Disney is one of the biggest film companies in the whole of cinema, with over 100 years of specializing in animated features. Over this time, many groundbreaking movies have been released, featuring many memorable songs and characters. What makes these features so memorable are the brilliant voice-acting performances behind them, bringing the characters to life in a powerful and often emotive way.

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Disney films are well-known for uplifting stories that have the power to resonate with viewers in an emotional way. Thanks to great vocal performances, many characters have become deeply well-loved by fans. These characters wouldn't be the same without their memorable and brilliant voice-acting performances, which capture the very essence of the character being portrayed. Whether a hero, villain, or stalwart companion, these Disney voice performances stand out as truly iconic and some of the best in animated films.

10 Maleficent (Sleeping Beauty) (1959)

Voiced By: Eleanor Audley

Maleficent is well remembered for her elegant and poetic speech, which can suddenly become an evil laugh or cackle as the villain’s true intentions are revealed. This juxtaposition adds to her overall menacing nature as her elegance conceals an evil character at heart.

Due to this, and her own vast power, Maleficent’s voice performance needed to be equally of such power, something her original voice actor, Eleanor Audley, did brilliantly. Audley’s performance stood out so much that she was used as a reference for animating the character. Audley was known for her powerful voice, which makes Maleficent even more intense and frightening, and thus iconic. Audley also voiced Lady Tremaine in Cinderella, another memorable character.

9 Snow White (Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs) (1937)

Voiced By: Adriana Caselotti

As the first Disney Princess, Snow White is truly iconic. She has the special ability to communicate with animals, who love her due to her pure kindness. Her sweet-natured and gentle personality is perfectly captured in her vocal performance; Snow White’s high-pitched voice and sweet singing perfectly reflect her pure heart and childlike innocence.

Snow White is loved by many characters, and though she isn’t physically strong, she has a childish wonder and sees the good in everything. This makes her vulnerable to manipulation and, as such, she directly contrasts with the Evil Queen’s cunning and sinister motives. All these elements make Adriana Caselotti’s performance stand out, perfectly capturing the essence of, above all else, Snow White’s complete innocence.

8 Mushu (Mulan) (1998)

Voiced By: Eddie Murphy

Eddie Murphy may be more famous for the voice of Donkey in Shrek, however, his role as Mushu in Disney’s Mulan predates this. Mushu is Mulan’s guardian, and though he seeks his own personal gain in leading Mulan to become a hero of China, he deeply cares for her.

Mushu is the direct contrast in personality to Mulan’s steadfastness and maturity, portrayed excellently by Ming-Na Wen, and the way the two play off each other is why both performances are so memorable to this day. The unlikely duo makes for one of Disney’s most comedic yet heartwarming pairs. Mushu’s sense of humor, wordplay, and jokes make him iconic, yet he also shares gentle moments with Mulan, offering her encouragement. Murphy brings both sides of Mushu’s personality to life in a way that is well-loved by many fans. For a small character, Mushu has a big voice.

7 Ursula (The Little Mermaid) (1989)

Voiced By: Pat Carroll

Pat Carroll’s performance brought a lot of dry humor to this blatantly wicked character, which also makes Ursula likable. Ursula certainly has a humorous side to her, which serves to conceal her truly evil coercion of Ariel. Yet, the villain has an air of sophistication, making her even more threatening, and highlighting her jealousy and malice really well.

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This is especially apparent in Ursula’s song, 'Poor Unfortunate Souls.' Carroll’s deep vocals place emphasis on Ursula’s sly motives, as she pretends she wants to help those in need. Carroll herself compared Ursula to an ‘"ex-Shakespearean actress who now sold cars”. Ursula appeals to Ariel’s desire to become human, yet after luring her in, tells her blatantly what happens if one can’t “pay the price”. A smart and manipulative villain, Ursula stands out as one of Disney’s most distinct characters.

6 Megara (Hercules) (1997)

Voiced By: Susan Egan

Megara, and her performance by Susan Egan, stands as one of the most relatable characters in Disney’s animated movies. Megara has a unique kind of charm, being tough and sarcastic on the outside. However, this exterior secretly hides a broken heart and troubled past, making Meg one of the most three-dimensional characters, with a deeper backstory. Her false genuineness contrasts with Hercules’ genuine kindness and begins to change her. Meg struggles with her conscience and ends the story as a very different character than in the beginning.

Egan excels at bringing this unique character’s multi-layered personality to life in a way fans resonate with. Meg is funny, yet displays great emotion, like when standing up to Hades or pleading with Phil to help save a weakened Hercules. Prior to the movie, Egan had portrayed Belle in the Broadway version of Beauty and the Beast. For Hercules, she portrayed Meg as the complete opposite of Belle’s kindness and goodness and thus created one of Disney’s most unique female characters.

5 Moana (Moana) (2016)

Voiced By: Auliʻi Cravalho

As one of the strongest Disney princesses, Moana’s vocal performance needed to reflect her immense ability. Chosen by the ocean, Moana must undertake the intimidating quest to restore Te Fiti's heart, all by herself. Auliʻi Cravalho’s performance showcases all the strength and confidence Moana has, yet also reveals the characters’ youthful insecurity and inexperience. This wide range of emotions helps make Moana a relatable character fans want to root for.

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Moana also has a humorous side, especially evident in her long-running banter with Maui, made memorable thanks to Dwayne Johnson’s captivating performance. At first, Maui belittles her, yet countless times she proves him wrong and teases him in return. The pair of opposites play off each other brilliantly and fans witness Moana’s childish excitement yet bravery, versus Maui’s strength yet inward cowardice. Cravalho’s performance perfectly demonstrates Moana’s character growth throughout the film. When Moana eventually achieves her mission, she ends the story with steadfastness and maturity she didn’t have before and leads her people as their master Wayfinder.

4 Hades (Hercules) (1997)

Voiced By: James Woods