There is no denying that Disney has rooted itself in Hollywood. The company has acquired multiple companies since their creation in the 1920s, which has allowed them to expand far beyond animated pictures. Even with blockbusters like the newest Star Wars and Marvel movies, Disney’s animated movies hold a special place in a lot of people’s hearts.
Many grew up with Disney, or Disney-Pixar, films, which has allowed Disney to make a ton of money from the box office, merchandise, and of course theme parks. Over the years, Disney has created some truly iconic characters, most of which fans are able to instantly recognize. All of these Disney characters seem to be getting live-action remakes, but the originals will still always be beloved by fans.
That being said, many people have given fans an idea of what characters would look like in a live-action reboot by cosplaying as these cartoon characters. Some Disney characters are easy to dress up as, but others are nearly impossible. Whether it be elaborate costume designs or non-human characters, some cosplays are harder to pull off than others.
Here are 25 Disney Cartoon Characters That Are Impossible To Cosplay (But Fans Pulled It Off).
Lumière (Beauty And The Beast)
There are many iconic characters that come from Beauty and the Beast, but Lumière is often a fan favorite. Lumière was the charismatic candelabra that was voiced by Jerry Orbach in the original 1991 film. The character was, of course, brought back for the live-action remake in 2017 with Ewan McGregor voicing Lumière.
The live-action film used CGI to bring this character to life, but this fan actually cosplayed as Lumière. Lumière should be a complex character to cosplay as given the fact that he’s a candelabra, but that doesn’t stop artist Jo Skellington from bringing him to life.
Yzma (The Emperor’s New Groove)
Yzma was the popular villain from the 2000 film The Emperor’s New Groove. The character definitely had a unique look, but what was even more unique was that she was voiced by the famous singer Eartha Kitt. The character is known for being incredibly thin with exaggerated makeup, which could be hard for a lot of cosplayers to pull off effectively.
Artist Jo Skellington clearly doesn’t have much trouble with cosplaying as unique characters since he pulled off Yzma perfectly. Skellington may not have lost weight to pull off the cosplay, but his makeup is spot on.
Te Fiti And Te Kā (Moana)
Te Fiti played a crucial role in the 2016 film Moana. Te Fiti is the Goddess of Life who had her heart stolen by the demigod Maui. This causes her to transform into a fire demon called Te Kā, who ends up being the protagonist in the film. Te Fiti resembles a green mountain and Te Kā resembles more of a volcano.
Given the size of these characters and the detail that would need to go into the costumes, many would consider this cosplay to be impossible. Not only were these cosplayers able to build costumes of Te Fiti And Te Kā, but they were also able to make them look just like the on-screen characters.
Scar (The Lion King)
There are many hated villains in the Disney universe, but Scar is usually at the top of most lists. After all, he was the cause of that tear-jerking scene of Simba watching Mufasa fall and get trampled by the stampede of wildebeests. Scar eventually gets put in his place by the end of the movie, but that doesn’t make him any less villainous.
Most characters in The Lion King are hard to cosplay as since they are all animals, but that hasn’t stopped fans from dressing up as their favorite characters, as this person has done with Scar.
Celia Mae (Monsters Inc.)
All of the monsters in the 2001 Monsters Inc. have distinctive looks, including Celia Mae. Celia Mae was the girlfriend of Mike Wazowski, who usually called her Schmoopsie-poo. The character was a receptionist who had, a green dress, one eye, and snakes for hair.
The character would usually be difficult to cosplay as, but this artist pulled it off. Cosplays with one-eyed characters are usually difficult, but this woman simply pulled her hair over her eye to give the desired effect. This may not be a permanent solution for a convention, but it sure looks great for a photo shoot.
Jack Skellington (The Nightmare Before Christmas)
When The Nightmare Before Christmas was released in 1993, the film became a sleeper hit. The stop-motion animated film has gotten critical acclaim by fans and critics and the film has even become a holiday tradition for many people.
The character Jack Skellington is often a top choice for cosplayers around Halloween and Christmas time, but not every costume pulls off a realistic look. That being said, this cosplayer’s attempt at Jack Skellington worked like a charm. The only thing that’s missing from this cosplay is Zero!
Stitch (Lilo And Stitch)
Stitch made his first appearance in Lilo & Stitch in 2002. Stitch is another Disney character who isn’t necessarily easy to cosplay as since he shows very little resemblance to a human being. Anybody can buy a Stitch onesie and call it a day, but this cosplayer went above and beyond to create a Stitch costume.
Not only did she dye her hair blue, but she is wearing Stitch’s armor that he first wears when he comes to Earth. She is even holding a gun that looks just like Stitch’s and if we’re not mistaken, that looks like Scrum on her belt too.
Buzz Lightyear (Toy Story)
Buzz Lightyear won the hearts of fans when he soared to the big screen in 1995. Since then, Tim Allen has reprised the role of the Space Ranger for three more feature-length films and several shorts. Certain characters in Toy Story, like Woody, are easy to cosplay as since fans just have to buy clothes that look like him.
Buzz, however, is a different story since he has an elaborate spacesuit. Only someone who is extremely crafty would be able to build a cosplay as elaborate as Buzz Lightyear, but this super fan proved that he has what it takes.
Cruella De Vil (101 Dalmations)
One of the most despicable villains in Disney’s history is Cruella De Vil. The character is the main antagonist in the 1961 film, 101 Dalmatians, but has returned for several movies, TV shows, and video games over the years. Throughout the years, Cruella’s look has stayed mostly the same, most recognized by her half black/half white hair, her red gloves, and her big furry coat.
Cruella’s intentions in the film were awful, but this cosplay by Jo Skellington looks rather spooky. Glenn Close did just fine in the two live-action movies, but this cosplayer turned the character into the stuff of nightmares.
Zurg (Toy Story)
Whether it be a human or a toy, each Toy Story film has had a memorable villain. While Zurg hasn’t been the main antagonist in any of the Toy Story films, he is considered the arch-enemy of Buzz Lightyear. While he was mentioned in the first Toy Story, Zurg didn’t make an appearance until Toy Story 2 in 1999.
Zurg looks to be a tough character to cosplay as given his armor, helmet, and blaster, but this fan was able to pull it off for a convention. The button on his chest even appears to glow!
Jiminy Cricket (Pinocchio)
Jiminy Cricket made his first appearance all the way back in the 1940 film Pinocchio. While the character is fairly small and is a cartoonish version of an insect, this cosplayer took the character’s name literally and went to a convention as a giant cricket.
Jiminy Cricket looks a bit spookier in this costume than he does in the original Pinocchio movie, but this cosplay is clever nonetheless. Needless to say, Pinocchio would have been way different if Jiminy Cricket looked like this realistic cosplay.
Beast (Beauty And The Beast)
When it comes to cosplays that involve big furry animals, things can go south pretty quickly. A lot of the times people will try to pull off a cosplay that involves a lot of fur and hair, and the result just ends up looking silly.
However, this cosplay of Beast from Beauty and the Beast doesn’t look silly at all. The CGI version of Beast from the 2016 live-action remake received mixed reactions, but there is no denying this cosplayer knows how to make a costume look authentic.
The Evil Queen (Snow White)
Most Disney fans are familiar with the Evil Queen. One of the earlier Disney villains, The Evil Queen made her Disney debut in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. She appears in the film as a fair-skinned sorceress, but also as an old witch in order to trick Snow White.
Both versions of The Evil Queen are popular cosplays, but the witch version is typically a lot harder given the amount of makeup and prosthetics that are required for the costume. Jo Skellington was up to the task, however, as he created a look with a big nose, wrinkly face, and long dirty nails.
Ursula (The Little Mermaid)
Another one of Disney’s most popular animated movies is the 1989 film, The Little Mermaid. The movie introduced fans to characters such as Ariel, Sebastian, and Prince Eric. While all of these characters are lovable in their own way, the villain Ursula is much more dreadful.
Minus her tentacles, Ursula would be a fairly simple cosplay idea, but this fan took it in a different direction and created Steampunk Ursula. Not only does she clearly get across who she is supposed to be, but she was able to create a truly unique cosplay as well.
Judy Hopps (Zootopia)
Disney has won many Academy Awards over the years, and Zootopia only added to their list of wins. The film won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film Of The Year, beating out films like Moana and Kubo and the Two Strings. One of the main characters in the film was named Judy Hopps, a bunny cop who teams up with a con artist fox.
Since all of the characters in the movie are animals, the film wasn’t the easiest source for cosplay ideas. Despite the challenges, this cosplayer pulled off the perfect Judy Hopps. The cosplayers clothes are almost identical to the animated rabbit and dying her hair silver was a great way to fully get the look across.
Llama Kuzco (The Emperor’s New Groove)
The character Kuzco from The Emperor’s New Groove certainly isn’t a hard character to cosplay as, well, unless you are talking about the llama version of Kuzco. For the majority of the film, Emperor Kuzco is a talking llama.
Cosplaying as animals always presents a challenge, but cosplaying as an animal that walks on all fours is an even bigger challenge. Most costumes like the one above require two people, but it looks like the person inside the costume is actually using his hands and feet to walk around the convention by himself.
Ariel (The Little Mermaid)
Typically Ariel from The Little Mermaid isn’t an extremely difficult character to cosplay as. Those who dress up as the mermaid version of Ariel may have some difficulties walking around a show floor, but the human version of Ariel is much easier to cosplay as.
That being said, it can be hard to find clothing that looks exactly like Ariel’s. The woman from this cosplay not only found a dress that looks identical to Ariel’s but she is even using a fork as a comb, just like Ariel does in the movie.
Baymax (Big Hero 6)
People have been cosplaying as superheroes for decades, but cosplaying as an animated superhero isn’t as common. Disney released its first animated superhero movie in 2014 called Big Hero 6. The film did well with fans and critics alike and with the popularity of the film, it wasn’t too long before people started cosplaying as the characters from the movie.
With Baymax being a fan favorite character for many people, fans often cosplayed as him, but this fan took it an extra step and cosplayed as Baymax in his battle armor.
Hamm, Alien, And Mr. Potato Head (Toy Story)
Sometimes when it comes to cosplay, simplicity is key. Hamm and Mr. Potato Head from Toy Story could arguably be two of the toughest characters to cosplay as, but these two guys did just that. Their costumes could probably be put together in just a few minutes, but it’s so simple that it works.
They are instantly recognizable as One-Eyed Bart and the Evil Dr. Porkchop from Toy Story 3, especially when they are next to someone dressed up as an Alien. As for the woman, she successfully pulled off an Alien look, three eyes and all!
Sgt. Calhoun (Wreck-It Ralph)
Since Wreck-it Ralph included so many well-known video game characters, Disney fans have plenty to choose from when it comes to cosplaying for the film. One original character the film includes is Sgt. Calhoun, voiced by Jane Lynch.
The design and personality of Calhoun were pulled from several different movie and video game characters, but Sgt. Calhoun was a character in the fictional game Hero’s Duty. Given her military outfit, duplicating Sgt. Calhoun’s look into a cosplay should be difficult, but this cosplayer made it happen. She even nails Calhoun’s smirk that she always has on her face!
