Looks like the best character to portray Belle's brainless but gorgeous suitor Gaston, has been found!

Luke Evans, who was last seen on the big screen for his role as Bard in the The Hobbit series, is currently in talks to play the part of the fine-looking villain in Disney's upcoming live-action "Beauty and the Beast." The Wrap and Variety first reported the exciting news on Wednesday. While Luke has tweeted a link to the report, representatives from Walt Disney has not yet released an official statement.

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The Wrap revealed that Eddie Redmayne, who just recently took home an Oscar for his portrayal of Stephen Hawking in the movie The Theory of Everything, was the first choice to play Gaston, however, he passed and gave Luke the opportunity to nab the role.

24-year old Emma Watson, who has been cast to play the lead role, Belle, announced the exciting news last January and even joked that she needs to start on some singing lessons.

Luke, a Welsh actor and singer, is also well known for her roles in blockbuster films such as Fast & Furious 6 and Dracula Untold. He also has experience in musical theater as he has starred in a lot of U.K. and London productions including Rent, Miss Saigon and Avenue Q. 

Bill Condon, the director of Breaking Dawn Parts 1 and 2, is set to direct the new Beauty and the Beast movie--a movie considered to be one of Disney's most popular flicks of all time. 

The original animated movie released in 1991 bagged several Oscar awards including Best Music, Original Score, Best Music, Original Song and Golden Globe awards including Best Motion Picture--Musical or Comedy and Best Original Song-Motion Picture.

The film was also nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, marking the first time in history an animated movie got nominated for that category. Unfortunately though, it lost to the thriller The Silence of the Lambs which starred Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins.

Disney's plan to make a live-action movie of Beauty and the Beast was publicly announced in June of last year, shortly after they released Maleficent. Disney also plans to create a live-action movie of The Jungle Book, while the live-action version of Cinderella is set to premiere on March 13.

TagsLuke Evans, Live-Action Beauty and the Beast, beauty and the beast, Luke Evans Joins Beauty and the Beast