Today Marks the 30th Anniversary of Beauty and the Beast, and We Look at its Popularity by State

Many of us grew up watching Beauty and the Beast—and today marks 30 years since we first heard now-classic songs like “Be Our Guest.” To honor this beloved film, Ziply Fiber analyzed data to find out each state’s favorite Beauty and the Beast character.

Map Findings

• Two states tied for favorite character. Louisiana was torn between the Beast and Belle, and Kentucky was a toss-up between the Beast and Mrs. Potts.
• The Beast & Belle tied for the most popular character in the nation, both taking 13 states.
• Maurice and Feather Duster (Lumiere’s love interest) are the favorites in only one state each. Massachusetts loves inventive Maurice and Pennsylvania’s favorite is Feather Duster.
• The northwestern states are big fans of Belle and Gaston—Washington, Oregon, and Idaho all love Belle, and Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, and South Dakota all like Gaston best.

Notable awards won by the film

Oscars

Best Music, Original Song (“Beauty and the Beast”) and Best Music, Original Score

Annie Awards

Best Animated Feature and Outstanding Individual Achievement in the Field of Animation

Grammy Awards

Best Instrumental Composition and Best Song for Motion Picture or TV, Best Pop Performance By Duo or Group with Vocal, Best Recording for Children

Fun facts about Beauty and the Beast

• Celine Dion’s big break came from her singing Beauty and the Beast. Previously, she was a lesser-known artist and was chosen for the part because production couldn’t afford a more well-known singer.
• It was the first animated film ever to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards and the first animated feature film to win a Golden Globe for Best Picture – Musical or Comedy.
• Every line from the title song, Beauty and the Beast, has exactly five syllables

A few things to look for the next time you’re streaming Beauty and the Beast

• Catch Vermeer’s famous painting Girl with a Pearl Earring, visible between Cogsworth and Lumiere in the scene where they are talking with Mrs. Potts outside of the door to Belle’s bedroom.
• The sign Maurice sees when he’s lost in the woods has faded letters that spell out Anaheim, where Disneyland is located, and Valencia, which is where many animators study at the California Institute of the Arts.
• The scene where Belle and the Beast dance at the end of the movie is reused animation from when Aurora and Prince Phillip dance in Sleeping Beauty.
• While we don’t see Gaston after his treacherous fall at the end of the movie, you can spot skulls in his pupils as he falls.
• Spot Bambi’s mom in the woods outside of the Beast’s castle towards the beginning of the movie.

The original report can be found here on Ziply!