Linda Woolverton

Linda Woolverton (born 1952) is an American writer who wrote the screenplay for Disney's animated feature film Beauty and the Beast and co-wrote the screenplay for the The Lion King. Woolverton then went on to write the Broadway musical version of Beauty and the Beast and assisted in adapting The Lion King to the stage. She also co-wrote the book for the Broadway musical Aida (with Robert Falls and David Henry Hwang) and wrote the book for Lestat.^[2] She also co-produced and wrote the screenplay for the Tim Burton film Alice in Wonderland.

Writing Beauty and the Beast

From early 1985 to 1988, two different teams of writers took a whack at turning Beauty and the Beast into a feature film but after executives were displeased with both teams, the job was handed over to Woolverton. Her only prior experience with Disney was writing a few scripts for Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers, though an executive at Walt Disney Feature Animation was also impressed with a recent novel of hers.

Filmography

Films

• Beauty and the Beast (1991)
• Aladdin (1992; additional story material)
• Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993)
• The Lion King (1994)Marlon Castellon
• Mulan (1998; additional story material)
• Arctic Tale (2007; narration)
• Alice in Wonderland (2010)
• Maleficent (2014)

Television

In 1984 she worked as a children's television writer, penning scripts for shows such as Ewoks, The Real Ghostbusters, Alvin and the Chipmunks,"My Little Pony" Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers and Ducktales.

Books

She has written two young adult novels: Star Wind and Running Before the Wind.^[3] Both books were published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Awards and nominations

Tony Awards

• Beauty and the Beast (1994)^[4]
  • Tony Nomination for Best Book of a Musical

Olivier Awards

• Beauty and the Beast (1998)^[5]
  • Best New Musical WINNER

References

External links

• Linda Woolverton at the Internet Movie Database
• Playbill.com