10 Disney Villains Inspired By Real People

Welcome to MsMojo, and today were looking at Disney villains whose appearance, story, or personality were influenced by real, though not necessarily villainous, people.

King Candy

Wreck-It Ralph (2012)

Early in this films development, filmmakers were unsure of what final form their villain would take. Looking back in Disney history for inspiration, they found their muse in comedic actor Ed Wynn, who voiced the Mad Hatter in 1951s Alice in Wonderland and played Uncle Albert in Mary Poppins. King Candys appearance was based on both Wynn and the Mad Hatter, and his distinctive voice was expertly captured by voice actor Alan Tudyk. Though Wynn was nothing close to villainous himself, he would have absolutely nailed a role as delightfully deranged as King Candy. More than an inspiration, this villain is an homage to this Disney legend.

Tamatoa

Moana (2016)

The passing of David Bowie in 2016 sent millions of music lovers into mourning, including Moanas soundtrack co-writer, Lin-Manuel Miranda. When creating the song Shiny for the giant villainous crab Tamatoa, Miranda decided a tribute to Bowie would be fitting for this glamorous decapod. Tamatoas voice actor, Jermaine Clement, had previously paid tribute to Bowie with his comedy duo Flight of the Conchords, which further inspired Mirandas decision. The result is a fabulously evil glam rock song sung by a character who, despite his ill-intentions, you have to admit is a spectacular performer. Another hint to Tamatoas inspiration is his eyes. The pupils are two different sizes, just like Bowies were.

Jafar

Aladdin (1992)

This animated film was heavily inspired by the 1940 film The Thief of Bagdad, which was similarly based on the stories of One Thousand and One Nights. The Thief of Bagdad also featured a villainous vizier named Jaffar, played by German actor Conrad Veidt. Veidts striking features and severe appearance influenced the look of Disneys Jafar, who was drawn to purposefully contrast the other, softer looking characters in the film. As a result, Jafars dramatic and sinister appearance has a distinctly Old Hollywood feel. Though he might have been the inspiration for Jafars evil looks, Conrad Veidt was anything but. A vocal opponent of Nazism and antisemitism, Veidt fled Germany in 1933 and starred in several anti-Nazi films.

Scar

The Lion King (1994)

This film is a loose retelling of Shakespeares Hamlet, and therefore this villain is partially inspired by the plays antagonist, King Claudius. When creating Scars character design, however, animators based his appearance on the characters voice actor, Jeremy Irons. That is, as much as an animated lion can be based on a human mans appearance. The Academy Award-winning British actor is an expert in portraying villainous characters; he has the perfect foreboding voice and sinister body language. Irons background in classical theatre and Shakespeare also helped him nab the role in this anthropomorphic adaptation of one of The Bards most famous plays.

Dr. Facilier

The Princess and the Frog (2009)

The Shadow Man of New Orleans has a distinctive design unlike any other Disney villain, and was inspired by a few different sources. Baron Samedi, a spirit in Haitian Vodou mythology, lends Dr. Facilier his signature top hat, black tailcoat, and imposing skull mask. Faciliers long, thin limbs and smooth dance moves were inspired by those of Michael Jackson. Watch him closely as he dances and youll see some of the King of Pops signature moves. Animators wanted the character to move gracefully across the screen to show how Facilier hypnotically lures in his victims with his smooth-talking. Jackson hypnotized audiences throughout his career with his dancing, making him a fitting inspiration for this character.

Cruella De Vil

101 Dalmatians (1961)

One of the most diabolical villains in all of Disney history, Cruella De Vil is rotten to the core and inspired by one of the most legendary starlets youve never heard of. Tallulah Bankhead was the daughter of a prominent politician who dedicated her life to hedonism and the pursuit of attention. Bankheads thin physique, high arched eyebrows, and chain smoking habit became distinctive characteristics of Cruella as well. Bankhead was also known for terrorizing the streets of London with her reckless driving, a trait which was also borrowed for Cruella. Bankheads overindulgent lifestyle eventually led to a decline in her health, which cost her several major film roles. Even so, her legacy lives on in this classic Disney character.

Maleficent

Sleeping Beauty (1959)

Eleanor Audley, with her clear, commanding voice, was the perfect choice to play this intimidating Disney villain. In real life, Audley was a dignified, confident, and imposing woman who instantly earned the respect of those around her. Maleficents character design was modeled after Audleys sharp features and expressive eyes, but she wasnt the first Disney villain to take inspiration from this actress. Lady Tremaine, the evil stepmother from Cinderella, was also voiced by Audley and designed to mimic her appearance. Once you see how similar these two characters look, you can never unsee it. At least now you know exactly why they look so alike.

Ursula

The Little Mermaid (1989)

It wasnt until 2023 that Disney finally confirmed the long-speculated inspiration behind the iconic sea witch Ursula. Her dramatic eye makeup, bold jewelry, body type, and boundless confidence were all clear indicators that Ursula was based on drag legend Divine. Otherwise known as Harris Glenn Milstead, the icon was famous for his appearances in several films by John Waters, including the original version of Hairspray as Edna Turnblad. Sadly, Divine passed away before he was able to see himself in Disney villain form. Though there has been some debate over Disneys characterization of a drag queen as a villain, those close to Divine have said he would have loved the character.

Charles F. Muntz

Up (2009)

This character is an amalgamation of several real life people, including one that could be considered an actual Disney villain. Muntzs aviation adventurer look is inspired by real life celebrity aviator Charles Lindbergh, who often sported a similar jacket and flight goggles. Walt Disney himself also served as inspiration for Muntz, particularly for his adventurous spirit. Most interestingly however is how similar his name sounds to Charles Mintz. In 1928, Charles Mintz stole the rights to Walt Disneys first successful cartoon character, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. This forced Disney to start from scratch with a new character, a certain mouse you may be

familiar with. Though it ended happily for Disney, clearly Mintz has a longstanding reputation as a true Disney villain.

The Evil Queen

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

As beautiful as she is menacing, Snow Whites Evil Queen is the result of significant development to create the perfect villain for Disneys first feature film. Initially, depictions of the Evil Queen in cartoons portrayed her as ugly and witchlike, but lead animator Art Babbitt realized how much more threatening a beautiful but bitter and jealous queen would be. For her design, Disney animators looked to famous examples of beauty, which at the time were actresses like Joan Crawford, Gale Sondergaard, and Greta Garbo. Animators also took inspiration from a statue of Uta von Ballenstedt in Naumburg Cathedral. She was considered to be the most beautiful woman of the Middle Ages; truly the fairest of them all.

Did any of these entries surprise you? Let us know what other cartoon inspirations we should delve into next!