<P> A pampered prince transformed into a hideous beast as punishment for his cold - hearted and selfish ways, the Beast must, in order to return to his former self, earn the love of a beautiful young woman named Belle who he imprisons in his castle . All this must be done before the last petal falls from the enchanted rose on his twenty - first birthday . In all animated film appearances, the Beast is voiced by American actor Robby Benson . The 1991 animated film was adapted into a Broadway musical in 1994, with the role being originated by American actor Terrence Mann . Dan Stevens portrays the character in a 2017 live - action adaptation of the original 1991 film . </P> <P> Determining a suitable appearance for the Beast proved challenging . Although entirely fictional, supervising animator Glen Keane felt it essential for the Beast to resemble a creature that could possibly be found on Earth as opposed to an alien . The initial designs had the Beast as humanoid but with an animal head attached as per the original fairy tale, but soon shifted towards more unconventional forms . The earlier sketches of the Beast's character design are seen as gargoyles and sculptures in the Beast's castle . </P> <P> Inspired by a buffalo head that he purchased from a taxidermy, Keane decided to base the Beast's appearance on a variety of wild animals, drawing inspiration from the mane of a lion, head of a buffalo, brow of a gorilla, tusks of a wild boar, legs and tail of a wolf, and body of a bear . However, he felt it important that the Beast's eyes remain human . In fear that Glen Keane would design the Beast to resemble voice actor Robby Benson, Walt Disney Studios chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg did not allow Keane to see Benson during production of the film . </P> <P> The Beast is not of any one species of animal, but a chimera (a mixture of several animals), who would probably be classified as a carnivore overall . He has the head structure and horns of a buffalo, the arms and body of a bear, the eyebrows of a gorilla, the jaws, teeth, and mane of a lion, the tusks of a wild boar and the legs and tail of a wolf . He also bears resemblance to mythical monsters like the Minotaur or a werewolf . He also has blue eyes, the one physical feature that does not change whether he is a beast or a human . </P>

How old was the beast in beauty and the beast when he was cursed