7 Classic Disney Characters You Had No Idea Were Modelled On Real People

2. Sherri Stoner Is Two Disney Princesses

The Characters: The resurgence of Disney was driven by princesses; Ariel, Belle and Jasmine (and to a lesser extent Nuala). We've already looked at Ariel'€™s capturing of teenage angst (something that Jasmine kinda riffed on), but Belle was different beast (sadly, the puns intended). She had to bring personality to a character who, while in the title, didn't have much to her. The moving of the story to France and the addition of Gaston for her to play off helped, but little personality ticks really made her unique.

The Real Person: We've covered how elements of Alyssa Milano's look was worked into Ariel, but both her and Belle were originally developed from the same person. Sherri Stoner was an employee at Disney, working as producer and writer on some of their TV shows. Animators who knew her worked in little ticks she exerted; Ariel biting her bottom lip and Belle brushing hair away from her face. As with Bedard in Pocahontas, Stoner also provided the animation model; a role she got after personifying the beauty of the princesses.