Emma Watson Discusses Rumors Surrounding Her Almost Casting in LA LA LAND

Emma Watson has been a headliner in news cycles recently with her upcoming appearance in the highly anticipated Disney live-action remake of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, but her name has also floated around rumors concerning the award-winning film LA LA LAND.

Entertainment Weekly sat down with Watson who addressed these rumors. The actress says that it is true that she was among the contenders for the leading role in LA LA LAND, but she says she had already been committed to BEAUTY AND THE BEAST for years.

She says while she appreciates musicals and had an interest, she knew she had a great deal of work ahead of her to prep for the role of Belle. "I knew I had horse training, I knew I had dancing, I knew I had three months of singing ahead of me, and I knew I had to be in London to really do that," said Watson. "And this wasn't a movie I could just kind of parachute into. I knew I had to do the work, and I had to be where I had to be. So scheduling conflict-wise, it just didn't work out."

Director Damien Chazelle has also addressed these pre-production rumors saying casting was constantly up in the air, as was the question of the film itself. "It was part of the up and down of this movie: that we were about to make it, we were about to not make it, about to make it, about to not make it."

Despite not being attached to the film, the ever artistically appreciative Watson says "I'm so thrilled that musicals are so celebrated at the moment, that they seem to be back in the zeitgeist, and that people are celebrating and loving music and singing and dancing again."

Read EW's full article here or watch the video: