Who doesn’t love a good game of trivia? This list of Disney villain trivia is so bad that it’s good! Quiz yourself with basic Disney Villain fun facts all the way up to an expert level that will stump even the most hardcore Disney fans.
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The Evil Queen – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
- The Evil Queen had the first spoken line in an animated movie EVER!
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is known as the first ever full-length animated feature film, and despite the movie being all about Snow White, the very first lines from the movie were from the Evil Queen.
“Slave in the magic mirror, come from the farthest space, through wind & darkness I summon thee. Speak! Let me see thy face.” - Who voiced the Evil Queen?
The Evil Queen was voiced by famous silent film actress, Lucille La Verne. - How did the actress who voiced The Evil Queen achieve the voice for the wicked witch?
Lucille La Verne convinced Disney that they didn’t need another actress for the other form of the evil queen. She surprised everyone when she pulled her teeth out and created the voice that we know and fear! - How did the Evil Queen die in the Disney film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs?
In the original story from the Brothers Grimm, the Evil Queen danced herself to death in red hot shoes. Yikes.
In the Disney film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs the Evil Queen dies by falling off a cliff… Or does she?
BONUS FAN THEORY:
Fans are speculating that Snow White’s Evil Queen makes a reappearance in another famous Disney movie. Fans believe that Mother Gothel from Tangled is actually the Evil Queen. You never have confirmation that the Evil Queen is dead, you just see her fall off a cliff.
Think back to the very beginning of Tangled when you see Mother Gothel hoarding the flower when she is in her old form. She looks mighty familiar, right? Also, both Tangled and Snow White take place in Germany, but in different time periods. HOWEVER, to show how old Mother Gothel really is, animators created Mother Gothel’s dress in fashions from 200 years earlier than the rest of the characters in the film. Hmmmm, 200 years prior to the time period is the era of Snow White… Curious. - What inspired the Evil Queen’s appearance?
The Queen’s appearance was inspired by Queen Ayesha from 1935 film She and Princess Kriemhild from 1924 film Die Nibelungen. Her face may have been inspired by Joan Crawford and Gale Sondergaard, while her costume and figure may have been inspired by a Naumburg Cathedral column statue of Uta von Ballenstedt, the most beautiful woman in Medieval Germany. - What is the Evil Queen’s real name?
Animators assigned her the name Queen Grimhilde, which is never said in the film.
Chernabog – Fantasia
- What does Chernabog mean?
Chernabog is a Slavic name meaning for “Black God”. - What is Chernabog?
Chernabog is a nocturnal devil who can take the hearts of restless people. Yikes.
Lady Tremaine – Cinderella
- Who is the actress who voiced Lady Tremaine?
The distinctly evil voice belonged to the famed Eleanor Audley. Her deep voice sounds familiar to other voices, right? Well, that’s because she also voiced another famous villain on this list. - Lady Tremaine in the Disney Parks
Fans of the Haunted Mansion will recognize that the floating Madam Leota in the seance room sounds familiar. Eleanor Audley also lended her talents to this iconic character as well!
BONUS FUN FACT: Originally Madam Leota was portrayed by a beautiful Imagineer, but her voice was too high and sweet to really make the part work, so they brought in Eleanor Audley. You can hear the original voice of the Imagineer at the exit of the ride when the tiny spirit says, “Hurry back, hurray back! Be sure to bring your death certificate…” - Lady Tremaine is one of the few Villains who doesn’t possess any special powers.
Lady Tremaine is unique in the Disney realm because she is not an evil witch or fairy, she’s just cruel.
Queen of Hearts – Alice in Wonderland
- Who is the voice behind the Queen of Hearts?
The Queen of Hearts was voiced by Verna Felton, who was traditionally a “good guy” for Disney! The Queen of Hearts was Felton’s only foray into villains. She is also known for voicing Disney characters such as Flora from Sleeping Beauty and the Fairy Godmother in Cinderella.
Captain Hook – Peter Pan
- Does the voice of Captain Hook sound familiar?
The voice of Captain Hook and the father, George Darling, are one and the same. Yikes, so if it was all a dream, Wendy dreamed her father was the bad guy. - Disney wanted Hook to live.
The relationship between Hook and Tick Tock Croc is hilarious, as that hungry crocodile always has his sights on Hook. Even though Hook is the bad guy and trying to destroy Peter Pan, Walt Disney didn’t want Hook to die. He felt that audiences would be saddened by it, so the story boards were changed for Hook to run away from the crocodile in the end. - What was Peter Pan’s nickname for Captain Hook?
Peter Pan always called Hook a Codfish. - Right hand or left?
In the original story, Hook had lost his right hand and replaced it with a hook, but Disney animators switched it to his left hand because they felt that the loss of the right hand would severely limit his sword fighting abilities against Pan. - Who was Captain Hook and George Darling modeled after?
Both Captain Hook and George Darling were modeled after actor Henry Brandon.
Maleficent – Sleeping Beauty
- Same voice, two different villains.
If the melodic and eerie voice sounds familiar that is because the voice was first introduced to Disney audiences in Cinderella. The same voice actress voices Lady Tremaine in Cinderella and Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty. - Villain Kingdom?
Disney once proposed the idea of a Villains Kingdom adjacent to the Magic Kingdom and Maleficent’s castle was to be the focal point. We’re so sad that this concept never came to fruition, though in 2022 Disney proposed a possible secondary villain concept, but there is no castle in the rendering. - What does Maleficent mean?
The name Maleficent was derived from a Latin word meaning “evil doing”, which feels pretty accurate. - What is Maleficent known as?
The Mistress of Evil. - Animators made Maleficent look as scary as her deeds.
Animators designed her iconic cloak to be reminiscent of bat wings and her horns were loosely designed after depictions of the devil, making her scary, but she is also beautiful… A paradox, for sure. - Maleficent really got into her role.
While recording the lines for Maleficent in the animated movie, Sleeping Beauty, actress Eleanor Audley insisted on wearing a costume to help her get into the role. Funny enough, her costume had a major influence on how the animators designed the character’s look.
Madam Mim – Sword in the Stone
- What does Madam Mim hate above all else?
Sunshine! Sunshine is viewed as joyful and wholesome, which is not Madam Mim’s thing. - What is Madam Mim based on?
In English folklore, there was a porcupine that tried to lure Arthur in and really it was a siren with long purple hair. - Who voiced Madam Mim?
Who was Mad Mad Mad Mad Madam Mim?! It was none other than Martha Wentworth, an actress credited with dozens of roles. She also played Nanny in 101 Dalmatians before her role in the Sword and the Stone.
Her last role before she passed away was actually an uncredited cockney role in Mary Poppins the following year!
Cruella de Vil – 101 Dalmatians
- How many animators did it take to create Cruella de Vil?
While most characters have a couple of animators assigned, Marc Davis was responsible for Cruella all on his own.
BONUS FUN FACT: Marc Davis is a Disney legend that is most known for his animation in Disney films, but did you know that he is also one of the masterminds behind the details of Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion in the parks? - Who was the actress behind the iconic voice of Cruella?
Betty Lou Gerson lent her vocal talents to help create the evil villain, but did you know that she is also the same person who is responsible for the sweet narration of Cinderella?? - Cruella de Vil was used as a source of inspiration for what other Disney villain?
The cruel looking, super skinny, disproportionate style of Cruella de Vil was replicated decades later when Disney created the Princess and the Frog’s villain, Dr. Facillier. - How rich was Cruella de Vil?
She is seen essentially throwing money to the ground and drives a Rolls Royce like someone who doesn’t care about banging out a dent or repairing a scratch, so how much is she worth? Forbes did a fun fluff piece years ago where they calculated fictional characters’ worth based on their assets in the film, and they assessed that Cruella was worth a cool $875 million dollars. That a puppy-ton of money, but still way off of Scrooge McDuck’s fortune. - Live action inspiration
When Disney created Cinderella, they decided to save time and money by recording live people in costumes performing lines from the movie to give animators references and body movements. The actress who portrayed Cruella de Vil as the reference model was Martha Wickes. She is best known as the busybody who works at the inn in White Christmas, and also as the music director in Sister Act. Her final role before her death was another Disney movie, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, where she played one of the statues, Laverne. - No husband for Cruella
While in the movie, she is single, in the original book, Cruella is not only married, she’s married to a furrier! Do you think it’s because she could get a good deal?
It’s also funny because in the live action 101 Dalmatians, Cruella famously said, “More women have been lost to marriage than war.”
Ursula – The Little Mermaid
- What type of creature is Ursula?
Animators didn’t make up the half-human half-octopus combo. She is created after the mythical creature cecaelia, which as you guessed, is half-human and half-octopus. - How many tentacles does Ursula have?
Ursula only has 6 tentacles, but she has 2 arms, so that does total 8… Is it stil an octopus then? There is a rumor that Ursula only had 6 tentacles because the tentacles were the hardest part to animate. - Ursula the Drag Queen.
Ursula’s look was heavily inspired by the Baltimore based drag queen, Divine. Divine passed away the year before the movie premiered, so they did not ever get to see their on screen inspiration. - Who voiced Ursula?
Ursula’s deep and raspy voice was brought to us by Pat Carrol, who also did the singing voice for Ursula. Pat Caroll continued to lend her voice to Ursula every time she made a cameo for Disney over the years.
Pat Caroll passed away in 2022. R.I.P. sea witch. - Who almost voiced Ursula?
Animators originally envisioned the famous Bea Arthur to voice Ursula. Bea Arthur is most famous for her role as Dorothy in the Golden Girls. While Pat Caroll nailed the character, we could totally see the smokey voice of Bea Arthur as Ursula. - Ursula is royalty?
In the anniversary edition of the movie, there is a background song that informs us that Ursula is actually King Triton’s SISTER! No wonder that she’s ticked at Triton!
There’s a backstory there. DISNEY – Give us what we want! Stop doing sequels, (yes, the Little Mermaid has a sequel that no one has ever watched or cared about). We want backstories to the villains! - What does the name Ursula mean?
We think we have found the one detail from Disney that is insignificant, as Ursula is Latin for little female bear… - What blockbuster film inspired the end battle in The Little Mermaid?
DIe Hard. Yup. The famous Bruce Willis film was the inspiration behind that final battle that killed Ursula.
Jafar – Aladdin
- What color are Jafar’s robes?
The robes of the evil villain are a sinister black and red, but originally animators designed a set of blue robes. Apparently, blue wasn’t evil enough. - What does Jafar mean in Arabic?
Jafar’s name literally translates to steam. That seems appropriate since he’s always fuming mad, and simmering beneath the surface. - Sealed with a kiss
Jafar is the only evil Disney villain that was kissed by the protagonist. We’re with you Genie, “yuuuuuck!”. Jasmine really took one for the team there. - What animal did Jafar turn himself into?
When he was a sorcerer, thanks to Genie’s powers, he turned himself into a snake, so we could see how snake-like he could be.
BONUS FUN FACT: Jafar is actually the third Disney villain to transform himself into an animal. First was Maleficent when she transformed into a dragon and then was Madam Mim, once again into a dragon. I always knew it: Reptiles are evil.
Scar – The Lion King
- What is Scar’s real name?
Obviously, he wasn’t born with the scar. His given name was Taka, which is Swahili for wish or want. It’s like his parents knew that he would always covet the throne! - What other Disney character helped to inspire Scar’s final design?
Sher Khan from the Jungle Book is the character that the animators used as a base. Scar is essentially an emaciated Sher Khan. Well, with a mane.
Jafar was also used to inspire the look of Scar. Animators mimicked the long drawn face of Jafar for Scar’s sad and scary features. - Shakespearean influence?
Remember the scene after Scar took power and he was alone with Zazoo? At one point he is holding a skull in his paws and it’s giving off Hamlet vibes. That’s intentional. The voice actor, Jeremy Irons, was classically trained in Shakespearean theater and this was their nod to that.
BONUS FUN FACT: Speaking of that skull!!!! Let’s take a closer look, shall we? Lions are predators, so bones aren’t really a surprise. But what animal owned that skull? Well, did you know that lions eat dead lions? Let it sink in…. Scar killed Mufasa and now he’s playing with a *gulp* lion skull… - What other Disney movie did Scar make a cameo in?
Hercules. This is awkward – Scar was seen with Hercules as a costume because he wasn’t exactly… alive. Yup Hercules was wearing Scar like a cloak!
Ratcliffe – Pocahontas
- Real evil
Ratcliffe is one of 2 Disney villains that is actually based on a real character in history. The other is Prince John. - What other Disney character was voiced by “Ratcliffe”?
Ratcliffe was voiced by David Ogden Stiers, who also voiced Cogsworth in Beauty and the Beast and Jumba in Lilo and Stitch. If you want a real throwback, he also played the Russian mob boss in the 90s Tim Allen movie, Jungle 2 Jungle. - Who else in Pocahontas did David Odgen Stiers play?
Not only did David Ogden Stiers play Ratcliffe in Pocahontas, he also played his flighty servant Wiggins!
Gaston – Beauty and the Beast
- How were animators inspired to animate a man that was “roughly the size of a barge”?
Animators brought in a group of bodybuilders into the studio to study their muscle formation and the ways that their muscles moved. What a day to be in the studio! - Does Gaston die in the end of Beauty and the Beast?
Disney is pretty delicate about how they show, or don’t show death in their movies, but we have a solid clue that Gaston is gone gone. When Gaston begins to fall from the top of the castle you see the iconic death skulls in his pupils. - Who voiced Gaston?
Richard White is not typically a movie actor, and definitely not a voice actor for animation. He spent his career as an opera singer on broadway! - First male villain?
No, Gaston is not the first male villain in general, but Gaston is the first male villain in a Disney movie! We would hazard to say that Gaston wasn’t really the villain – Ignorance and hate was.
Yzma – Emperor’s New Groove
- Yzma, the Cat Woman
We all remember where at the end of the movie Yzma is turned into a cute little kitten, which is the form that she stays in. This is a fun poke to the role that made the character’s actress, Eartha Kitt, famous. She was the original Cat Woman in the Batman series. - The power of purple
Despite the many outfit changes of Yzma in the Emperor’s New Groove, Yzma is most often seen in purple. Purple is considered the color representing madness and conflict in most cultures, and it is also generally associated with magic. - Yzma of the Kingdom of the Sun
The Emperor’s New Groove has gone through a lot of overhauls while in production. For one, the original name was Kingdom of the Sun, but it didn’t do well in the trials, so it was back to the drawing board, changing scenes, the name, and even the characters!
Originally, Yzma was a cat-like diva that was a seductive and sultry diva that was animated in classic model poses. Part of the overhaul was to make her the more comical ancient character who tries to be sexy, but the reality is that her tatas are lower than her waistline.
Hades – Hercules
- Oy vey!
The Yiddish mannerisms that crack us up throughout the movie were inspired by former Disney executive, Jeffrey Katzenburg. - Hades is one of the few villains with historical significance.
Hades is based on the God of the underworld from Greek mythology. It’s fascinating history and legends, but you might be surprised how much liberty Disney took with the movie when you compare it to the myths and stories. - “Guys, guys, relax. It’s only half time.”
Hades spoke this line when he sent Hercules to fight the first monster, but it had a double meaning. This is the exact halfway point in the movie! - James Woods is Hades
Originally the role of Hades was meant to be slow, quiet, and menacing, but James Woods took the role and made it his own. He clearly had fun while reading the lines and the character was transformed. Plus, did you know many of his lines were actually ad-libbed?
Claude Frollo
- Claude Frollo is considered the darkest Disney villain!
How dark is too dark? Well, fans say the Judge clearly crosses the line to the point that there are no redeeming qualities. Other Disney villains have some semblance of good that makes it fun to love the bad guy. - What other Disney villain shares the voice with Judge Claude Frollo?
The voice for the awful villain is Tony Jay who also provided his talent for Monsieur D’Arque, the runner of the insane asylum in the Beauty and the Beast!
Shan Yu
- The character Shan Yu was inspired by Atilla the Hun.
Original designs depicted Shan Yu as less human and more demonic, but animators felt that humans are scarier.
BONUS FUN FACT: The animating software used to make Shan Yu was affectionately named Atilla.
Dr. Facillier
- What is Dr. Facillier’s real name?
François Duvalier, a politician from Haiti who also happened to practice voodoo, was the inspiration for the original name of Dr. Facilier. Additionally, no one other than Dr. Facilier used his real name once during the course of the film. - Who is Dr. Facillier’s mother?
“I’m a royal, myself, on my mother’s side.” Dr. Facillier’s mother is the voodoo queen, herself, Mama Odie! - French villains
Dr. Facillier is one of 4 Disney villains with French descent! The others are the Judge Calude Frollo, Ursula, and Lady Tremaine. - What does “Facillier” mean?
“Facilier” might be “the one that makes things easy” by employing magic as “facile” (which is pronounced similarly in various Romance languages) signifies “easy” in French.
Mother Gothel
- Disney rumors with Mother Gothel!
Bear with us… In the end of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs we see the Evil Queen fall off a cliff to her death, or do we? We do see a fall, but there is no confirmation of her death.
Fast forward to a land just outside the Kingdom of Corona hundred of years later where an evil witch is hoarding a magic golden flower to keep her young and beautiful. Wait, do you see? Look at her harsh features… Could it be? Could Mother Gothel be the Evil Queen??
While we have no concrete evidence of this, we see very similar facial features and Mother Gothel’s dress is another piece to the puzzle. You see, the dress that Mother Gothel wears is a little out of style for the time period of the movie Tangled. It’s about 400 years out of style, which happens to be the time period of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs!
Hans
- Hans is the only Disney villain to sing with a Disney Princess
Hans was a sneaky villain who cozied up to Princess Anna, where they shared a duet of “Love is an Open Door”. - What is Hans’ last name?
Westergaard - What’s in a name?
It may seem like all of the character’s names in Frozen are a random assortment of Norwegian names, but you should know by now that there is nothing random about Disney details!
Hans, Kristoff, Anna, Sven when said quickly sounds a lot like Hans Christian Anderson, the author of The Snow Queen.
If you enjoyed our Disney Villain Trivia, check out our Disney Princess Trivia here!
I am a mother of three that has refused to grow up. Adulting is for the birds, so I go to Disney World every chance I get for that magical escape from reality. I believe that Haunted Mansion is the best ride in all of the Disney Parks, and I am fervently in team Happily Ever After for fireworks spectaculars, (sorry, not sorry, Enchanted). Finally, I hope I never grow tired of skipping down Main Street, USA, and my dream come true would be “friends with” the Fairy Godmother in my old age.
