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Queen Grimhilde, also known as The Evil Queen (also known as the Wicked Queen or just the Queen) is the main antagonist of Disney's 1937 film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and the first Disney animated features canon villain.

Determined to remain the fairest one of all, the Queen becomes insanely jealous of Snow White, the only one whose beauty surpasses her own. She eventually disguises herself as an old woman to tempt Snow White into eating a poisoned apple, in a final attempt to do away with her only, unknowing rival.

Development[]

Evil Queen

Depicted in early designs as a fat character, her appearance eventually evolved into a much more sinister, stately beauty. She is generally one of Disney's most iconic and menacing first villains, once being voted the 10th greatest movie villain of all time by the American Film Institute. The Queen was animated by Art Babbitt and the Witch by Norman Ferguson. Her name was given as Queen Grimhilde in some old publicity material and comics, but this is seldom acknowledged by the Walt Disney Company. She is sometimes referred to as the Wicked Queen, while theme parks sometimes refer to her as the Snow Queen (not to be confused with Queen Elsa). The Witch is sometimes referred to as the Old Hag after drinking the aging potion. The Evil Queen is, along with Maleficent, one of the most prominent of the Disney Villains.

Personality[]

Appearances[]

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs[]

House of Mouse[]

Other appearances[]

Trivia[]

  • The Queen is considered one of the greatest movie villains of all time. She was nominated for a place in 'AFI's 50 Greatest Villains list' (along with Stromboli, Man, Lady Tremaine, Maleficent, Cruella De Vil and Ursula; the Disney Villains to make the final list were the Queen (10), Man (20), and Cruella De Vil (39).
  • The Queen's menace and intensity were considered too frightening for young audiences by some parental group, and the scene in which she transforms into the Witch was initially cut from the UK release. It was voted number 80 in Channel 4's 100 Greatest Scary Moments.
  • The sequence in which the Vultures watch the Witch fall to her death, then fly down to her body, impressed Sylvia Moberly-Holland enough to inspire her to apply as an Inspirational Sketch Artist at the Disney studio.
  • The Queen provided the inspiration for many villains that followed, particularly MGM's Wicked Witch of the West and Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty. Critics have also noted similarities between the Witch and the cackling, hooded Emperor Palpatine, the villain of the Star Wars saga.
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