50+ Disney Characters that Are Based on Real People

The fairy tale Sleeping Beauty came out in 1959 and gave us one of the most recognizable villains of all time, Maleficent. With her dark cape and horn, Maleficent was what nightmares are made of. An interesting fact is that Maleficent is based on the same actress who voiced Cinderella’s stepmother. Can you notice the resemblance?

Eleanor Audley had earned herself the nickname “Queen of Evil” during the 1950s because of her antagonistic roles. Not only did they use her voice for these characters, but her facial expressions, features, and gestures were also taken into account during the production of the characters.