From Animation to Live-Action: How Disney Changed Its Leading Ladies

On December 21, 1937, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” premiered at the Carthay Circle Theatre in Los Angeles, ushering in the first movie in what would become one of cinema’s most iconic slate of films. Over 80 years later, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures dominates the film industry, owning several of the world’s largest franchises and continuing to innovate its practices. Even so, there are some criticisms of their earlier work that they’ve had to reckon with. “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” was the first full-length cel-animated feature, and upon release it was instantly acclaimed as a landmark achievement with stunning visuals and memorable songs - even earning an honorary Oscar. However, despite this praise, even the movie’s biggest fans would be hard-pressed to call its protagonist a complex character. Disney would continue its tradition of instant classics with underdeveloped female protagonists with “Cinderella” and “Sleeping Beauty” in the 1950s. To be clear, this isn’t to deride the films for their obvious merit, but to bring attention to the fact that all three of these girls didn’t really have many desires beyond finding a prince or escaping a stepmother — and even then she didn’t play a very active role in reaching those goals. When it comes to live-action movies in the early era of Disney’s filmography, there aren’t a lot of female protagonists to speak of. Some of the more notable examples include 1960’s “Pollyanna” and 1961’s “The Parent Trap,” which is probably better known for its 1998 remake. One of the crowning achievements of Walt Disney’s career was his musical adaptation of “Mary Poppins” in 1964. The stern, loving, self-assured nanny was brought to such vivid life that when the character returned in 2018, she didn’t need much retooling. During the Disney Renaissance from 1989-1999, the company’s animated heroines began playing much more active roles in their stories. The era introduced such legendary characters as Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Pocahontas, and Mulan. These princesses are a far cry from their predecessors: they actively shape the plot and they each have distinct personalities and motivations. Although they still received some criticism for feeding into the stereotypes, their courage and heroism shone through and helped them age much more gracefully than the original crew. This era also served as a transition into a more dynamic offering of live action heroines, beginning with the unforgettable “Hocus Pocus.” The 2000s offered such films as “The Princess Diaries,” “The Lizzie McGuire Movie,” “Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen,” and “Ice Princess.” While these movies deserve credit for putting young girls front and center, it was pretty transparent that they were playing it safe by focusing on stereotypical subject matter to attract young girls to theaters. It was a step in the right direction, but what the company needed was something that was a bit more risky. The company was certainly aware of these criticisms, and when discussing the evolution of the Disney heroine, a crucial turning point in their portrayals might come as a surprise. In 2007, Disney released “Enchanted,” which tells the story of Giselle, an animated princess longing for her prince who suddenly finds herself in the rough-and-tumble world of New York City. The movie was a surprise hit among critics and audiences, who loved Disney’s ability to poke fun at its own brand while subverting the traditional princess narrative. After entering the real world, Giselle becomes a well-rounded character who takes her fate into her own hands, and Disney fans ate it up. “Enchanted” opened the door for Disney to address criticisms of their previous works while updating them for modern audiences. With the trend of live-action remakes that soon followed, they took the opportunity to move forward. In 2010, “Alice in Wonderland” was released as a reimagining of the 1951 film. Part remake and part sequel, the film used the opportunity to transform Alice from a young girl wandering alone a strange land into a young woman who finds meaning from her destiny as a dragon-slaying saviour. After the movie grossed over a billion dollars, the company saw an opportunity, and followed it up with 2014’s “Maleficent.” “Maleficent” is unique among the remakes, refocusing its narrative on the character who was actually the villain in “Sleeping Beauty”. It provides her with greater motivation than in her 1959 outing, where she was simply upset about not being invited to a party, and makes her a more well-rounded character - turning her into a morally ambiguous antihero. Additionally, Sleeping Beauty herself gets more characterization, after notoriously only receiving eighteen lines of dialogue in her own movie 55 years earlier. Here, she develops a mother-daughter bond with her original nemesis, giving her an inner-conflict and recontextualizing the story into one about the strength of female relationships. Following “Maleficent” was “Cinderella,” which hewed pretty close to its animated counterpart, but with a few key changes. First, Ella is given motivation by her mother’s death: to have courage and be kind. Second, Ella and the Prince meet each other before the ball, allowing them more time to bond. This contrasts with the original film, where they only spend a few hours together before falling in love. Third, Lady Tremaine is positioned as a more direct antagonist to Cinderella’s actions, as she attempts to blackmail the heroine. Ella refuses, risking her own happiness for the good of the kingdom, giving her a much-needed backbone. Finally, she forgives Lady Tremaine at the end, reinforcing the characteristics that were established at the beginning. Here, the remake uses its longer running time to add depth to both the well-known story and its recognizable protagonist. Next came “Beauty and the Beast,” where Emma Watson traded one iconic bookworm for another in the first remake that remained a musical. 2017 Belle remained pretty similar to her spirited 1991 iteration, although in the remake she follows in her father’s footsteps as an inventor. She also shares her passion for literature with a young girl, despite the misgivings of the provincial town. Watson capably portrays Belle’s inner strength while never disregarding her empathetic nature, bridging the gap between animation and live-action with grace. 2019 brought us the remakes of both “Aladdin” and “The Lion King,” and while neither of them have female protagonists, they’re both worth discussing here. In the live-action “Aladdin,” Jasmine’s rebellious streak comes from her frustration with Agrabah tradition, which won’t allow her to become sultan. After proving her bravery - and getting her own new song - her father allows her to overturn the law and become a sultana. As for “The Lion King,” Nala was given a rivalry subplot with Shenzi which resulted in a fight scene that wasn’t in the original, as well as casting Beyonce herself to play her. Need we say more? In addition to the changes made to these characters in the remakes, it’s clear that Disney has applied these sensibilities to its latest original characters, from Tiana’s ambition to Elsa’s vulnerability to Moana’s strength. They even gave us the first female lead in a “Star Wars” film with Rey, a plucky scavenger whose destiny is more than it seems. And with “Captain Marvel” and “Black Widow,” women are finally being given starring roles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In conclusion, although the past left something to be desired in Disney’s princesses, the future looks brighter than ever for their new and future leading ladies.