Book, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast

Linda Woolverton is an American screenwriter, playwright, and novelist. She became the first woman to write an animated feature for Disney by writing the screenplay of Beauty and the Beast, the first animated film ever to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. She also wrote the screenplay (shared) for the animated feature film The Lion King and the screenplay (shared) for Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey. She also adapted her own Beauty and the Beast screenplay into the book of the Broadway adaptation of the film (Tony Award nomination for Best Book of a Musical, winner 1998 Olivier Award Best New Musical); and the book (shared) for Elton John and Tim Rice’s Broadway musical Aida. Her most recent works include the screenplay of Alice in Wonderland, making her the first and only female screenwriter with a sole writing credit on a billion-dollar film, and the screenplay of Maleficent. She holds a BA in Theatre Arts from California State University Long Beach and an MA in Theatre from California State University Fullerton.