'Beauty and the Beast' director explains why Emma Watson made the perfect Belle

In honor of the home release of Disney's Beauty and the Beast, be our guest and check out this behind-the-scenes clip about the casting of Emma Watson.

"Emma Watson was our first -- and really our only -- choice for Belle," director Bill Condon said, "for a lot of reasons: her talent, her beauty, her intelligence."

He also said that the actress is similar to Belle because she is strong and independent.

"Emma Watson is a twenty-first century, very strong female role model," he said.

Watson, a United Nations Global Goodwill Ambassador, has something else in common with the character: a love of books. She's been known to hide books as a delightful surprise for bookworms out and about.

Beauty and the Beast has earned more than $1 billion worldwide at the box office since its March release.

Beauty and the Beast is available on blu-ray and digital HD on Tuesday.

The Walt Disney Company is the parent company of Walt Disney Studios and this station.