Disneys inspiration for Zira

[ScarLoyal]

Zira has a very twisted and dark personality, but her design is what gives her that 'nightmarish' look whenever a close-shot view comes up with her menacing glare. I noticed that she looks very much like a real lioness, the black nose (bent and angular of course..) her dull and grey fur.. even the dorsal stripe!

[Ninaroja]

Do you have any citation that Disney used that lioness or did you just find it on google images?

Well I know that at least on the original TLK the animators brought in real lions for the artists to study and sketch, so I would have just thought their inspirations were the lion species in general...

[ScarLoyal]

Do you have any citation that Disney used that lioness or did you just find it on google images?

Well I know that at least on the original TLK the animators brought in real lions for the artists to study and sketch, so I would have just thought their inspirations were the lion species in general...

Ehm, actually I MEANT that Disney possibly used 'real lionesses' in designing Zira.. Not just a specific lioness.

[Ninaroja]

Ah ok, I thought you were saying "this is the lioness they used for Zira." But yes, like I said above in TLK (and other Disney movies like Bambi and Lady & The Tramp) the Disney animators were very much inspired by the characters real life counterparts.

[Timon8]

I hate to say it, but

[TheLionPrince]

I hate to say it, but

Belladonna (the evil grinning lioness at the top) has nothing in common with Zira. In one episode, Belladonna is in alliance with Tonga to kill Kimba, and when she meets him, she pretends to be Kimba's aunt, and tries to knock Kimba who ends up hanging off the edge of a cliff (hence the picture). At the end of the episode, Belladonna asks Kimba for forgiveness and dies, and Kimba pursues Tonga.

Meanwhile, Zira has her own motive to kill Simba, and never seeks forgiveness for her actions. Given the heat Disney took for supposedly plagiarizing Kimba the White Lion with the first movie, it's highly unlikely they would do it again for the sequel, and believe they'll get away with it.