A Disney Muse
Pocahontas was groundbreaking at the time it was released in the 90s. Pocahontas was the company’s first Disney princess of color, and the character was voiced by Native American actress Irene Bedard. Irene was cast to voice Pocahontas in the 1995 Disney film, and she influenced the character development in a really cool way.
On top of being the voice of Disney’s Pocahontas, the renowned Iñupiat and Métis actress also served as a visual reference for the animated character’s appearance and mannerisms. Irene has said that during the making of the movie, the animators used footage of her as a reference for things like hand gestures, facial expressions, and other unique traits.