From Mickey Mouse donning his sorcerer hat to Mary Poppins floating from the sky, we all have a favorite moment in Disney’s universe. But while some of these are brilliantly planned, sometimes the magic just happens. Some of the most memorable moments in Disney actually happened right off the cuff and went into the production.
Some of Disney’s greatest lines and scenes happened completely off-script, and we’re going to check them out today. We’re going to peek behind the scenes and see just how much of our favorite flicks were intentionally planned.
An Improvised Hustle
What better way to start the list than with our favorite sly fox, Nick Wilde. The scene in Jumbo’s ice cream parlor shows us not only is Nick a grade-A hustler, but Jason Bateman is fast on his feet when it comes to improv. The scene we got in the movie was only one of several different versions in the studio.
In the deleted scenes of Zootopia, we see the lost-wallet scam play out in an almost melodramatic fashion. The deleted scene was too long, but the final scene was still all Bateman. It’s still just as sly and smooth.
A Chance On Hades
Hades is without a doubt one of the most beloved villains in Disney’s rogue’s gallery, but the Hades we know and love was not originally what the studio had planned. After a contract dispute with Jack Nicholson, who was supposed to play the role, James Woods stepped in and gave the character a different spin.
What was originally a more devilish character became the fast-talking fiend we all know, all because of an improved audition and tons of improved dialogue and one-liners. We kiss, we dance, we shmooze, we go home happy, and the rest is history. Sound about right?
Clever Cogsworth
One of the most recognized improvised lines in Disney comes from our favorite clockwork butler, Cogsworth. In the scene after the Beast saves Belle from the wolves, we start to see a change in our furry friend’s character. His heart begins to soften and now he wants to do something to thank her. What’s Cogsworth’s suggestion?
Though he might be a tad stuffy, Cogsworth is quick with a zinger. “The usual thing, flowers, chocolates, promises you don’t intend to keep.” The line was improvised by David Ogden Stiers who provided the voice of Cogsworth and it just clicked.
Buzz’s Meltdown
In one of the space ranger’s funniest scenes, we see Buzz Lightyear come to grips with the fact he can’t fly. Needless to say, he doesn’t take it very well. What results is an emotional breakdown that is just so funny it hurts.
After his brief stint as Mrs. Nesbitt, we see Buzz get more than a little depressed with his inability to fly and the sudden realization of his toyhood. His meltdown outside of Hannah’s room is completely out of Tim Allen’s improv and makes for some of Buzz’s most memorable lines. Years of comedy training definitely not wasted.
Sad, Strange Little Line
Easily the most quotable line in the entire film, “You are a sad, strange little man” was completely improvised. After Woody gives his long spiel about being a toy, could there have been anything left to say? It was certainly a line we’re still using today.
In a discussion on his favorite Toy Story moments, Tim Allen reflected on his favorite improved lines from Buzz. Next to the previously mentioned meltdown, this one was another favorite. Apparently, it was also funnier than the original line. Taking a page from Robin Williams, Allen tried to improv more on his character, but most of the time he was reeled back in.
Stranger Tides
Where would Johnny Depp’s career be without Captain Jack Sparrow? The head buccaneer of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise could fill a whole ship with the clever lines he’s delivered. Definitely one of the most quotable Disney characters of all time, he has a lot of purely improvised lines.
One of his catchphrases, savvy, was completely and totally Depp. But perhaps the most memorable, and memeable, Captain Jack line involves an undead heart… and a jar of dirt. That’s right, the jar-of-dirt song was completely unscripted and gloriously made it into the final product. We’re on stranger tides indeed.
A Mad Tea Party
Believe it or not, the most famous scene from Alice in Wonderland was almost entirely ad-libbed. Actors Ed Wynn and Jerry Colona, Mad Hatter and March Hare respectively, were brought onto a soundstage where they were supplied with a fully set table and props. There, they brought to life the famous scene in front of Disney animators.
All the slapstick, prop gags, and lines were improvised from the two actors and simply put to animation. Even tossing the various ingredients into the White Rabbit’s watch! If you’d like to see what the whole thing was like, you can check it out here.
Luau!
Sometimes, some of the best jokes are throw-away-lines. There is no truer example of that than Timon’s line “Whadda ya want me to do, dress in drag and do the hula?” Provided by the phenomenal Nathan Lane, this line was not only ad-libbed but inspired another scene for the movie.
The line was so well-received, the filmmakers convinced the executives to let them improv a whole gag which resulted in Timon and Pumbaa’s luau. The directors and audiences loved it, and now we’re sorry to see it missing from the remake. Guess we’re still achin’ for some bacon.
The Word of Gad
We’ve mentioned Josh Gad as Olaf before, but we’ll say it again. Olaf was an animator’s nightmare. Since many of Josh Gad’s jokes were ad-libbed or otherwise unscripted, the artists had to pay extremely close attention to the actor’s lips to make sure they matched the snowman’s.
If the line was quirky, goofy, or involved jokes about impalement or dismemberment, it was from the mouth of Gad. Despite eventually having the actor stick closer to the script, we still got some very memorable lines. Even if you’re not a fan of Anna and Elsa, we can’t say we dislike Olaf.
Never Had a Friend Like Him
If it wasn’t obvious who took our number one spot, the role of the Genie in Aladdin was almost entirely tailored around Robin Williams. It could be said that almost 80-90 percent of his dialogue was completely improvised, but that’s why you hired Robin Williams. He did his best work on the fly.
From day one, the role was meant for him. All the impressions, all the one-liners, all the pop-culture references were all the wit and wonder of Williams. His spark of madness helped create one of the most iconic characters in Disney’s canon, as well as establish him as a Disney Legend.
