These Ladies Were The Real Life Inspiration For Disney's OG Princess Snow White
"Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" was not only Disney's first feature film — kicking off decades of childhood-defining classics to come — but as the first American cel-animated feature film, it birthed an entire industry. But the magic of the animated fantasy might have been lost without the aid of some distinct live-action figures.
While the animated shorts produced by the Disney company had mostly gone for a cartoonish look, "Snow White" demanded a more realistic style for its animation, especially for the titular heroine (voiced by Adriana Caselotti). As a result, the team utilized live-action resources that acted as a reference for their animation. The design of Snow White took inspiration from four different actresses.
Jean Harlow and Marlene Dietrich shared a similar hair and eyebrow style that the Disney princess would later adopt, with Dietrich's makeup proving especially influential. Oscar-winner Claudette Colbert's round face helped imbue White with the desired innocence. Marge Champion acted as the live-action model for the character, and animators would directly take inspiration for poses and movements. While left uncredited in the final film, she continued acting as live-action models for other Golden era Disney features such as "Pinocchio" and "Fantasia."
These stars not only helped the movie to achieve a level of realism never seen in animation prior but allowed the film to live on as a rich time capsule that reflects the culture of that era. But not everyone involved in bringing Snow White to life lived happily ever after.
Snow White's voice actress had it tough after the movie
There are many names to credit in the creation of Snow White. However, one of the most crucial voices in defining the princess was her voice actress, provided by singer Adriana Caselotti. But while her distinct vocals helped make "Snow White and Seven Dwarfs" the box office smash it eventually became, Caselotti's career may have been hindered by it.
Caselotti secured the coveted part over 150 other women who auditioned. The performer, unaware that "Snow White" would be a feature film, was paid only $970 for three years' work, translating to a little over $22,000 in 2023. Following her work on the film, Caselotti only received small singing roles in films such as "The Wizard of Oz" and "It's a Wonderful Life." Some assume that Walt Disney purposefully blacklisted the actress to keep the voice of Snow White a mystery, as she was not credited in the film and was denied an interview on a 1938 radio show at Disney's request. No substantial evidence exists to confirm this notion, but Caselotti still had her feuds with the company. Caselotti and the Prince voice actor Harry Stockwell tried suing Disney in 1938 for $200,000 and $100,000, respectively, for royalties from the soundtrack, but to no avail.
Nevertheless, Caselotti embraced her iconic role throughout her life. Along with performing the songs and appearing at anniversary events, the actress was named a Disney Legend in 1994.