Disneymovies are undoubtedly among the most popular and successful animated productions of all time. They have influenced the lives of audiences around the world, and established themselves as beloved stories that everyone has watched at least once. Probably two of the elements that set Disney productions apart from other animated films are their exciting and heartwarming storylines and, needless to say,their beloved characters. Over the years, the company has introduced the most colorful characters, ranging from heroes to villains, who have stolen the hearts of audiences. When creating these popular characters, the filmmakers must consider each and every detail: their story, how they look, the way they move and, most importantly, defining a voice that conveys their essence. This is where the actors step into the picture.
Over the years, Disney has cast hundreds of actors to give life to its animated characters, making them well-known or even more popular than they already were. Some of these characters became milestones in the actors' careers, such as theGenie for Robin Williamsand Mrs. Potts for Angela Lansbury. At the same time, many other characters allowed promising young actors to shine and surprise the audience, as is the case of Auli’i Cravalho, the actress and singer who portrayedMoana. But there are so many movies and characters introduced by Disney every year that we tend to overlook the performances of some of the industry’s biggest actors in their productions. Check out 15 of them here.
15Mindy Kaling — Disgust (Inside Out)
In the 2015 filmInside Out,Mindy Kaling playsDisgust, one of the emotions that works inside Riley’s mind along with Joy, Fear, Anger and Sadness. This character is in charge of protecting Riley from situations and people who might lead her to a bad experience, turning down anything from unpleasant vegetables to unfashionable activities and clothes. Despite being rather shallow and stubborn, Disgust wants the best for Riley, and tries to perform as best as she can while becoming an ever-present emotion in the girl’s life. Besides Disgust, Kaling also brought another Disney character to life: Taffyta Muttonfudge in the 2012 filmWreck-It Ralph.
Related:Best Women Characters in Disney That Aren’t Princesses
14Joseph Gordon-Levitt — Jim (Treasure Planet)
Joseph Gordon-Levitt was the actor cast to play Jim Hawkins, the main character in the 2002 filmTreasure Planet. Jim grows throughout the film: at the beginning, he is a rebellious teenager who keeps getting into trouble, but he eventually leaves behind his troublesome attitudes to become a more mature and trustworthy young man, while still maintaining his passion for adventures. Two decades after playing this role, Gordon-Levitt voiced another Disney character in the live-action remake ofPinocchio.
13Oprah Winfrey — Eudora (The Princess and the Frog)
Eudora is a very important person for Tiana, the main character inThe Princess and the Frog: she is her mother and her deepest confidant. However, as she only has a couple of lines at the beginning of the film, most of the audience may not identify the artist whovoices her, Oprah Winfrey. Eudora is a loving woman who supports her daughter in every project she undertakes, although she prioritizes her happiness and constantly makes sure that Tiana is not neglecting her life by devoting too much time to her work.
12Willem Dafoe — Gill (Finding Nemo)
Iconicactor Willem Dafoejoined the cast of the 2003 filmFinding Nemoto voice one of the production’s most mysterious characters, Gill. This moorish idol fish is the leader of the Tank Gang, the group of fish and sea animals that live in the dentist clinic’s fish tank. Gill is intimidating, but has very good intentions, and is constantly trying to escape from the tank and go back to the sea, although his plans never work out the way he wants them to. Dafoe reprised this character in the 2016 filmFinding Dory.
11Demi Moore — Esmeralda (The Hunchback of Notre Dame)
Demi Moore co-stars inThe Hunchback of Notre Dameas Esmeralda, a character who was once part of Disney’s official cast of princesses. Esmeralda works as a dancer and is always in the company of her goat Djali. This beautiful young woman stands out for her intelligence and great empathy, being one of the few characters who never treats Quasimodo badly because of his appearance, even if this gets her into trouble with powerful people. Although Moore was the actress cast to voice this young girl, Heidi Mollenhauer was the one in charge of her singing voice.
10John Krasinski — Frank McCay (Monsters University)
2013 marked the release ofMonsters University, a prequel to the 2001 filmMonsters, Inc.following Mike and Sulley’s journey towards becoming the best working team at the Monsters, Incorporated factory. In this production, John Krasinski plays a minor, but significant role to the story, Frightening Frank McCay. This monster is a legend among scarers, and the one who inspires Mike Wazowski to enroll in Monsters University to pursue his dreams of becoming a scarer.
9Maya Rudolph — Daniela (Luca)
Lucais, hands down, one of the most outstanding animated films of 2021. In it, Maya Rudolph plays Daniela Paguro, the mother of the story’s main character. Daniela is an extremely cautious and overprotective sea monster who tries by all means to keep her son away from the surface as she knows how dangerous it is to be among humans. However, by the end of the film Daniela understands Luca’s need to explore the world and, after realizing that it is not as threatening as she thought, she allows him to move around on his own. This is the second Disney animated character Rudolph has played, as in 2014 she voiced Aunt Cass in the filmBig Hero 6.
8Joaquin Phoenix — Kenai (Brother Bear)
The 2003 filmBrother Bearfeatures Kenai, a young boy who vows to avenge his older brother’s death by killing the bear responsible for it. But the Spirits intervene and turn him into a bear to help him understand all creatures and discover the true meaning of brotherhood. Only then can Kenai become a young boy again. Leading the cast of this production was Joaquin Phoenix, who was already well-known for his role inGladiator.
Related:12 Disney Character Deaths in Movies That Are Actually Disturbing
7Emma Thompson — Queen Elinor (Brave)
Emma Thompson is yet another of the many great actresses who played the role of a main character’s mother. The actress played Queen Elinor in the 2012 filmBrave. Elinor is Merida’s mother and Dunbroch’s queen, a very authoritarian figure who tries by all means to make her daughter follow in her footsteps, even though the young girl has no interest in doing so. Although Elinor and Merida have a complicated relationship at the beginning of the film, they eventually start to understand each other better once the queen grasps her daughter’s true needs. This is not the only Disney character voiced by Thompson: she also played Captain Amelia inTreasure Planet.
6Eddie Murphy — Mushu (Mulan)
Mushu is one of the most iconic characters in the movieMulanand probably one of the best sidekicks in Disney history. And behind this funny Chinese dragon hides one of the most popular comedians in cinema: Eddie Murphy. After failing his mission as guardian of the Fa family, Mushu appoints himself as Mulan’s guardian in order to regain his reputation. And although he initially comes across as a prideful and impulsive character, he refines his personality over the course of the film and proves that he actually has a kind heart.
