Who voiced the Beast in Beauty and the Beast?

Robby Benson voiced the Beast in Disney’s 1991 animated Beauty and the Beast.

Benson supplied the Beast’s speaking and singing performance, giving the character a rough, volatile voice that gradually becomes gentler as he changes. His work contrasts with Paige O’Hara’s performance as Belle, the young woman whose compassion helps reveal the prince beneath the curse.

The Beast’s voice is sometimes confused with performers associated with other imposing animated characters, including James Earl Jones, or with actors from Disney’s 2017 live-action remake. In the 1991 film, however, Benson is the credited voice of both the Beast’s monstrous persona and the restored prince.

The ensemble also includes Richard White as Gaston, Jerry Orbach as Lumière, David Ogden Stiers as Cogsworth, and Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Potts. Benson’s performance is especially important because the Beast’s emotional change must be heard before it is fully visible: his anger gradually gives way to vulnerability, restraint, and love.