Disney became a household name due to their magical and charming animated films, but that doesn’t mean they haven’t produced its fair share of live-action movies. Over the decades Disney has come out with several family-friendly flicks starring the biggest names in Hollywood. But with unique and risky movie plots and a set full of child actors, there’s a ton that can go wrong! You bet that Disney had a ton of behind-the-scenes shenanigans going on when creating these timeless classics, and we’re going to reveal their most surprising secrets.

Take a look at these secrets from the set of live-action Disney movies!

Maleficent

Angelina Jolie’s characterization (and striking appearance) in Maleficent helped make it an instant classic when it came out. When Disney announced the star would be portraying one of Disney’s most famous villains, a lot of fans were concerned and doubtful. Then they saw the film and quickly changed their tune. Jolie was PERFECT in the role. She was so good at playing a jilted fairy that her scarier scenes were too much for some people.

When casting was trying to find a kiddo to be in scenes with her nobody was available…because they were too scared. All the kids who did a scene with her were too terrified to keep it together! Jolie’s daughter ended up getting the role of young Aurora because she wasn’t scared of her mom in the Maleficent makeup!

Pirates of the Caribbean

Pirates of the Caribbean is one of Disney’s best film series. Not only did we get Johnny Depp, Keira Knightley, and Orlando Bloom to be in a film together, but they got to be pirates?! SIGN EVERYONE UP. Of the three, Depp really embodied his role best. Maybe that’s because the visuals were so striking? With his eccentric fashion, sultry voice, and those beautiful tattoos, Johnny Depp is basically a more reserved Captain Jack Sparrow in the real world.

When it came time for him to sail the seas, production had to HIDE some of his many tattoos before filming. The only one they added was Sparrow’s signature sparrow tattoo. After filming, Depp decided to add it to his ink collection permanently!

The Princess Diaries

The Princess Diaries is a classic. Who among us didn’t dream of one day discovering we’re royalty. Wouldn’t it be great to wake up and someone says you’re a long-lost royal and deserve to wear jewels and have a lavish lifestyle? We’d even tolerate all those etiquette lessons and painful makeovers. Throw in our firefighter certification and we’re set!

When the server catches fire the reaction from Hathaway is authentic. His flames didn’t go out at the right time! Instead of panicking, Hathaway went off-script and doused the flames with her glass! Not only was it quick thinking, but it also created another great movie moment from a fantastic film.

The Lizzie McGuire Movie

Lizzie McGuire is just your average girl that happens to look like an Italian superstar. It kind of helps that she can also sing. In 2003, The Lizzie Mcguire Movie transported us overseas with our favorite teen. During her whirlwind adventure, she ends up on stage with a pop star! During their duet, both entertainers seemed to sound pretty similar.

It wasn’t just movie magic-making happening. Isabella Parigi may have looked like Lizzie, but her voice was from Hilary Duff’s sister Haylie! What a great way to feature both siblings! Now if only Haylie got to make an appearance. Then we’d have triplets instead of twins on the screen!

National Treasure

Any movie starring Nicolas Cage is guaranteed to be entertaining. We didn’t say good, we said entertaining. When his films happen to knock themselves out of the park, that’s just a bonus. National Treasure is a great example of a fantastically done Nicolas Cage movie. The mysteries, twists, and little secrets hidden throughout the film got audiences engaged.

Every rewatch gives us something new to discover. However, did you know that even the names of the characters were part of the story? Each main character is named after a famous figure in American history! Whaaaaaaaaaaaat?! Does this mean the real treasure was remembering everyone’s names? 

Freaky Friday

Freaky Friday isn’t just an amazing film starring Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis. It’s a fantastic REMAKE starring the two. That’s pretty rare. Not only was it well done, but every actor brought tons of movie experience with them. Lohan’s prior film experience in another remake confused her older co-star. 

Upon signing on to the film, Jamie Lee Curtis couldn’t remember which character Lohan played in the (other) remake she was part of, The Parent Trap. We would have loved to see her reaction when it was revealed Lohan had a dual role playing her own sister! She probably did more than a double-take.

Bridge to Terabithia

Bridge to Terabithia is one of those books (and movies) that pretends to play nice. Then, right when it doesn’t need to, it rips out the reader’s/viewer’s heart and runs away cackling. It’s fantastic. The heavier themes and darker tones in the original story had to get the “Disney treatment” before anyone signed off on the film. That’s probably why it took a while for the project to get off the ground.

In fact, (SPOILER) a character’s death was almost altered to a light coma or something more palatable for younger audiences. While it’s an odd choice (since characters die in Disney movies) it kind of makes sense seeing as how this one would have been in live-action. In the end, they went with the real ending, and it touched audiences for years to come. 

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe isn’t just a mouthful to say. It’s also one of the most beloved fantasy series in the world. This religious fantasy world introduced us to Aslan, the White Witch, and of course, Mr. Tumnus. While these characters feel larger than life, the film adaptation does a pretty good job of showing us what they would actually look like.

What the films don’t show is that some of them have potty mouths. On-set the actors had a bucket they would fill with cash whenever they said any profanity! Apparently, Tumnus’ actor was always putting cash in (as well as some of the kids)! Maybe that’s how the Narnian economy works?

Mary Poppins

Since 1964, Mary Poppins has held the title of being “practically perfect in every way”! She’s taught us how to take medicine, clean our rooms, and dance with some colorful cartoon characters. She’s also one of the coolest nannies ever! Do you know who could probably be a better pick? Robin Williams in Mrs. Doubtfire. The only reason we say that is because Mary Poppins was almost played by a guy dressed in drag!

During the original casting calls for the film, long lines of male actors in dresses formed just to read for the part. Everyone wanted to be part of Disney’s newest picture. We’re not saying we would have preferred that version, but it sure would have been entertaining (and progressive for the times)!

The Muppet Christmas Carol

Were any of y’all aware that Michael Cane is a knight? His full title is Sir Michael Caine! Also, he takes his duties as an actor VERY seriously. Despite all of his critically-acclaimed roles, one of his most memorable was playing Scrooge in The Muppet Christmas Carol. Caine’s normally jolly and approachable demeanor VANISHED when he turned into the infamous Ebeneezer Scrooge.

He’s gone on to say that his purpose was to deliver a Shakespearean-level and serious performance as if the Muppets weren’t even there. The contrast between the serious tone and the Muppets muppeting around is cinema GOLD. Everyone won that winter! What makes it all better was that the director LOVED Sir Michael Cane’s approach to the project!

Old Yeller

If you haven’t been subjected to the gut-wrenching horror and sadness that is Old Yeller…read/watch it. It’s delightful. For those of you who know the story, don’t say anything. Everyone needs to experience the tale for themselves. Once that’s out of the way, and you’re done crying, we have good news! Old Yeller is still with us all…as dog food.

After the film premiered in 1957, a dog food company took up the name to promote their product! Disney is still allowing them to use the name “Disney’s Old Yeller” on their stuff! With a brand name like that we’re not surprised that they’ve been in business for 65 years.

The Parent Trap

The Parent Trap is one of Lindsay Lohan’s second-best films. Nothing will top Mean Girls and that’s not up for discussion. Unlike Mean Girls, Lohan had to share the screen with someone more challenging than Regina George: herself. This fun remake showcases Lohan as a pair of identical twins! How can you have someone act alongside themselves? Is Hollywood hiding cloning technology?

To ensure everything was synched up perfectly, and since they can’t split a human in two, a plan had to be conceived. Lohan had an earpiece that played back the dialogue from the other sister, allowing her to respond naturally. It’s like a one-sided conversation where you get paid millions.

Enchanted

Enchanted was Disney’s modern way of bridging the gap between animation and live-action. The traditional story of a princess and evil queen was turned on its head when the animated main character splashed into the real world! While everyone watched the princess explore New York, her future prince was stealing the show. When Edward appears and starts trying to navigate the non-animated world he’s about as clueless as Giselle.

When he decides to catch a bus and ride on its roof, people on set were pretty impressed. The unscripted tourists that couldn’t help but cheer and wave to him during filming? They were going WILD! The bus full of people wasn’t part of the film. They just happened to be driving by.

Holes

Holes is one of those books that screams to be made into a movie. Back in the early 00s fans of the story got their wish. With Sigourney Weaver and Shia LeBeouf leading the charge, the super successful book became a hit film! Given that a lot of what happens in that fictional desert isn’t real (that we know of) a lot of movie magic had to be used to get the story just right.

Even details such as the food the kids ate had to be altered for the big screen. Those onions that two of the boys eat in the movie? Those are just apples wrapped to look like onions! Did you even know onion wrapping paper existed? That’s one way to trick kids into eating their fruit. All you have to do is disguise them as vegetables!

Hocus Pocus

Hocus Pocus is one of the best Halloween films to ever be released in our lifetime. Bette Midler, Kathy Najimiy, and Sarah Jessica Parker fumbling around Salem, Massachusetts? We could watch that for hours (and we have). While the witches are amazing, the rest of the cast is nothing to throw salt at! Everyone brought the a-game and made their roles come alive, even the undead ones.

When Billy the zombie is undoing his mouth stitches a bunch of moths flies out before he can speak. This is a pretty cool effect. It’s pretty cool because the moths were 100% real! Billy’s actor had to wear a special contraption that let live moths fly from his mouth! The dedication to acting is ridiculous. We’d be undead if that had to happen to us.

Alice Through The Looking Glass

Tim Burton has the uncanny ability to bring together some of the best actors around and create something twisted, dark, and amazing. As the producer of Alice Through the Looking Glass, he was able to bring together a familiar cast of fan favorites. Alan Rickman (Severus Snape) and Helena Bonham Carter (Mrs. Lovett) are a pretty familiar pair in a Burton film.

They worked together on seven previous Burton flicks before this one. We can see why since both are highly skilled actors! Unfortunately, this would be the last film they appeared in together. Rickman passed away a few months prior to the film’s debut in 2016.

101 Dalmatians

Glenn Close is an icon, cornerstone, and legend in Hollywood. Every movie she’s in just shines with an energy that no other actor can seem to bring to the screen. Close just embodies her roles! One of her most memorable is as Cruella de Vil in the live-action 101 Dalmatians. Despite wearing fake fur for the role, Close brought de Vil to life with creepy accuracy. However, she’s not as cruel in real life as her character.

Her unhinged performance and demeanor were incredible. In fact, she was so convincing that one of the dogs kept trying to run and hide whenever she was around! You’ve got to be a special kind of actor to unnerve your co-stars before the cameras start rolling.

Annie

Instead of talking about it tomorrow, we’ve decided to talk about Annie today! One of the most beloved American musicals, this broadway extravaganza turned movie masterpiece has been delighting audiences since the 70s. With such an iconic character, every time a new version appears people are trying to muscle their way to the front of the pack.

Auditions can be TOUGH and particular. Even one of the strongest voices on the modern stage wasn’t able to make the cut. Apparently, Kristin Chenoweth almost got to play the famous redhead in the original 1982 film. What caused her to lose the role? Her Southern accent was just too heavy! Good thing she landed a spot in this remake. 

The Santa Clause

Grab the tools, because Tim Allen is here to fix Christmas! The Home Improvement superstar is no stranger to difficult situations (and saving America’s favorite holiday). Of course, one little snag almost came between him and becoming Santa. Allen has a criminal record! On a Disney set that’s a huge no-no. They usually don’t cast anyone with any charges or criminal history.

Even though it happened decades prior, Allen almost didn’t get the role. However, given the actor’s talents and CV, they made an exception. Thanks to that little favor, Tim Allen made his film debut with The Santa Clause! Does this mean he’s permanently on the Nice List?

Honey, I Shrunk the Kids

Have you ever wanted to ride an ant? What about swimming in a pool of milk and cereal? If either of those sounds like fun then maybe you were a fan of Honey, I Shrunk the Kids back in the day. Rick Moranis and a stellar cast showed us all the danger and fun of a science experiment gone wrong. While the film is pretty fun, earlier drafts of the script were darker.

Originally, there were supposed to be five kiddos that shrank. However, one of them was supposed to drown later in the movie due to running into the front yard sprinkler! Apparently, and for good reason, Disney thought this would be too dark for audiences.

Flubber

Flubber is one of those films where everyone was perfectly cast for one of the weirdest stories around. The premise (a somewhat sentient mass of bouncing rubber goo comes to life) is already WILD. To deliver a film like this with any integrity you either need a grounded cast or someone out-there enough to match the plot. While we all know that Robin Williams stole the show, he almost didn’t get the role!

During casting, Williams was upset at Disney over something. If the feud wasn’t able to be settled, Christopher Lloyd, Jeff Goldblum, or Patrick Stewart would have gotten the part! All of them would have been great, but who was going to top a Robin Williams performance? Nobody, that’s who.

Cadet Kelly

Remember that Disney Channel movie involving Hillary Duff going to military school? It’s the one where she got into a dance battle with her secret girlfriend and superior commander. If that sounds like fanfic you’re wrong (or maybe right, we don’t know). The Disney Channel movie Cadet Kelly did in fact feature Duff going off to military school and getting into dance battles.

Years after the premiere, fans started noticing that maybe there was some not-so-secret crushing going on between the two main characters! When the stars of the movie looked back they said they didn’t notice. However, they also thought it was great and flattering! Representation matters and it’s about time that Disney realized it.

Pete’s Dragon

Pete’s Dragon was a fantastic way for Disney to combine real-life and animation into a timeless tale. The story of Pete and his conveniently invisible dragon Elliott is something that everyone can watch at any stage of life. It’s heartwarming, has some great visuals for its time, and isn’t too heavy on dragons (for whatever reason). In the early days of the film, Eliott was supposed to be completely invisible for the entire movie!

Of course, a movie about a dragon the audience can’t see sounds dumb. Instead, the animation department got to add him more and more throughout the process. By the end of the movie’s editing, Eliott had over twenty minutes of screentime! That’s a lot for a dragon that doesn’t exist!

Cinderella

Remaking Cinderella is nothing new. The story is ancient, the characters relatable, and every generation has their favorite version of the fairytale princess. With each new iteration, we get to see someone else’s creative vision for the classic story. In 2015, we were all treated to a fresh live-action version of Disney’s animated masterpiece. Of course, all the magic and stuff were exciting. However, we all wanted to know what type of gown Cinderella would wear to the ball.

Fans weren’t disappointed when it was bippity-boppity-magicked into existence. The garment that appeared was jaw-dropping. Not only was the blue a gorgeous hue, but the dress was hand-stoned! 10,000 Swarovski crystals (the fancy kind) were individually placed both on the dress and Cinderella’s hair!

A Kid in King Arthur’s Court

Don’t you hate it when you’re in the middle of a baseball game and then somehow end up in Camelot? That’s the plot of A Kid in King Arthur’s Court. It’s one of those fun and silly Disney flicks we grew up on but never really paid attention to. Watching it again, we realized it has a STACKED cast. Even the incredible Kate Winslet is in this?

Everyone in this movie looks happy and healthy, but that’s just because editing happened. When Winslet was cast she was told she had to lose weight to be in the movie. Due to the diet and extreme changes to her body, Winslet ended up getting sick!

Blank Check

Blank Check is a sleeper classic that really slapped when we were kids. Who wouldn’t want to be handed a blank check and told to write in whatever amount you wanted? Just like the kid in the film, we probably would have asked for a million bucks as well (for funsies). Of course, we’d probably have been as reckless as the main character was. 

The big difference between us and him is that we wouldn’t let someone in their 30s kiss us when we were kids. That’s a big NO, and no amount of money would sway that. Sure, in the film the kisser was an undercover FBI agent, but that still doesn’t make it okay. How did this get cleared by Disney? This has stranger danger written all over it.

Cruella

101 Dalmatians is an amazing film for fans of heroes, dogs, and villains alike. There just hasn’t been someone as arresting and unique as Cruella de Vil terrorizing our theaters in a while. When her live-action origin story was announced nearly all of her fans were both outraged and intrigued. How can someone so iconic be translated into a realistic setting? Disney pulled out all the stops and delivered Cruella to the world in 2021.

It’s pretty freaking fabulous. This punk take on the character appeased (some) fans and introduced the now anti-hero to a whole new generation. However, unlike her original form, the 2021 Cruella is missing something: her famous cigarette. As it turns out, Disney has banned all characters from smoking in their films since 2007!

TRON

Most of us know TRON thanks in part to Daft Punk. Apparently, it’s more than just a great soundtrack and fun game. The original TRON (from 1982) was super ahead of its time. Disney’s foray into the computer world delivered a cult classic with a deep history and story that resonates with fans to this day. It was even up for a pretty big award…until it wasn’t.

At the Oscars, the film was almost nominated for its special effects. Upon further review, the Academy disqualified the film! Why? They thought using computers for special effects was “cheating”. Fast forward a few years and they seemed to have changed their tune a bit. Maybe this film deserves a retroactive award!

The Mighty Ducks

Get into formation! Every childhood hockey fan knows this movie. It’s where you pop a bag of popcorn, jump on the couch, and watch The Mighty Ducks. This fast-skating Disney hockey adventure is synonymous with great childhood sports movies. It has everything you love about Disney: interesting characters, a charming message, and a somewhat interesting (if predictable) plot.

The one thing it doesn’t have (but almost did) was a darker tone and watching someone struggle with alcoholism. The original script happened to be a pretty dark and gritty drama. Thankfully, Disney sorted all of that out before anyone took to the ice. Now we have a heartwarming series that’s fun for the whole family!

Cool Runnings

Back in 1993, a movie about the legendary Jamaican bobsledding team was pretty surreal. Nobody connected the country with a winter sport like bobsledding. That itself is weird since in the real world it was kind of a big deal. Despite the film being a comedy, and using the team as a punchline a lot of the time, that’s not how things really played out.

When the real Jamaican team qualified, they were supported far and wide by professionals and other competitors! They were even given a backup sled to ensure they would be able to compete. Sometimes the real story is cooler than anything a movie could put out.

Air Bud

From the moment this cute pup stole our hearts the moment he was on our screens. You know him as the fun-loving basketball player extraordinaire. This precious dog helps his owner train for basketball and improve his overall quality of life. Who wouldn’t want to play high school sports with their pet? 

You might not have known this movie wasn’t the only time Buddy was on TV! If this cute face looks familiar, it’s probably because you’ve also watched Full House. Buddy is known in this show as the Tanner family’s pet, Comet! Regardless of the movie or show, we love getting to watch this furry friend on our screens.

Camp Rock

This film was a big break for a multitude of stars. It was one of the first times many of us saw Demi Lovato on the big screen. She was cast as Mitchie who would attend Camp Rock and fall in love with superstar Shane, played by Joe Jonas. Once Joe received the role Disney realized they could use the opportunity to propel The Jonas Brothers’ career.

The characters Jason and Nate were only written into the script after Joe was cast. Disney chose to include Joe’s real brothers, Kevin and Nick, in order to further advance them in the music industry. They were then all able to act and perform together!

Cheaper by the Dozen

Everyone loved the chaos of the fun-loving family in Cheaper by the Dozen. Growing up watching them made many of us want a big fun family. Many couldn’t help but admire Steve Martin and Bonnie Hunt who played the parents of 12 crazy kids. That amount of children seemed unimaginable but was so entertaining to watch.

Steve and Bonnie did such a good job acting, you probably had no idea that neither of them had kids. Not only were they not actually parents, but Steve wouldn’t become a dad until years later. Suddenly we have a whole new respect for their role. We wonder if filming deterred them from having kids for a while… 

The Cheetah Girls 2

You probably recognize these four girls since they were part of one the most iconic pop groups in the 2000s. Their bright-colored tracksuits and catchy hits made them adored by many. They were so fun and vibrant that one Cheetah Girls move simply wasn’t enough. Turns out that the sequel didn’t go as smoothly as one may have thought.

When they were trying to film the “Strut” sequence Adrienne Bailon kept falling. This was because her feet were too small for the shoes she needed to wear. In order to fix this problem the crew had to tape down her feet so she wouldn’t injure herself. Thankfully they were able to find a solution so this iconic musical number could take place!

Halloweentown 

Growing up everyone wanted to be a part of the family in Halloweentown. What little kid wouldn’t want to have witchy powers? Getting to experience a town of mythical creatures would be fun for anyone. Debbie Reynolds played the grandmother to Marnie, Dylan, and Sophie who were three kids trying to cope with everyday life and the mystical truth that had been hidden from them.

Kids and viewers alike were all fascinated by the city of Halloweentown. In order to keep magic alive off-screen Reynolds would introduce herself as “Princess Leia’s mother” to the cast. This was because she is the real-life mother to Carrie Fisher, the actress behind Star Wars’ Princess Leia! 

High School Musical

Everyone wished for a high school experience like the one depicted in this musical. Who wouldn’t want to burst into song in the middle of a class instead of learning? The whole school always appeared to be filled with fun and laughter. Everything they did just seemed to be so magical.

The most memorable part by far was at the very beginning when Troy and Gabrielle first met on New Year’s Eve. They coincidentally ended up singing karaoke together. What makes this scene a lot funnier (and way less romantic) is that the snowflakes aren’t actually made of snow. While singing to each other, the two had potato flakes swirling around them in order to imitate a snowfall. 

Muppet Treasure Island

How could you not love the muppets? This is a question someone should ask the Hormel Food Corporation. They’re known for being the makers of spam and also for trying to sue the production company of the muppets. The reason for this lawsuit you may ask… they had a problem with the warthog character Spa’am.

Hormel Foods Corporation took offense to the use of this name and didn’t like that it was created without their permission. When the case was taken to court the judge noted that they should be flattered by this character. The judge thought Hormel should welcome the association “with a genuine source of pork!” 

Newsies

During its time, Newsis was one of the lowest-grossing live-action movies Walt Disney Pictures had seen. Christan Bale played Jack who was a homeless New York City newsboy who befriends two newcomers and convinces them to go on strike with him. Turns out the characters would struggle with success in the storyline, and in real life.

Originally intended to be a drama, the film ended up becoming a musical. We don’t know if this was the best choice, and maybe was one of the reasons it didn’t gain much popularity. Christian Bale was originally embarrassed to let his friends know that Newsies was a musical. Hopefully they were still supportive of his role regardless. 

The Proposal 

Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds play Margaret Tate and Andrew Paxton, who get married under false pretenses. The two are far from in love. Tate is simply a CEO marrying her assistant Paxton so she doesn’t face deportation from the U.S. to Canada. Paxton agrees to help her out, but only if he can take her home to his family. 

Betty White plays the grandmother to Paxton and is best known for her dancing scene in the woods. However White almost didn’t take the role because it required her to spend over ten weeks away from her golden retriever. Though we’re glad she took it because her character had us laughing throughout the film! 

Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior

Nothing says girl power like Wendy Wu homecoming warrior. Wendy is played by Brenda Song and completely wows us all throughout the entire movie. She starts off as a popularity-obsessed high school girl who dreams of winning homecoming queen. Her hyper-fixation on the crown deters her from caring about practically anything else.

She quickly becomes overwhelmed by juggling all life has to throw at her. Her family then inspires her to take up martial arts which ends up releasing her inner warrior. Her impressive moves that you see throughout the film were all actually done by her! It turns out that she has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do in real life!