used it, but it was a very pleasant surprise to find it was still there. I just had to kind of unearth it.”

Watson revealed that taking singing lessons for the new role actually helped her acting, adding: “I've found it actually really helps my acting, and my speaking voice. It's great for my breathing and a discipline that I really like."

Speaking to Good Morning America about how the classic character of Belle has been updated for modern audiences, Watson said:

“She is a little different. I think we had a little bit more space and more room to tell a bit more of Belle's story in this one.

“I hope she's a slightly more modern version...she was updated a little bit but she was pretty progressive in her DNA really. She was a bit of a rebellious Disney princess."