There's a reason why these animated characters look familar. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for animated characters whose physical appearances and mannerisms were influenced by their voice actors.
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00:00Can you help us? We're looking for someone called Philoctetes.
00:05Call me Phil.
00:06Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for animated characters whose
00:11physical appearances and mannerisms were influenced by their voice actors.
00:16Al, if you want a winner, just be yourself.
00:21Number 20. Cinderella, Eileen Woods, Cinderella.
00:25There's no question that Cinderella is one of the most iconic Disney characters.
00:29She's arguably the quintessential Disney princess.
00:32But the original 1950 film wouldn't have been what it was without Eileen Woods,
00:37who was the voice behind Cinderella.
00:39Your rainbow will come smiling through.
00:46There were a number of influences on the character's features,
00:49possibly including actresses like Grace Kelly and Ingrid Bergman.
00:52Despite not being the sole influence,
00:54the appearance of the voice actress herself also contributed to Cinderella's physical traits.
00:59The dream that you wish will come true.
01:11Woods was just 20 years old at the time of the film's release.
01:14While her own face wasn't famous,
01:16she certainly left a mark on Disney animation through Cinderella.
01:20Oh, I understand, but it's more than I ever hoped for.
01:25Number 19. Eep Crood, Emma Stone, The Croods.
01:29Eep Crood is the adventurous daughter of the titular cave clan.
01:32Are you dead? Can I have your fire if you're dead?
01:36Her bright attitude and inquisitive nature are portrayed amazingly by Emma Stone.
01:41But we can also see the actress in other ways.
01:44For example, Eep shares the red hair Stone so frequently sports.
01:47Eep's green eyes and the shape of her face are also reminiscent of Stone's.
01:52What if we don't find a cave before sunset?
01:55What if it takes a few days?
01:57Oh, what if the birds come back?
02:00Usually, comparing someone to a cave person would be seen as an insult.
02:04But any character modeled after Emma Stone is bound to be radiant,
02:08and you'd be remiss to deem Eep the exception.
02:13Plus, her name is Stone.
02:15Number 18. Hiccup, Jay Baruchel, How to Train Your Dragon.
02:20Excuse me, barmaid. I'm afraid you brought me the wrong offspring.
02:24I ordered an extra large boy with beefy arms, extra guts and glory on the side.
02:29This here, this is a talking fish bone.
02:31The protagonist of the How to Train Your Dragon film series is Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III,
02:36a young viking who becomes deeply involved in the world of dragons.
02:40Appearance-wise, Hiccup has a lanky build, brown hair, and an angular face structure.
02:45All of these physical elements align with that of the voice actor behind him,
02:49Jay Baruchel. And it's apparently no coincidence.
02:52Okay, Toothless, okay, yes, I know, I know, shh, shh, shh, shh, shh, okay, okay, I know, I know.
02:58The main character in the Oscar-nominated animated film was designed to reflect
03:02much of Baruchel's awkward physicality.
03:05All the characters, including Hiccup and his dragon companion Toothless,
03:09were meticulously crafted.
03:11It's no wonder the film series has gained significant recognition for its animation.
03:15Turns out, all we needed was a little work.
03:18Look at this. You just gestured to all of me.
03:22Number 17. Flynn Rider, Zachary Levi, Tangled.
03:27Oh, yeah, that's like spitting image. It's straight inside, yeah.
03:30Yeah, it was like Dead Ringer, we'll say that. Dead Ringer, yeah, spitting image.
03:34Don't get it twisted. Tangled received plenty of critical acclaim,
03:37in part due to its impressive computer animation.
03:40One particularly noteworthy example of this comes in the form of Rapunzel's
03:44charming and witty love interest, Flynn Rider.
03:47Here comes the smolder.
03:53The character's appearance was at least partly influenced
03:56by the human behind him, Zachary Levi.
03:58According to director Byron Howard, there were, in fact,
04:01multiple famous faces that impacted Flynn's looks,
04:04including David Beckham and Clark Gable.
04:06Various physical features were fused together to create a handsome animated character.
04:11We put up photos all over the walls of the most handsome leading men
04:16in all of Hollywood history and sort of picked out which features would
04:22sort of work best. We just listened to what the girls have at it.
04:25Despite the similarities, we doubt any real-life man
04:28could do a smolder as impressive as Flynn Rider's.
04:31Number 16. Moana, Auli'i Cravalho, Moana.
04:35At just 14 years old, high school freshman Auli'i Cravalho
04:39was cast as the title character in Moana.
04:41Like her animated character, Cravalho is of Polynesian descent.
04:45The actor and character share a physical resemblance, but not on purpose.
04:50I'd say the water is literally my friend because I'm such a klutz on land,
04:54and I love the water. So yeah, I'd say we have a fair bit of similarities.
04:58The character's appearance had already been decided prior to Cravalho's casting,
05:02so it turns out this was just a coincidence.
05:05What was not already set in stone, though,
05:07was another important aspect of an animated character's design.
05:11Mannerisms.
05:13That's good pork.
05:17Oh, I mean, I wasn't-
05:20What?
05:20They're calling me, so I gotta-
05:23Bye!
05:23Cravalho's gestures and movements were integrated into the character during production.
05:28Dwayne Johnson's role as Maui is also worth a mention,
05:31with their similarities in muscles, tattoos, and that iconic eyebrow.
05:42Number 15.
05:43Various, Verna Felton.
05:45Various.
05:46The Disney resume that Verna Felton amassed in her illustrious career is pretty remarkable.
05:51She voiced Mrs. Jumbo and the elephant matriarch in Dumbo,
05:55the fairy godmother in Cinderella,
05:57the queen of hearts in Alice in Wonderland,
05:59Aunt Sarah in Lady and the Tramp,
06:01and Flora in Sleeping Beauty.
06:03And that isn't even all of them.
06:05If humans can do it, so can we.
06:07And we'd have our magic to help us.
06:09That's right!
06:10No, no, no, no, no, no!
06:12No magic!
06:13But Felton's work as the fairy godmother and Flora are notable
06:17for more than just her voice acting performances.
06:19Her physical characteristics are also visible in those characters.
06:23That's me.
06:24I beg your pardon.
06:26Yes, ladies, that's you, Hilda.
06:28The original conceptualization of the fairy godmother's appearance
06:32was actually altered following the casting of Felton.
06:35You can see resemblances in terms of hair and facial structure.
06:38I hope you forgive the way that I look.
06:42Oh, it's you.
06:44Number 14.
06:46Charles Muntz, Christopher Plummer, Up
06:48Perhaps an underrated animated antagonist is Charles Muntz from Pixar's Up.
06:53The explorer who goes from hero to zero is voiced by Christopher Plummer.
06:57You know, Carl, these people who pass through here,
07:02they all tell pretty good stories.
07:05With a brief glance, you can see how Muntz looks like Plummer
07:08in animated form.
07:09Both can claim slick back, white hair, a refined chin,
07:12and an overall grandpa vibe.
07:14You know, I'm so sorry for people who actually do want to retire.
07:18It means that they haven't loved what they do in life.
07:22And of course, nothing could be more marvelous
07:24than traveling the world and being paid to do that.
07:28The design of Muntz wasn't necessarily originally shaped by Plummer.
07:32But according to director Pete Docter, once Plummer was cast,
07:35the character was refined in some ways.
07:38Muntz's menacing presence and obsessive quest for the rare bird
07:41were brilliantly brought to life by Plummer.
07:44Oh, you really must stay.
07:46I insist.
07:47We have so much more to talk about.
07:50Number 13.
07:51Wesley, Steve Buscemi, Home on the Range
07:54All right, come on, move it, Bessie, or I'll tan your hides right here.
07:58Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, watch the suit, watch the suit.
08:01Add Wesley to the list of shady characters
08:03voiced by talented character actor Steve Buscemi,
08:06the black market businessman even resembles Buscemi.
08:09The character sports a purple suit and hat,
08:11looking like an eerily similar cartoon image of the human voice behind him.
08:15Add an exaggerated take on the actor's eyes and facial structure,
08:19and we're looking at a caricature of the man himself.
08:22You see, for a long time I played supporting characters,
08:25like the creepy bellhop, the creepy homeless guy,
08:30or the creepy creepy guy.
08:32Buscemi did a commendable job capturing the not-to-be-trusted essence of the character.
08:37Of course, he's no stranger to voice acting,
08:39but he's a bit less recognizable in his role as Randall Boggs in Monsters, Inc.
08:44I'm in the zone today, Sullivan.
08:46Gonna be doing some serious scaring, putting up some big numbers.
08:50Number 12.
08:51Princess Tiana, Anika Noni Rose, The Princess and the Frog
08:55I certainly didn't know that she was going to look that much like me,
08:58and there are times, I think in one of these posters,
09:01the eyebrows up, that is so completely my face, it's hysterical to me.
09:05The design of Disney's first African-American princess
09:08was largely inspired by her voice actor, Anika Noni Rose.
09:11According to Rose, certain aspects of Tiana's portrayal
09:14were designed to reflect her own physical traits.
09:17Rose specifically mentioned that the character's nose and lips
09:20were her recommendations, which supervising animator Mark Henn incorporated.
09:24We had a very open dialogue about who she was,
09:28and things that we wanted to make clear, even physically with her body,
09:33and it was important for me.
09:37Tiana's general facial structure also resembles her voice actor.
09:40In human form, that is.
09:42As a frog, not so much.
09:44Beyond the facial similarities, there's another, perhaps more subtle resemblance.
09:48Like Rose, Princess Tiana is left-handed.
09:51And that's no coincidence.
09:53This detail came about thanks to Rose's input.
09:56I feel very lucky and very honored to be able to voice her in this way,
10:04but also to be able to be a part of, in my small way, the creative process.
10:14The animated sitcom American Dad has no shortage of wacky characters.
10:18Among them is Principal Lewis, voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson.
10:26Inappropriate and unpredictable,
10:29Principal Lewis doesn't behave like your typical principal.
10:32The absurdity and dark humor in his actions and words
10:35fit well within the dynamic of the series.
10:41But it's not just Richardson's vocal talents that are instilled in the character.
10:45His appearance, particularly with his beard and bald head,
10:48resembles the voice actor as well.
10:50Richardson also has voice credits for various other animated series and video games,
10:54but none of them are quite like Principal Lewis.
10:57There is no limitations to where they had him go.
11:00So now, who knows where they're at.
11:03Number 10.
11:04Al McWhiggin, Wayne Knight, Toy Story 2.
11:17Newman, is that you?
11:18Indeed it is.
11:19That's animated Newman.
11:21Perhaps you didn't recognize him if you saw Toy Story 2 as a kid.
11:24But if you're familiar with Newman from Seinfeld,
11:27you'll definitely be able to identify the voice of Wayne Knight
11:30in the character of Al McWhiggin.
11:32Not only that, you can see his face in the character.
11:45The similarities between Knight and the greedy, goofy toy collector
11:48are evident in the glasses, hair color, and overall facial structure.
11:53The animators may have even added Al's goatee
11:55after being inspired by Knight's facial hair at the time.
12:08Number 9.
12:09Lance Sterling, Will Smith, Spies in Disguise.
12:23Lance Sterling is essentially Will Smith's animated doppelganger
12:26in the movie Spies in Disguise.
12:27If you specifically compare Agent J from the Men in Black series
12:31to the animated spy Lance Sterling,
12:33the resemblance is even more apparent.
12:35They both rock those black suits.
12:37Smith is no stranger to voicing lookalikes.
12:39We can even see it in the animated fish version of himself in Shark Tale.
12:43But we're ultimately going with Lance Sterling here,
12:45because the secret agent looks more like Smith than a fish.
12:53In Spies in Disguise, you can also see a resemblance
13:00between Tom Holland and his character of Walter Beckett,
13:03the brilliant but awkward young scientist.
13:11Number 8.
13:12Sergeant Calhoun, Jane Lynch, Wreck-It Ralph.
13:15This Disney film about the lives of video game characters
13:18has several characters who look strikingly similar
13:21to their real-life counterparts.
13:22From the titular Wreck-It Ralph,
13:24pretty much just being John C. Reilly in overalls,
13:26to Fix-It Felix Jr.'s remarkable resemblance to actor Jack McBrayer.
13:30Of them all, however,
13:32we think Sergeant Calhoun's inspiration is rather obvious.
13:36It's make your mama's proud time!
13:38Jane Lynch's signature short blonde hair,
13:40as well as her tall frame and facial features,
13:43all have Calhoun feeling like she's just an animated,
13:45alien-battling version of Lynch herself.
13:48So stick to the program, soldier!
13:50Even Lynch's dry humor shines through.
13:52My lady, you came back!
13:54Can it Fix-It!
13:55Number 7.
13:56The Mad Hatter, Ed Wynn, Alice in Wonderland.
14:00For being such an out-there cartoon,
14:02Alice in Wonderland draws more from the real world
14:05than you might think,
14:06at least from the appearances of its actors.
14:08I'll say it's rude!
14:10It's very, very rude indeed!
14:12Catherine Beaumont, at the time that she voiced Alice,
14:15looked just like her.
14:16And it's easy to see Jerry Colonna in the March hair.
14:19But for our money,
14:20the Mad Hatter is a dead ringer for Ed Wynn.
14:23The batty top-hat enthusiast has the same nose,
14:26eyebrows,
14:27and tufts of hair coming off the back of his head.
14:30You can really see the resemblance
14:32in the test footage Disney did for the tea party scene.
14:34What are you talking about?
14:36Tea!
14:36Oh, I never thought of tea!
14:37Of course!
14:38Number 6.
14:39Fairy Godmother, Jennifer Saunders, Shrek 2.
14:43If Jennifer Saunders' greatest desire
14:45was to look like a fairy godmother on screen,
14:47then we'd say her wish was granted.
14:49No, no!
14:51You see, ogres don't live happily ever after.
14:55The magical, winged, wish-granting lady
14:57is not only a scheming businesswoman,
15:00but she also has a flair for the dramatic
15:02and quite the set of pipes thanks to Saunders.
15:07While there are a lot of differences between the two,
15:09for instance, body type and hair color,
15:12the fairy godmother's face is a wildly close match to Saunders.
15:15And she looks absolutely fabulous.
15:18You couldn't just go back to your swamp
15:21and leave well enough alone.
15:23Number 5.
15:24Sadness, Phyllis Smith, Inside Out.
15:27The internal personification of melancholy
15:29within a young girl named Riley,
15:31Sadness is one of the main characters of Inside Out.
15:34I'm Sadness.
15:35Oh, hello.
15:37She's played by Phyllis Smith,
15:38who's famous for her quiet demeanor
15:40and unassuming roles with wholesome attitudes.
15:43For fans of The Office,
15:44you'll know exactly what we're talking about.
15:46Crying helps me slow down and obsess
15:49over the weight of life's problems.
15:51While Smith isn't small and blue,
15:53Sadness does manage to capture some of Smith's physicality,
15:56including her facial features,
15:58from her mouth to her nose to her big blue eyes.
16:01Smith may be playing a tragic role,
16:03but we couldn't be happier about her character's likeness.
16:07Sorry, I went sad again, didn't I?
16:10Number 4.
16:11Zazu, Rowan Atkinson, The Lion King.
16:14Zazu is the advisor to King Mufasa,
16:17and frequently the voice of reason at Pride Rock,
16:19discouraging both Scar and Simba's particular brands of rebelliousness.
16:24You'll lose more than that when the king gets through with you.
16:26He's as mad as a hippo with a hernia.
16:28One might expect that it would be difficult
16:30to make a red-billed hornbill look like a human,
16:33but weirdly, it doesn't seem very odd at all.
16:36Zazu shares Atkinson's prominent eyebrows,
16:39wide eyes, and even sort of a similar nose.
16:43One day you two are going to be married!
16:46Yuck!
16:46The turn of their mouths are similar too.
16:49All those parallels help convey Atkinson's
16:51rather theatrical delivery even better,
16:54given just how expressive the actor is.
16:56Banana beak is scared.
16:58It's Mr. Banana Beak to you, fuzzy.
17:01Number 3.
17:02Phil, Danny DeVito, Hercules.
17:05Although it was tempting to discuss James Woods as Hades
17:08since the entire character changed when he was cast,
17:11we ultimately had to go with Danny DeVito as Phil.
17:14What's the matter?
17:14You never seen a satyr before?
17:16Both short and balding,
17:18Phil has much of DeVito's appearance already,
17:20but his personality is also very reminiscent
17:24of the bad-tempered, over-the-top characters
17:26he so often plays.
17:27How many horns do you see?
17:30Six.
17:31Yeah, close enough.
17:32Of course, there are distinctions,
17:33such as DeVito's nose,
17:35which is nowhere near as red or bulbous,
17:37but otherwise, he and Phil Actides could be twins.
17:40If one of them was a satyr.
17:42It wouldn't be the first time Danny DeVito had a twin
17:44who was quite different from him.
17:46Do I look okay?
17:48You look better, let's put it that way.
17:50Number 2.
17:51Lady Tremaine, Eleanor Audley, Cinderella.
17:55Eleanor Audley has lent her likeness
17:56to several iconic Disney characters,
17:59including Maleficent.
18:00However, despite arguably being less famous,
18:03we're choosing her part as Lady Tremaine,
18:05the evil stepmother from Cinderella.
18:08Oh, please, you don't think that-
18:09Hold your tongue.
18:10This is because we contend that Lady Tremaine
18:12looked more like Audley.
18:14The character shares Audley's graying hair,
18:16as well as her nose and the curl of her lips,
18:19particularly when frowning,
18:20which Tremaine does a lot of.
18:23Girls, please.
18:26After all, we did make a bargain,
18:28didn't we, Cinderella?
18:30Tremaine may be a more subtle villainous
18:32than Audley's other Disney role,
18:34but that only means that more of her performance
18:36comes through on screen.
18:37Good night.
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18:55Number 1.
18:56The Genie, Robin Williams, Aladdin
18:59Yes, you probably saw this coming.
19:01Genie of the Lamp!
19:05The Genie was created and designed
19:07with Robin Williams in mind.
19:08The wish-granting blue gin zany attitude,
19:11facial features,
19:12from that strong chin to those wide expressive eyes,
19:15as well as his numerous pop culture references
19:18are all classic Williams.
19:20The comedian famously improvised frequently
19:22in the recording booth,
19:23which led to plenty of Genie's famous lines
19:25coming directly from him.
19:27Al, if you want a winner,
19:30just be yourself.
19:31So much about his appearance and actions
19:33are all owed directly to Williams.
19:36It's safe to say that without Robin Williams,
19:38we'd never have a friend like Genie.
19:44Let us know in the comments
19:45which voice actor you think is most similar
19:47to their animated counterpart.
19:48Oh, my dear.
19:50Oh, look at you.
19:51You're all, um, grown up.
19:55Do you agree with our picks?
19:56Check out this other recent clip from Ms. Mojo.
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