In Beauty and the Beast (1991), the young woman who enters the enchanted castle is Belle.
Belle is an intelligent young woman from a small French-inspired village. She offers herself as a prisoner when her father is captured by the Beast, beginning the central relationship of the film. Her name is French for “beautiful,” and it connects the Disney story to earlier versions of the fairy tale.
The film was Disney’s 30th animated feature and became a major critical and commercial success. It was directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise, with songs by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman. Belle was voiced by Paige O’Hara in the English-language version.
Beauty and the Beast became the first animated feature nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. It won two Oscars, including Best Original Song for “Beauty and the Beast.”