Maleficent

📖 Biography

Maleficent is the powerful dark fairy and primary villain of Disney's Sleeping Beauty. Angered by being excluded from Princess Aurora's christening, she places a terrible curse on the infant princess, declaring that Aurora will fall into an enchanted sleep on her sixteenth birthday. When Prince Phillip attempts to rescue Aurora, Maleficent transforms into a gigantic dragon and battles him in one of Disney animation's most memorable villain confrontations. Later adaptations have explored different sides of her character, including her relationship with Aurora and her role as protector of the magical Moors.

⚡ Fun Facts

• 01 Maleficent was created specifically for Disney's 1959 animated film Sleeping Beauty and was not the named villain of the original Perrault fairy tale.
• 02 Her iconic black-and-purple design was created by Disney artist Marc Davis, who also animated Cruella de Vil.
• 03 Maleficent's transformation into a fire-breathing dragon is one of the climactic moments of Sleeping Beauty.
• 04 She became a recurring villain in the Kingdom Hearts video-game series, where she leads a group of Disney villains and seeks control over multiple worlds.
• 05 Angelina Jolie portrayed a reimagined version of Maleficent in the 2014 live-action film Maleficent and its 2019 sequel.
• 06 Disney's live-action version presents Maleficent as a powerful protector of the Moors whose story changes dramatically after her betrayal by Stefan.