12 Cartoon Characters Whose Inspiration Were Real-Life People

Cartoons have both negative and positive impacts on children, says a study. The positive is said to be an ease in expanding their vocabulary, while the negative is a higher tendency to be aggressive towards siblings or friends. Despite all of this, most of us have grown up watching animated movies and TV shows and still do to this day. They’re amusing and even magical sometimes, but what we didn’t know is that many were loosely or entirely based on real people.

1. Ariel — Alyssa Milano

When the creative brains of Disney began to design the character of Ariel for The Little Mermaid, they wanted to portray the image of a beautiful, sweet, and contemporary young woman, so they used Alyssa Milano for inspiration.

During an interview, the actress revealed that she wasn’t aware of this, at least not when the character was being produced. Later on, however, she was invited to present a documentary where the producers showed how the movie was made. It was then that she discovered that Ariel was based on her. The creators of the tape had used pictures of her during her teens to recreate the unforgettable mermaid.

2. Jessica Rabbit — Rita Hayworth

The bombshell of Who Framed Roger Rabbit? became an icon due to her portrayal in the film and her stunning figure. But her appearance wasn’t just a matter of luck: Jessica Rabbit was based on the beautiful actress Rita Hayworth.

At the beginning of the character design, the writer Gary K. Wolf based her on the dancer of the animated short film Red Hot Riding Hood, created by Tex Avery. However, during the production of the movie, Jessica Rabbit’s image shifted. This shift was inspired by several actresses, but mostly by Rita. Richard Williams, the director of animation for the film, said he tried to make the character look similar to Hayworth, but with Veronica Lake’s hair.

3. Belle — Vivien Leigh

Belle is an intelligent and beautiful character whose main features were inspired by many famous women and characters. Jo March, the character of actress Katharine Hepburn, gave Belle her strength and love for books. Belle’s elegance is based on impressionist Edgar Degas’ ballerinas and her European facial features were taken from actresses Vivien Leigh and Audrey Hepburn.

4. Edna Moda — Linda Hunt

It’s believed that the story of Edna, the character in The Incredibles, was originally based on the life of fashion designer Edith Head. However, the character has an almost perfect resemblance to actress Linda Hunt.

5. Chuckie Finster — Mark Mothersbaugh

Mark Mothersbaugh is an American singer, songwriter, composer, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, author, and visual artist. Not only did he create Rugrats’ memorable soundtracks, but also inspired the design of Chucky, one of the show’s main characters.

6. Dr. Facilier — Michael Jackson

Dr. Facilier, the villain in the movie The Princess and the Frog, was based on Michael Jackson. The strong resemblance between the 2 is not only evident in his slim figure and choice of clothes, but also in the choreography Dr. Facilier’s character performs throughout the film. The mannerisms and postures are the same as those the “King of Pop” used to display.

7. Ursula — Divine

Harris Glenn Milstead, also known as Divine, was a distinguished American actor and drag queen who served as inspiration for creating the evil Ursula from The Little Mermaid. His shows and presentations were critical for shaping the features, stunning style, and personality of the villain.

8. Cruella de Vil — Tallulah Bankhead

The animated version of Cruella de Vil appeared for the first time on screen in the 1961 movie A Hundred and One Dalmatians. In the film, Betty Lou Gerson gave voice to the iconic villain. However, Marc Davis, the head of animation, had to create Cruella from scratch, so he and his team relied on the personality and gestures of Tallulah Bankhead to design her.

9. Snow White — Marge Champion

Marge Champion was one of the most emblematic dancers of the twentieth century. When she was only 14, the young artist auditioned for the role of Snow White. Her job was to recreate the character’s scenes in front of the animators. In doing so, however, she was asked to keep the elegance and delicate movements of her dancing experience that also characterized the princess.

One of the reasons why Marge got the role was because of her father. She had an exceptional talent for dancing and acting, but was also raised and behaved like royalty. Ernest Belcher, Marge’s dad, taught her to bow and regularly behave very delicately. Her upbringing allowed her to get the role because her gestures and postures were similar to those the producers wanted for Snow White.

10. Milhouse — Paul Pfeiffer

Milhouse Van Houten is a caricature of Paul Pfeiffer (a character in the series The Wonder Years played by Josh Saviano). Both are the best friends of their show’s main characters, have the same hairstyle, prominent noses, and glasses. The characters serve the same character purpose — to stand by their best friends’ respective sides through thick and thin.

11. Scat Cat — Louis Armstrong

Scat Cat from The Aristocats was a role originally written for Louis Armstrong, the distinguished jazz singer and trumpeter. The idea was that he would give voice to the popular cat, which was originally going to be named Satchmo the Cat.

Unfortunately, because of unexpected health problems, Armstrong couldn’t be part of the project. This forced the filmmakers to replace him with the musician Scatman Crothers. For this reason, they renamed the character Scat Cat, and wrote a new song for him that Crothers performed.

12. The Mad Hatter — Ed Wynn

The Mad Hatter is one of Alice’s most distinctive and unique characters in Alice in Wonderland. In the film, the Hatter was inspired by the gestures, appearance, and personality of the actor Ed Wynn. He was also the voice behind the character, so it’s fair to say that he served as a perfect model for the animators to use to design the Hatter.

Which character on the list surprised you the most? Do you know any other cartoon characters that were inspired by real people? Tell us in the comments!