Live action reference models were a common practice for the Disney studio, even at the very beginning of their feature-length animation film venture. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was blessed with the talents of Marge Champion for the actions of the title role. Helene Stanley stepped in when the studio needed someone for Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty. It wasn’t for another 30 years after Sleeping Beauty was released that the studio finally reverted back to doing what they knew how to do best: princess movies. The Little Mermaid, released in 1989, was a commercial success, and the red-haired beauty Ariel became a figure that little girls looked up to for decades. After the studio saw what a victory The Little Mermaid was, Beauty and the Beast followed shortly after in 1991, with the curious and daring princess Belle. Disney needed to ensure their vision for both princesses was unique yet realistic enough to have children all around the world believe in their stories. Sherri Stoner stepped in to become both Ariel and Belle during the development of the films.

Sherri Stoner and Ariel. Image from: https://popgeeks.com/the-flashback-interview-sherri-stoner/

Sherri Stoner’s Early Career

Sherri was born in 1959 and raised in Santa Monica, California. Her passions have always lied within the entertainment industry, specifically with TV animation, as she loved watching the Saturday morning cartoons. She loved Warner Bros shows, as well as I Love Lucy, and wanted to pursue a career where she could always be surrounded by talent such as that. After high school she took a few arts courses, then she began acting in dramas. She transitioned into comedy when she joined a comedy troupe called The Groundlings.

Sherri Stoner in The Little Mermaid

A large part of the Disney animation department, especially in the early days, was made up of men. During the days of Silly Symphonies, if a female character was introduced, the male animators would refer to their wives or sisters to figure out how their long hair would move, how they would walk across a room, how their face would react to certain situations. As a part of the training for animators, the company brought in The Groundlings, an improvisational comedy troupe. The Groundlings were founded in 1974 in Los Angeles, as a group of actors who wanted to grow their improvisational skills. They would perform plays, scenes, monologues, songs, and more. Sherri Stoner was a part of this group, and she was one of the actresses who accompanied the troupe on their trip to the Disney studio.

Ron Clements and John Musker were a dynamic duo of directors who directed The Great Mouse Detective (1986), The Little Mermaid (1989), Aladdin (1992), Hercules (1997), Treasure Planet (2002), The Princess and the Frog (2009), and Moana (2016). During the development of The Little Mermaid, they spotted Sherri at the studio, and asked her to audition to be the reference model for the lead. Glenn Keane, the principle animator for Ariel, was fond of her as well. He particularly was captivated by her eyes and the movement of her hands and fingers. Unsurprisingly, she landed the role, and began working on a soundstage for $500 per session, 8 days a month for a year and a half. This would simply be a side gig for Sherri, but she knew she was making history.

Sherri Stoner as Ariel. Image from: https://www.reddit.com/r/disney/comments/ealvfq/the_liveaction_model_for_ariel_sherri_stoner/

Though most of her time working on it was spent on a soundstage with a blue screen background and props to interact with, there were some days she had to spend dunked into water. The animators were interested in seeing how her hair would move, or how her arms would flow in the water. Sherri has admitted that she acted out every scene in the movie, and sees a lot of herself when watching it back. From Ariel’s lip bite, to some of the tilts of her head and the corners of her smile. Glenn had some specific ideas of how he wanted Sherri to move, and the character’s personality had already been fleshed out by the writers, but Sherri brought the quirkiness and innocence that Ariel possesses to the character. Her small build, long hair and young face made for the perfect reference.

“We wanted [Sherri] to come up with things that we wouldn’t think of or even that the animators wouldn’t think of.”

— Ron Clements

Sherri Stoner in Beauty and the Beast

Disney enjoyed Sherri’s work on The Little Mermaid so much that they asked her to return for their next major animated film, Beauty and the Beast. The character of Belle was one that Disney really took into their own hands, despite the fairytale being around since 1740. The animators wanted her to look traditionally beautiful on the outside, and have her curious and eccentric personality shine through as well. Sherri was the perfect person for the job to provide those enthusiastic and peculiar facial expressions. Her signature lip bite she did with Ariel did not fair well with Belle, so she had to make a few adjustments. The 2 characters not only share Stoner in common, but their longing for adventure makes for relatable and lighthearted films.

Belle. Image from: https://www.girlsontopstees.com/read-me/2021/7/2/a-most-peculiar-mademoiselle-looking-at-belle-30-years-on

Life After Disney and Current Projects

After Sherri’s work with Disney, she had made great connections with those in the industry now and the Groundlings troupe was taking off, so she was recommended to become a writer for a new cartoon television show, Tiny Toons Adventures, a spin-off of Looney Toons. She went on to write 30 episodes from 1990 to 1992. She also worked on a few more cartoon shows and movies, from Pinky and the Brain to Casper. From 1993-1994 her life was centered around Animaniacs, She was a writer, supervisor, creator and actress on the show, playing Slappy Squirrel.

More recently she’s made a detour back to Disney, writing for the TV series Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures. She’s also worked on writing and story editing for the Curious George TV series in 2020.