Disney has been making animated characters for nearly a century. Its story starts with a lucky rabbit and a mouse in short films, moves through hand-drawn fairy tales like Snow White, Cinderella and The Little Mermaid, and arrives at the computer-animated hits of today: Frozen, Zootopia, Moana and Encanto. Along the way the studio created the princess archetype, the scene-stealing comic sidekick and some of the most memorable villains in film.
This page covers characters from Walt Disney Animation Studios and the classic shorts, grouped the way most people think about them: Mickey and friends, the Disney Princesses, heroes, villains and sidekicks. Each card gives the character's film, release year and, where useful, the voice behind them, and you can filter by era. Pixar characters have their own Pixar guide. If you're after a single alphabetical list with both studios, go to the Disney and Pixar characters A–Z, which covers more than 350 names.
- Studio
- Walt Disney Animation Studios (founded 1923)
- First star
- Oswald the Lucky Rabbit (1927)
- Mascot
- Mickey Mouse (1928)
- First feature
- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
- Sister studio
- Pixar (acquired 2006)
Disney, Pixar and animated film guides
Every film page on the site, from single-movie cast guides to studio overviews:
Mickey Mouse and friends
Before there were any feature films, Disney was a shorts studio, and these are the characters that built it. They first appeared in theatrical cartoons in the 1920s and 30s, and today they turn up in TV series, the theme parks and the occasional film cameo. Fans call the core six (Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy and Pluto) the "Sensational Six."
Mickey Mouse
Disney shorts · Debut 1928
Mickey is Disney's mascot and the cheerful, can-do everyman at the centre of the shorts. Steamboat Willie (1928), one of the first cartoons with synchronised sound, made him a star. In his early films he was a scrappy prankster, and he softened into the friendly host most people know. He also has a major role in Fantasia (1940) as the Sorcerer's Apprentice.
- Voice
- Walt Disney (original), later Jimmy MacDonald, Wayne Allwine and Bret Iwan
Minnie Mouse
Disney shorts · Debut 1928
Minnie is Mickey's sweetheart, and she has been with him since the very start. She's often the sensible one in a pair that tends to get into trouble. The polka dots and hair bow make her one of the most recognisable designs in the world.
- Voice
- Russi Taylor (1986–2019), now Kaitlyn Robrock
Donald Duck
Disney shorts · Debut 1934
Donald is a short-tempered duck in a sailor suit whose barely understandable quack is his trademark. He made his debut in The Wise Little Hen (1934) and quickly became one of the studio's busiest stars. Audiences love him because the world is always against him, and he never stops fighting back.
- Voice
- Clarence Nash (1934–1985), then Tony Anselmo
Daisy Duck
Disney shorts · Debut 1940
Daisy is Donald's girlfriend. She's fashionable and confident, and every bit as capable of losing her temper. Over the years she has grown from a love interest into Minnie's best friend and a lead in her own right in the TV series.
Goofy
Disney shorts · Debut 1932
Goofy is a tall, clumsy, good-natured dog famous for his "gawrsh" and his yell when he falls. His "How to…" shorts, where he fails at sports and hobbies, are classics of physical comedy. Later, A Goofy Movie (1995) made him a single dad to his son Max.
- Voice
- Pinto Colvig (original), Bill Farmer (since 1987)
Pluto
Disney shorts · Debut 1930
Pluto is Mickey's pet dog, and he behaves like a real dog: no clothes and no talking. That raises the old question of why Goofy, also a dog, does both. Pluto's solo shorts are built entirely on expression and timing.
Chip and Dale
Disney shorts · 1940s
Chip and Dale are two chipmunks who drive Donald and Pluto up the wall. Chip is the sensible one with the black nose and Dale the goofy one with the red nose. They went on to front Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers and a 2022 film.
Pete
Disney shorts · Debut 1925
Pete is a big, blustering cat who has played the heavy opposite Mickey in almost every era. He's the oldest continuing Disney character, older than Mickey himself.
Oswald the Lucky Rabbit
Disney shorts · Debut 1927
Oswald was Walt Disney's first big star. Universal owned the rights, and Disney lost him in a contract dispute in 1928. That loss led directly to Mickey. The company finally bought Oswald back in 2006.
The Disney Princesses
The official Disney Princess line-up has thirteen members. One is from Pixar (Merida). The rest come from Walt Disney Animation. Together they map how the studio's idea of a heroine changed: from a girl who waits, to one who wants more, to one who saves everyone else.
Snow White
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs · 1937
Snow White is the first Disney Princess, from the first full-length cel-animated feature. She is kind and trusting, and she runs from her jealous stepmother, the Evil Queen, into the home of seven miners. Her film proved that audiences would sit through a feature-length cartoon, and everything Disney did after builds on it.
- Voice
- Adriana Caselotti
Cinderella
Cinderella · 1950
Cinderella is a young woman worked to the bone by her stepmother, Lady Tremaine, who still holds on to hope and kindness. With help from her Fairy Godmother and her mouse friends Jaq and Gus, she gets one night at the ball. The film's success rescued the studio after the lean war years.
- Voice
- Ilene Woods
Aurora
Sleeping Beauty · 1959
Aurora is a princess cursed by Maleficent at birth and raised in hiding as "Briar Rose" by three good fairies. She has surprisingly little screen time in her own film. The lush, stylised animation around her is the real star.
- Voice
- Mary Costa
Ariel
The Little Mermaid · 1989
Ariel is a curious mermaid who collects human objects and dreams of life on land. She trades her voice to the sea witch Ursula for legs. Her film launched the "Disney Renaissance" of the late 1980s and 90s, and her "I want" song set the template for nearly every princess since.
- Voice
- Jodi Benson
Belle
Beauty and the Beast · 1991
Belle is a bookish young woman whom her provincial village finds odd. She takes her father's place as the Beast's prisoner. She falls for the person behind the monster and rejects the handsome, hollow Gaston, and she was one of the first princesses defined more by her mind than by romance.
- Voice
- Paige O'Hara
Jasmine
Aladdin · 1992
Jasmine is the Sultan's daughter in Agrabah. She refuses to be married off and sneaks out of the palace to see the world for herself. She's technically the deuteragonist of Aladdin's story, but she's sharp enough to see through both Jafar and "Prince Ali."
- Voice
- Linda Larkin (speaking), Lea Salonga (singing)
Pocahontas
Pocahontas · 1995
Pocahontas is a Powhatan chief's daughter who tries to bring peace between her people and the English settlers. The film loosely adapts a real historical figure and takes big liberties with her story. It's the rare Disney romance where the couple doesn't end up together.
- Voice
- Irene Bedard (speaking), Judy Kuhn (singing)
Mulan
Mulan · 1998
Mulan disguises herself as a man to take her ailing father's place in the army. She isn't a princess by birth or marriage; she's in the line-up for her heroism. She saves China through cleverness rather than strength, with help from a very small dragon named Mushu.
- Voice
- Ming-Na Wen (speaking), Lea Salonga (singing)
Tiana
The Princess and the Frog · 2009
Tiana is a hard-working waitress in 1920s New Orleans saving up to open her own restaurant. A kiss turns her into a frog alongside Prince Naveen. She was Disney's first Black princess, and her film brought hand-drawn animation back to Disney features after a five-year gap.
- Voice
- Anika Noni Rose
Rapunzel
Tangled · 2010
Rapunzel is a lost princess with magic, seventy-foot hair, raised in a tower by the manipulative Mother Gothel. She escapes with the thief Flynn Rider to see the floating lanterns. She's funny, anxious and resourceful, and the film plays her emotional abuse more honestly than you might expect.
- Voice
- Mandy Moore
Merida
Brave (Pixar) · 2012
Merida is a Scottish princess and archer who wants to choose her own life. A rash wish turns her mother into a bear. She's the only Pixar princess, and the first with no love interest at all. Her story is about a mother and daughter learning to listen to each other.
- Voice
- Kelly Macdonald
Moana
Moana · 2016
Moana is the daughter of her island's chief. She sails beyond the reef to restore the heart of Te Fiti and rediscovers her people's wayfinding past. She returned in Moana 2 (2024). See our Moana characters guide for the full cast.
- Voice
- Auliʻi Cravalho
Raya
Raya and the Last Dragon · 2021
Raya is a warrior princess in the divided land of Kumandra, searching for the last dragon, Sisu, to undo a disaster she blames herself for. Her arc is about learning to trust again after being betrayed by her rival, Namaari.
- Voice
- Kelly Marie Tran
Heroes and leading characters
Not every Disney lead wears a crown. These heroes carry some of the studio's best-loved films.
Simba
The Lion King · 1994
Simba is a lion cub who runs away after his father Mufasa's death, believing it was his fault. He grows up carefree with Timon and Pumbaa until Nala and Rafiki push him to go home and face Scar. His story borrows from Hamlet, and it's still one of the highest-grossing hand-drawn films ever made.
- Voice
- Jonathan Taylor Thomas (young), Matthew Broderick (adult)
Aladdin
Aladdin · 1992
Aladdin is a street thief in Agrabah who finds a lamp holding a wish-granting Genie. He uses a wish to pose as a prince and win Jasmine, then learns the hard way that pretending isn't the same as being worthy.
- Voice
- Scott Weinger (speaking), Brad Kane (singing)
Hercules
Hercules · 1997
Hercules is the son of Zeus, made mortal as a baby by Hades' minions. He sets out to become a true hero so he can return to Olympus. The film's twist is that strength doesn't make you a hero; sacrifice does.
- Voice
- Tate Donovan
Peter Pan
Peter Pan · 1953
Peter Pan is the boy who won't grow up, leader of the Lost Boys in Neverland. He's cocky, brave and a little selfish. He whisks Wendy Darling and her brothers away for an adventure with Tinker Bell and Captain Hook.
Stitch
Lilo & Stitch · 2002
Stitch is Experiment 626, a small, nearly indestructible alien built for destruction. He crash-lands in Hawaii and gets adopted from a shelter by a lonely girl named Lilo. Through her he learns about ohana, family, and he has become one of Disney's biggest characters of the century.
- Voice
- Chris Sanders
Elsa
Frozen · 2013
Elsa is the Queen of Arendelle, with ice powers she has hidden since childhood. When they're exposed on her coronation day, she flees and accidentally freezes the kingdom. Her sister Anna's journey to bring her back is the heart of the film.
- Voice
- Idina Menzel
Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde
Zootopia · 2016
Judy is a small-town rabbit determined to be the city's first bunny police officer. Nick is a fox hustler she blackmails into helping her crack a missing-mammals case. Their odd-couple partnership, and the film's look at prejudice, made them two of Disney's most popular modern characters. They returned in Zootopia 2 (2025).
- Voice
- Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman
Hiro Hamada and Baymax
Big Hero 6 · 2014
Hiro is a teenage robotics prodigy. Baymax is the gentle, inflatable healthcare robot built by Hiro's late brother, Tadashi. Hiro turns Baymax into a crime-fighter to find the person responsible for Tadashi's death. Underneath the action, it's a story about grief.
- Voice
- Ryan Potter, Scott Adsit
Wreck-It Ralph
Wreck-It Ralph · 2012
Ralph is the villain of an old arcade game, tired of being hated, who goes "game-jumping" to prove he can be a hero. He befriends the glitchy racer Vanellope von Schweetz, and the two return in Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018).
- Voice
- John C. Reilly
Mirabel Madrigal
Encanto · 2021
Mirabel is the only member of her magical Colombian family who didn't receive a gift. When the family's magic starts to crack, she's the one who goes looking for the cause. More in our Encanto characters guide.
- Voice
- Stephanie Beatriz
Asha
Wish · 2023
Asha is a teenager in the kingdom of Rosas who discovers that King Magnifico keeps his people's wishes locked away. Her plea to the sky brings down a living star. The film was released for Disney's 100th anniversary and is packed with nods to the studio's history.
- Voice
- Ariana DeBose
Disney villains
Disney's villains are often more memorable than its heroes. They get the best songs, the best designs and the best lines. They range from pure evil to petty and wounded. Our guide to villain types breaks down the archetypes they fit into.
The Evil Queen
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs · 1937
The Evil Queen is Snow White's vain stepmother. When the Magic Mirror names Snow White fairest in the land, she disguises herself as an old hag to deliver a poisoned apple. As Disney's first feature villain, she set the template.
Maleficent
Sleeping Beauty · 1959
Maleficent is a dark fairy who curses the infant Aurora after being left off a christening guest list. At the climax she transforms into a dragon. She is regal, theatrical and petty in equal measure, and she later got her own live-action films.
- Voice
- Eleanor Audley
Cruella de Vil
One Hundred and One Dalmatians · 1961
Cruella is a chain-smoking fashion obsessive who wants a coat made from Dalmatian puppies. Her jagged design and manic energy make her one of the most recognisable villains in animation.
Captain Hook
Peter Pan · 1953
Hook is the vain, short-tempered pirate captain who lost his hand to a crocodile and blames Peter Pan for it. He's as much comic foil as threat, especially with his bumbling first mate, Mr. Smee.
Ursula
The Little Mermaid · 1989
Ursula is a sea witch who preys on "poor unfortunate souls," trading their dreams for their freedom. She takes Ariel's voice as payment for legs, planning to use her to seize King Triton's power. Her design was partly inspired by the drag performer Divine.
- Voice
- Pat Carroll
Jafar
Aladdin · 1992
Jafar is the Sultan's scheming grand vizier, with a hypnotic snake staff and a parrot sidekick, Iago. He wants the lamp so he can rule Agrabah, and his own greed is his undoing.
- Voice
- Jonathan Freeman
Scar
The Lion King · 1994
Scar is Mufasa's resentful younger brother. He kills the king, convinces Simba it was his fault and rules the Pride Lands into ruin with his hyena army. His sly, bitter delivery makes him one of the most quoted Disney villains.
- Voice
- Jeremy Irons
Frollo
The Hunchback of Notre Dame · 1996
Judge Claude Frollo is the self-righteous minister of justice who raised Quasimodo in a bell tower and persecutes Paris's Romani people. His song "Hellfire," about his obsession with Esmeralda, is the darkest number in any Disney film.
- Voice
- Tony Jay
Hades
Hercules · 1997
Hades is the fast-talking, hot-headed lord of the Underworld, plotting to overthrow Zeus. He plays more like a stressed-out salesman than a demon, which makes him one of the funniest villains Disney has made.
- Voice
- James Woods
Yzma
The Emperor's New Groove · 2000
Yzma is Emperor Kuzco's ancient, scheming adviser. She tries to poison him and accidentally turns him into a llama instead. She and her dim henchman Kronk are a comedy double act at least as much as a threat.
- Voice
- Eartha Kitt
Dr. Facilier
The Princess and the Frog · 2009
Dr. Facilier, the "Shadow Man," is a smooth New Orleans con artist in debt to dangerous spirits. He turns Prince Naveen into a frog as part of a plan to take over the city.
- Voice
- Keith David
Mother Gothel
Tangled · 2010
Mother Gothel kidnapped Rapunzel as a baby to keep her magic hair, and with it her own youth. She keeps Rapunzel in line with guilt and passive-aggressive "love." She's one of Disney's most realistic villains.
- Voice
- Donna Murphy
Prince Hans
Frozen · 2013
Hans is a charming prince who turns out to be using Anna to get a throne. He's a deliberate send-up of Disney's own love-at-first-sight romances.
- Voice
- Santino Fontana
King Magnifico
Wish · 2023
Magnifico is the sorcerer-king of Rosas who collects his subjects' wishes and decides which few to grant. He starts out as a benevolent control freak and ends up a full villain once he turns to forbidden magic.
- Voice
- Chris Pine
Sidekicks and comic relief
Disney sidekicks do a lot of work. They make the jokes, keep the story moving and often say what the hero can't. Many are more famous than the films they come from.
Jiminy Cricket
Pinocchio · 1940
Jiminy is a cricket appointed as Pinocchio's conscience. He is fussy and well-meaning, and he's often a step behind. He became a Disney ambassador figure in his own right.
Tinker Bell
Peter Pan · 1953
Tinker Bell is Peter Pan's jealous, silent fairy companion. She became a symbol of Disney itself and later starred in her own series of films.
Baloo
The Jungle Book · 1967
Baloo is a laid-back bear who teaches Mowgli to enjoy "the bare necessities." He's the fun guardian, set against the sensible panther Bagheera.
- Voice
- Phil Harris
Sebastian
The Little Mermaid · 1989
Sebastian is King Triton's anxious crab court composer, assigned to keep Ariel out of trouble. He fails, and sings "Under the Sea" along the way.
- Voice
- Samuel E. Wright
Lumière and Cogsworth
Beauty and the Beast · 1991
Lumière and Cogsworth are the Beast's enchanted servants, a flirtatious candelabra and a stuffy mantel clock. They bicker constantly, and they're quietly the reason Belle stays.
Genie
Aladdin · 1992
The Genie is a shape-shifting, impression-spouting, wish-granting powerhouse who mainly wants to be free. Robin Williams's improvised performance changed how studios cast animated films.
- Voice
- Robin Williams
Timon and Pumbaa
The Lion King · 1994
Timon and Pumbaa are a meerkat and a warthog who raise runaway Simba on bugs and "Hakuna Matata." Their carefree philosophy is both a comfort and a trap.
- Voice
- Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella
Mushu
Mulan · 1998
Mushu is a demoted guardian dragon who appoints himself Mulan's protector to win back his place. He's small, loud and surprisingly useful.
- Voice
- Eddie Murphy
Pascal and Maximus
Tangled · 2010
Pascal is Rapunzel's expressive chameleon and Maximus a palace horse who acts like a bloodhound. Neither speaks, and both steal every scene they're in.
Olaf
Frozen · 2013
Olaf is a living snowman who dreams of summer. He's naive, cheerful and often wiser than he seems, and he became the breakout character of Frozen.
- Voice
- Josh Gad
Maui
Moana · 2016
Maui is a boastful, shape-shifting demigod with living tattoos. He's half sidekick, half co-lead, and his journey from show-off to real hero runs alongside Moana's.
- Voice
- Dwayne Johnson
Hei Hei
Moana · 2016
Hei Hei is a spectacularly dim rooster who stows away on Moana's canoe. He's proof that a sidekick doesn't have to be clever to be loved.
- Voice
- Alan Tudyk
Disney's eras at a glance
Fans and historians often split Disney Animation's history into eras. The filter tags above follow a simplified version of them:
- 1928–1967 The classic era: Mickey's shorts, then Snow White, Pinocchio, Dumbo, Bambi, Cinderella, Peter Pan, Sleeping Beauty and The Jungle Book, the last feature Walt Disney worked on.
- 1970–1988 A quieter stretch of smaller films such as Robin Hood, The Rescuers and The Fox and the Hound.
- 1989–1999 The Renaissance, from The Little Mermaid to Tarzan: big Broadway-style musicals and the studio's best-known villains.
- 2000–2008 Experiments like The Emperor's New Groove, Lilo & Stitch and Treasure Planet, and the switch to computer animation with Chicken Little.
- 2009–today The revival, from The Princess and the Frog and Tangled through Frozen, Zootopia, Moana, Encanto and their sequels. Frozen III is scheduled for 2027.
Where to start
If you're new to Disney animation, or you want to introduce someone to it, here's a short path through the essentials:
- For the classics: Snow White, Pinocchio and Sleeping Beauty show what the studio could do with hand-drawn art.
- For the musicals: The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and The Lion King are the core of the Renaissance.
- For modern Disney: Tangled, Frozen, Zootopia, Moana and Encanto.
- For Pixar: start with Toy Story and Inside Out. Our Pixar guide and Inside Out 2 characters page cover the casts.
Disney also owns Marvel and Lucasfilm. Those characters live on our Marvel and Star Wars pages rather than here.
Frequently asked questions
What is a full list of Disney characters?
The most complete list on this site is our Disney and Pixar characters A–Z. It covers several hundred characters in one alphabet, each tagged with its film and studio. This page focuses on the most important characters, grouped by role and described in more depth.
Who are the official Disney Princesses?
The official Disney Princess line-up is Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Pocahontas, Mulan, Tiana, Rapunzel, Merida, Moana and Raya. Elsa and Anna are royalty but are marketed under the separate Frozen brand, so they aren't part of the official line-up.
Who was the first Disney character?
Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, who starred in shorts from 1927. Walt Disney lost the rights to Oswald in 1928 and created Mickey Mouse in response. Mickey's first released cartoon, Steamboat Willie, came out in November 1928. Disney bought Oswald back in 2006.
Who is the most popular Disney character?
Mickey Mouse is still the company's mascot and its best-known character worldwide. Among the feature-film characters, Elsa, Stitch, Simba and the princesses dominate merchandise and search interest, and Stitch has had a big resurgence since the 2025 live-action Lilo & Stitch.
Is Pixar the same as Disney?
Disney owns Pixar, but they're separate studios. Walt Disney Animation made Frozen, The Lion King and Moana; Pixar made Toy Story, Finding Nemo and Inside Out. See our Pixar characters guide and the comparison on the A–Z page.
Who is the most evil Disney villain?
Fans usually point to Judge Claude Frollo from The Hunchback of Notre Dame, because his cruelty is so human and so self-righteous, or to Scar, who murders his own brother. Maleficent and Chernabog are the most powerful, but Frollo is the one most people find genuinely disturbing.