A minor character in Hans Christian Andersen's original fairy tale, Ursula came to animated life through the work of Howard Ashman, a writer and lyricist from Baltimore well-positioned to fuse the drag culture of his hometown with a Disney tale.

Was Ursula in the original Little mermaid book?

Created by directors and screenwriters Ron Clements and John Musker, Ursula is based on the sea witch character who appears in the 1837 fairy tale "The Little Mermaid" by Hans Christian Andersen. However, her minor role was greatly expanded into that of a much more prominent villain for the film.

Who was the original Ursula based on?

Ultimately, the inspiration for the cauldron-stirring tentacled witch — voiced by Pat Carroll — came from an unlikely place: Drag. Specifically, Divine, the drag alter ego of Harris Glenn Milstead.

Who was Ursula before she was banished?

3 Answers. There are different answers according to the source you consider. In the original extended script of the 1989 movie, it is said that Ursula is Triton's sister and that she was banished because she turned to dark magic.

Are King Triton and Ursula siblings in the original movie?

Ursula, The Little Mermaid's villain, is confirmed to be King Triton's sister. Does that mean she was a mermaid, or was she always a tentacled figure? The Little Mermaid brings the animated film to live-action, and changes Ursula's connection with Ariel and Triton.

Disney Villain Ursula's True Origin Story Isn't What You Think

Why is Scuttle a girl?

Scuttle is not only changed from male to female but is also now a diving bird instead of a seagull. "This was done specifically so that Ariel would only meet Scuttle underwater, because, at the start of our story, Ariel has never dared go above the surface," director Rob Marshall said in production notes.

Who is older Triton or Ursula?

Melissa McCarthy's version of Ursula is revealed to be King Triton's sister. The sea witch was banished and wanted power and revenge on her older brother, as well as his trident.

What happened to Ariel's mother?

While it is known that her mother perished, there is no story attached to the event. However, much later, in 2008, an animated The Little Mermaid prequel revealed that Ariel's mother was crushed by a pirate ship during an altercation between humans and merpeople.

Did Ursula have a child?

Description. Meet Uma, fierce leader of the high seas, daughter of Ursula, the sea witch, and the newest villainess-in-training in Disney's Descendants 2!

Is Ursula Ariel's aunt?

10 Ursula Is Triton's Sister & Ariel's Aunt

In the 2023 film version of The Little Mermaid, Ursula is presented as being Triton's younger sister, who had been exiled from their underwater kingdom. This also makes Ursula Ariel's aunt, bringing to mind Disney's long line of wicked matriarchs.

Did Ursula have a sister?

Morgana is a villainess who appears in The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea. She is the infamous younger sister of Ursula and the older sister of Ulyana, but Ursula is worse than Morgana.

What was Ursula supposed to look like?

According to animator Rob Minkoff, Ursula was originally described in the script as a Joan Collins–like figure, resulting in character designs that depicted a thin, bony woman with lionfish- or manta ray–inspired features.

What is the dark story of Ariel?

The original story is dark that included a murder and suicide. When Little Mermaid visits Ursula, the Sea Witch she strikes a deal, swapping her voice and tongue for legs. She will only survive if she wins over the affections of the Prince.

What is the dark story behind The Little Mermaid?

In the original story, The Little Mermaid is motivated by a fear of death and desires a soul and an afterlife in addition to love. The original Little Mermaid story is much darker and violent than Disney's version, with the sea witch brutally cutting out the mermaid's tongue in exchange for legs.

What race is Ariel in the original Little Mermaid?

In the 1989 movie, Ariel was born in the fictional underwater kingdom of Atlantica, which technically makes her Atlantican, not Danish. As Ariel is half fish, she cannot be categorized by our ethnicities and races.

Why did Ursula become skinny?

But in a desire to re-market these ladies to a chic clientele, it appears that they decided to shave more than a few pounds off of Ursula the Sea Witch and Alice in Wonderland's Queen of Hearts. Because in order to be fashionable, you must be thin. The fact is, Ursula was fashionable.

Is Poseidon Ursula's dad?

In addition to being the god of the sea, Once's Poseidon is also the father of Merrin Dungey's Ursula, a concept omitted from Disney's The Little Mermaid in 1989, though later included in the Broadway musical.

Is Ursula a drag queen?

Ursula was initially going to resemble Joan Collins, however, basing the character on Divine made much more sense. "It just seemed like a funny and quirky idea," Minkoff added, "to take [Ursula] and treat her more like a drag queen."

Why do Ariel's sisters look different?

One theory is that each of Ariel's sisters represents different oceans that are home to various cultures and ethnicities. It's pretty problematic to have mermaids who all look the same representing such an expansive underwater world.

Is Ariel's daughter half mermaid?

The backstory of Ariel and Eric's daughter. Let's break. down the tale of a princess who was half human and. half mermaid: the adventurous, kind, and brave.

Is Ursula half octopus?

Ursula is only drawn with six tentacles, due to the studio's budget and difficulty in coordinating eight tentacles (though she has eight limbs if you include her arms). Pat Carroll has stated that this makes her a squid, though biologically she still resembles an octopus far more than any other sea-creature.

Is Eric adopted in The Little Mermaid?

We learn that Eric, now played by John Hauer-King, is not a prince by birth— he was adopted by the king and queen. It's suggested that Eric's biological parents died in a shipwreck. We finally meet Prince Eric's mother. In the animated film, we never meet Eric's parents.

Why does Ursula want Ariel's voice?

The Little Mermaid

During the song "Poor Unfortunate Souls", Ursula asks Ariel for her voice, saying that men only want silent and obedient women, but secretly in an attempt to make sure Eric won't be able to recognize her or fall in love with her, to which Ariel agrees, and signs a contract.