One of the most iconic Disney villains of all time is Ursula, the sea witch who tricks Ariel into trading her voice for a pair of legs in The Little Mermaid. Did you know that Ursula’s design was possibly inspired by a real person? Not just any person, but a famous drag queen named Divine.
According to multiple sources Divine was a performer and actor who rose to fame in the 1970s and 1980s, starring in several cult films directed by John Waters. Divine was known for his outrageous and flamboyant style, often wearing exaggerated makeup, wigs, and costumes. He also had a distinctive voice and mannerisms that made him stand out from other drag queens.
According to the animators and directors of The Little Mermaid, they wanted to create a villain who was different from the typical fairy tale witch. Conspiracy theorists believe they decided to base Ursula’s appearance and personality on the drag queen Divine. It’s alleged in the early Little Mermaid movies they even hired a voice actor who could imitate Divine’s voice.
Not everyone is aware of this alleged connection between Ursula and Divine. Some fans of The Little Mermaid have recently discovered this fact and expressed their surprise and amusement on social media, amidst all the backlash the live action remake has been getting. They wondered how conservatives, who have been vocal in criticizing the movie for casting a black actress as Ariel, have not noticed or commented on this detail about Ursula.
Could Ursula’s Character Offensive to the LGBTQ Community?
Some conspiracy theorists have even suggested that Ursula’s character was part of a hidden agenda to promote LGBTQ+ rights and subvert traditional values. They claim that Disney was secretly trying to normalize drag culture and gender fluidity by making one of their most popular villains a drag queen. However, some people feel that her character is actually an insult to the LGBTQ community, because she is portrayed as someone evil with mental issues.
Of course, there is no evidence to support these claims, other than the fact that Ursula’s character strong resembles the drag queen Divine in multiple ways. It may not have meant to be a political statement or a representation of the LGBTQ community, but rather just an interesting coincidence.
It will be interesting to see if people in the LGBTQ create an uproar over this on social media in the future. Maybe Dave Chappelle will find a way to incorporate this situation into a controversial joke during one of his future shows, which will bring more attention to it.
