Disney's Cruella de Vil Was Inspired By This Old Hollywood Actress
This weekend, Emma Stone is set to take on the role of iconic villain Cruella de Vil in Disney's new movie, Cruella. The film is a prequel to the 1961 One Hundred and One Dalmatians animated feature, and is set to present a darker, live-action look at the antagonist's origin story. While this new take on the classic may be more cinematic, the original villain had her own Hollywood roots.
In 1985, One Hundred and One Dalmatians animator Mark Davis discussed crafting an image for Cruella, based on the original Dodie Smith book, The Hundred and One Dalmatians. He noted a few inspirations for his animation, but only one by name.
“I had several partial models in mind when I drew Cruella,” said Davis to the Los Angeles Times, as reported by Vanity Fair. “Including Tallulah (Bankhead) and one woman I knew who was just a monster: She was tall and thin and talked constantly—you never knew what she was saying, but you couldn’t get a word in edgewise. What I really wanted to do was make the character move like someone you wouldn’t like.”
We don't know anything about the woman Davis couldn't stand (though it sounds like there's quite a lot to unpack there), but we do know that Tallulah Bankhead was a major Hollywood actress in the 1930s through the 1950s. She was also infamous for her wild antics.
Bankhead was a rebel, often outspoken and vulgar, and known for her excessive smoking and relationships with both men and women. She became an advocate for liberal causes and a queer icon, but also insulted most of the people in her wake. She struggled with addiction, reportedly consuming up to two bottles of bourbon and more than a hundred cigarettes a day. And, she once quipped: “Daddy warned me about men and alcohol, but he never warned me about women and cocaine.”
When you tie in the stick-thin frames and penchant for furs, it's easy to see how Bankhead became the inspiration for Cruella de Vil. And, funnily enough, Emma Stone, in her costume and exaggerated makeup, also happens to bear a striking resemblance.
Cruella premieres May 28 on Disney+.
You Might Also Like
