Beauty and the Beast star, Paige O'Hara, says that the film's heroine, Belle, paved the way for future female protagonists in Disney's animated films such as Mulan. Disney's take on Beauty and the Beast, which is based on the 18th century French fairy tale of the same name, first debuted in 1991 to remarkable critical and commercial acclaim. The film went on to become the first animated movie ever to be nominated for Best Picture at the 64th Academy Awards.
Read more on screenrant.com