Emma Watson with puffy, pre-CGI ‘Beast’ is the new toast of the internet

I finally can say that @thatdanstevens and I have the same body shape. pic.twitter.com/Yfaj5PydRx

— Perkins (@theonewitheone) May 24, 2017

Not many fans recognized English actor Dan Stevens during his stint as the prince-turned-creature Beast in the live-action “Beauty and the Beast” film last March.

The 34-year-old “Downtown Abbey” star was almost unidentifiable for the role, as he was immersed in an ambitious mix of motion-capture and CGI (computer-generated imagery) technology almost the entire movie.

However, newly-released behind-the-scenes videos of Stevens donning a Lycra motion-capture suit—while standing on stilts—have been recently shared by countless netizens online.

As seen in a series of short clips, Stevens, clad in the puffy, odd-looking attire, awkwardly held Belle’s (Emma Watson) hand as they walked down a flight of stairs during their dancing scene.

“I finally can say that @thatdanstevens and I have the same body shape,” Twitter user @theonewitheone captioned the hilarious clip.

Best thing ever! I now want to watch the whole movie with @thatdanstevens just in the ugly suit. Love this movie more and more daily. pic.twitter.com/oXKQgZ077b

— Harlee (@albionscastle) May 24, 2017

Meanwhile, Watson, who’s no stranger to CGI, was a consummate professional and kept a straight face throughout the clip, an MTV report pointed out.

Stevens’ struggles was all worth it, as “Beauty and the Beast” raked in over $1.2 billion worldwide, and is currently the highest-grossing film of 2017. Khristian Ibarrola/JB

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