Everyone has their favorite Disney character. With such a large cast and quantity, it's almost impossible not to. From Snow White to Nick Wilde, die-hard and casual fans alike have their selection of animated friends to enjoy and admire. But what they might not know is that some of these famous faces came about through unconventional means.
They might have been based on real people, and accidental creation or just a clever idea that started small and grew into something flashed out. Whatever the reason, Disney fandom is certainly glad these characters exist, despite how unorthodox they might have originated.
10 Getting In Shape
The characters of Pixar's Inside Out have a reputation of being some of the most difficult characters to animate. That being said, it's quite remarkable to know that these characters were first spawned by very simple shapes.
Each of Riley's emotions has a basic shape that coordinates with their personality. Joy is a star, Sadness is a teardrop, Anger is a brick, Disgust is a piece of broccoli, and Fear is a frayed nerve. A simple concept, but one that expresses a whole lot of character.
9 The Genie Was Almost Entirely Improvised
This one should be a little bit of a no-brainer, but Robin Williams heavily inspired the animated antics of Aladdin's Genie. What fans might not know is just how far the comedian went in the creation of the character.
Nearly every bit of dialogue, every joke, every impression, and every pop culture reference came not from the script, but the mad genius of Robin Williams himself. In fact, he improvised nearly 16 hours of dialogue for the character! Talk about an incredible talent.
8 So Was The “Luau!” Bit
Timon and Pumbaa originally weren't supposed to be in The Lion King but without them, the luau distraction wouldn't exist. What began as a flood line from Nathan Lane soon turned into a comedic break amongst the tension on Pride Rock.
Improvised by the film's directors, this gag was nearly cut from the film if it wasn't for some spot-on comedic timing. Honestly, it's one of the duo's best moments in the film.
7 Is Pumbaa Pregnant?
The inspiration behind everyone's favorite warthog is quite endearing. While some Disney characters take inspiration from their voice actors or other celebrities, Pumbaa hit a little closer to home for his animator, Tony Bancroft.
In an interview, Bancroft stated that Pumbaa's belly-rubbing tick was inspired by his then-pregnant wife. A cute sentiment to give the character a more human-like quality, but perhaps not the most flattering character to be compared to.
6 Stitch Was Once A Children’s Book Character
Chris Sanders is an animator with an interesting history with the Disney company, having worked on several projects including various members of the Disney Renaissance. But his greatest contribution to the studio has to be a certain blue ball of trouble from outer space.
Stitch actually existed long before his film was greenlit, but in the form of an unpublished book by his creator and voice actor. The original pitch and illustrations can still be viewed here for further reading.
5 A Real Mad Tea Party
In the early days of Walt Disney Pictures, animators would often use live actors to help create their scenes, characters, and so on. A fine example of this is nearly the entirety of the unbirthday party scene in Alice in Wonderland. Elements of the entire performance helped shape Alice, the Mad Hatter, and the March Hare
Kathryn Beaumont, Ed Wynn, and Jerry Colona were put on a soundstage and essentially act it out the entirety of the sequence as their characters. The animators simply did the rest.
4 The Beatles and the Vultures
With their Liverpool accents, mop-top hair cuts, and familiar harmonies, the vultures were clearly inspired by The Beatles. The Beatles' influence of the vultures in The Jungle Book goes a lot farther than just appearances. In fact, Disney wanted the band themselves to make an appearance.
As magnificent as that crossover might have been, it was ultimately not to be. Due to scheduling conflicts and, reportedly, John Lennon's dismissal, The Beatles passed on the opportunity.
3 Bela on Bald Mountain
Fantasia's Night on Bald Mountain sequence is one of the most frightening animationa ever put to film. But there's probably another reason for that being the case. During the film's development, Walt Disney Pictures invited horror legend, Bela Lugosi, to be the character model for Chernabog, Bald Mountain's resident demon.
Lugosi did in fact pose for the character modeling, however, that footage was deemed unusable by the sequence's director. But if one looks at Chernabog's face and hands, there's definitely something Dracula-eque about them.
2 The Many Faces of John Culhane
John Culhane was an animation historian and writer who did a lot of work for the Disney Company. He was such a friend to the studio that he inspired not one, but two different characters with his red hair, mustache, and thick glasses.
His most obvious caricature is that of Madame Medusa's lackey, Mr. Snoops, from The Rescuers, and a character called "Flying John" from Fantasia 2000's "Rhapsody in Blue." Talk about leaving a great impression.
1 That Disney Magic
Of course, Walt Disney himself was no stranger to inspiring different animated characters. Ever the big personality, two of the biggest names Walt appropriately, yet unwittingly, inspired were two conjurers of literal Disney magic.
Fantasia's Yen Sid carried Walt's infamous glare, and Merlin of The Sword in the Stone was brought to life by his facial expressions and lanky frame. How fitting that a wizard of the animation industry would be forever immortalized as a pair of animated wizards.
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