Belle French

"You are a hero who helped your people. You're a beautiful woman who loved an ugly man. Really, really loved me. You find goodness in others. And when it's not there, you create it. You make me want to go back. Back to the best version of me. And that never happened before. So when you look in the mirror and you don't know who you are, that's who you are."

- Mr. Gold to Belle French

Belle French, also known as Mrs. Gold and briefly known as Lacey, is a character on ABC's Once Upon a Time. She débuts in the twelfth episode of the first season. She is portrayed by starring cast member Emilie de Ravin, and is the Storybrooke counterpart of Belle.

Trivia
|-|Character Notes=

Etymology

 * Belle's last name, French, is a nod to the French origin of the fairytale, Beauty and the Beast.

Character Notes

 * Like Disney's adaptation of the same character, Belle is interested in books and is given access to a library by her love interest.
 * Belle can read and understand Chinese.
 * Belle is the only character who lost some of her memories in all seasons of the show.


 * -|Production Notes=

Production Notes

 * Belle was put under a Sleeping Curse in "Ruby Slippers", so that Emilie de Ravin could go on maternity leave.


 * -|Cultural References=

Disney

 * During their honeymoon, Belle and Mr. Gold dress in similar clothes as their counterparts in the dance scene from Disney's Beauty and the Beast. They also dance to an instrumental version of the title song.
 * Belle receives a rose from Will Scarlet, a reference to Beauty and the Beast.

Lost

 * In the hospital, Belle is watching Exposé, a fictional television show featured on TV series Lost.

Popular Culture

 * Lacey wonders if Mr. Gold likes Van Halen, a reference to the famous rock band.
 * Lacey also asks Mr. Gold if he's a "Hagar man"; a reference to American rock vocalist Sammy Hagar.


 * -|Set Notes=

Props Notes

 * The box that Belle opens in Hook's ship contains gold coins and a bell.

Costume Notes

 * The necklace Mr. Gold procures out of thin air and gives to Lacey is the same necklace from Belle's nightmare in "The Crocodile".
 * When Belle is searching for the Snow Queen, she is is wearing a dagger-printed scarf, a reference to the Dark One's Dagger.

Appearances
Note: "Archive" denotes archive footage.