Beauty and the Beast: The Fascinating True Story of Pedro Gonzalez #movie

The story that inspired the fairy tale "Beauty and the Beast" has its roots in real life. It is connected to the life of a man named Pedro Gonzalez, born on the island of Tenerife (Canary Islands) in 1537.
Pedro suffered from a rare genetic condition known as hypertrichosis, or "werewolf syndrome," which caused his entire body, including his face, to be covered in thick hair.

At the age of ten, French corsairs gifted the "wild man" to King Henry II in a cage as part of his coronation celebrations. The French king kept a "wild circus" that included dwarfs and Moors, as owning people with unique physical conditions was seen as a symbol of high status at the time. However, to the court's surprise, Pedro proved to be an educated, intelligent, and noble man. Impressed, the king granted him a place at court and the opportunity to receive a good education.

Queen Catherine de' Medici, seeking amusement, decided to marry the 35-year-old Gonzalez to her beautiful maid, Mademoiselle Catherine Raffelin. Catherine only saw her husband for the first time on their wedding day.

Contrary to expectations, their union turned out to be happy and filled with mutual understanding.
Pedro and Catherine had seven children, four of whom inherited their father’s genetic condition.
The Duke of Ranuccio sold all the children who inherited hypertrichosis to various royal courts across Europe.

The story of Pedro and Catherine drew the attention of artists and writers of the time. Their life became the basis for many tales about love that transcends appearances. The most famous of these is "Beauty and the Beast."

#moviefacts #film