The heroes and heroines of our favorite Disney movies will forever be associated with magic, fantasy, and even perfection in our minds. It’s kind of crazy to think that their looks and mannerisms, at least, were actually based on real people.
A crazy fact that most Disney fans don’t realize about the making of the most popular Disney animations is that, over the years, quite a few well-known figures in Hollywood have provided the inspiration for the main characters in both overrated and underrated Disney films. And when you look at photos of the real-life inspirations behind our favorite Disney characters, the resemblance is often uncanny. Keep reading to find out which real people inspired the most iconic Disney characters and what they looked like.
15 Snow White Was Based On ‘30s Actress Marge Champion
Marge Champion was a famous actress in the 1930s and ‘40s whose star quality won her the chance to inspire Snow White, Disney’s very first princess for Disney’s very first feature-length animation in 1937. After she completed her work on Snow White, Champion served as the live-action model for the Blue Fairy in Pinocchio.
14 Ariel Was Inspired By Alyssa Milano
Can you see the resemblance between Ariel and Alyssa Milano? The former Charmed star served as the main inspiration for the red-headed mermaid. At the time that the animators began drawing Ariel, Alyssa Milano was a rising star on the sitcom Who’s the Boss. They copied her face structure and petite frame, although they chose to give Ariel ginger hair instead of Milano’s brunette.
13 Ursula Was Based On Divine, A Drag Queen From The 1970s
Ariel wasn’t the only Little Mermaid character who was based on a real person. The villain of the story, Ursula the Sea Witch, was actually inspired by a drag queen who was extremely popular in the 1970s called Divine. Divine never got to see her likeness in the film since she sadly passed away in 1988, just before its 1989 release.
12 Tom Cruise Was The Inspiration Behind Aladdin
One of the most surprising real people who inspired one of our favorite cartoon characters is Tom Cruise. Originally, Aladdin was nowhere near as ruggedly handsome. But when Disney decided that he needed to be more appealing, they designed him again, basing his look on Tom Cruise and a few Calvin Klein models.
11 Princess Jasmine Was Based On Jennifer Connelly
Princess Jasmine is one of the most iconic Disney princesses. According to People, to get her look right, the animators wanted to base her on a real-life beauty and so they went with actress Jennifer Connelly. Although the two don’t have all the same features, with Jasmine having a darker complexion, the resemblance is still easy to spot.
10 Native American Actress Irene Bedard Voiced And Inspired Pocahontas
Native American actress Irene Bedard not only provided the voice of Pocahontas, but she also inspired the look of the memorable Disney character. When you look at photos of Bedard, you can tell that the animators didn’t deviate much from her features at all. These two totally look like twins!
9 Hans Conried Was Captain Hook’s Twin
There are quite a few Disney characters who were inspired by the actors who voiced them. In addition to lending his vocal talent to Captain Hook in Peter Pan, Hans Conried also served as the live-action model on which he was based. Following the tradition of the theatrical productions of Peter Pan, Conried also played the role of Mr. Darling.
8 Eleanor Audley’s Tall, Thin Frame Inspired Maleficent And Lady Tremaine
Out of the Disney villains, Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty has gone down in history as the most terrifying. The actress who provided her voice, Eleanor Audley, also inspired the tall, lean frame of the character. Similarly, she voiced and inspired the look of Lady Tremaine, the evil stepmother of Cinderella.
7 It Was Margaret Kerry, Not Marilyn Monroe, Who Inspired Tinkerbell
A persistent old rumor from Hollywood claimed that ‘50s icon Marilyn Monroe inspired the look of Tinkerbell, Peter Pan’s pixie companion. But internet sources confirm that it was actually Margaret Kerry, the American actress and radio host, who served as the live model and inspiration behind Disney’s most famous fairy.
6 Sherri Stoner Is A Disney Writer Who Became Belle
Sherri Stoner started out at Disney as a writer and producer. But she soon became one of the rare real-life people who inspired the Disney characters we know and love. After noticing her enticing look, the animators decided to base the role of Belle from Beauty and the Beaston Stoner.
5 Genie Really Was Drawn To Look Like Robin Williams
The late Robin Williams was one of the most famous actors to ever voice a Disney character. But did you know that he also inspired the Genie’s look? If you look closely at the Genie in Aladdin, you’ll notice that he has a similar nose to Williams, and is even shown to dress similarly to him in certain scenes.
4 Scat Cat Is Supposed To Resemble Louis Armstrong
The character of Scat Cat in The Aristocats was originally written for Louis Armstrong. We can see evidence of this through his love of the trumpet and his general mannerisms. Sadly, Armstrong fell ill before he could take on the role, so it went to Scatman Crothers. After the casting changed, Scatcat’s design also changed slightly to incorporate the new musician voicing him.
3 Cinderella And Princess Aurora Were Based On Voice Actress Helene Stanley
You might have noticed similarities between Cinderella and Princess Aurora, two of Disney’s earliest princesses. The thin, willowy, blonde princesses might have been voiced by two different actresses, but their looks were inspired by the same actress, Helene Stanley. Later, Stanley served as the inspiration for Anita Radcliffe in One Hundred and One Dalmatians.
2 Child Actor Bobby Driscoll Inspired The Look Of Peter Pan
When it came time to find inspiration for Peter Pan, Disney animators looked no further than Bobby Driscoll, one of the most popular child actors at the time. He was known for displaying a boyish charm, which Disney thought captured the spirit of Peter perfectly. Driscoll also won starring roles in several Disney live-action films.
1 The Beatles Inspired The Vultures In The Jungle Book
It’s not difficult to see the resemblance between the vultures from The Jungle Book who speak with Liverpool accents and the Beatles. The famous quartet not only inspired the look and mannerisms of the vultures but was also asked to voice them. John Lennon wasn’t keen on the idea, but that didn’t stop the birds from resembling the Beatles anyway.