Ursula Was Inspired by a Drag Queen
Believe it or not, this evil sea witch was based on an actual person. Disney animators were inspired by the fabulous drag performer Divine. Ursula’s appearance and her larger-than-life personality were all drawn from this legendary performer. Divine, whose real name was Glenn Milstead, was known for her signature pointed eyebrows and starred in many John Waters films (the two became friends when they were teenagers).
Source: MoviestillsDB.com, Copyright: Walt Disney / Photo by Dreamland Prods, Kobal, Shutterstock
Although Milstead passed away one year before the 1989 release of the film, his friends agree that he would have loved the character. Jeffrey Schwarz, the film director who chronicled Milstead’s life, said that had he known about Ursula, “he would have wanted to play the part himself.”