A specialty of mine has been dissecting Pixar movies and their characters, whether it’s deep diving into their voice actors, their character designs, or their inspirations. The artistic abilities of the Pixar animators are drawn from talent as well as their real lives. Many of the settings and places in Pixar movies can be found in real life, and the same can be said about the character who grace our screens. Let’s take a look at some of the real life inspirations behind some of our beloved Pixar characters.

Carl Fredricksen: Ed Asner

Carl Fredricksen, our grumpy but heartwarming lead character of Pixar’s Up, has a few inspirations behind him. The first and most obvious being Ed Asner, Carl’s voice actor. Ed was brought onto the movie after Disney made the confident decision to cast him. Ed was Carl’s age in the movie when he did the recording, 78, which allowed him to relate to the character in a vulnerable and compelling way. Though Carl and Ed do have physical differences, there are similarities, such as their bushy brows, blazer and bowtie, and smile. Carl’s square head was a very intentional choice by Pixar, symbolizing his inability to move outside of the box (his home), while the other characters that surround him are more of a round shape, symbolizing being open.

It’s also been rumoured that Carl is based on Walter Matthau, Spencer Tracy, and even Warren Buffet. There is a great deal of physical similarities between Buffet and Carl, and even CNBC pointed out that Buffet flies his private jet, while Carl flies his own home. None of these theories have ever been confirmed by Pixar.

“As much as we barbarize other people around us, we’d be so miserable without them. ”

— Ed Asner

Edna Mode: Edith Head

The iconic superhero costumer designer Edna Mode cannot say the same about sharing physical attributes with her voice actor. The Incredibles director Brad Bird originally casted Lily Tomlin to portray Edna, but after some screen testing with Brad’s voice, it was decided that he should continue being the character. Edna’s name came from a software used at Pixar called EMode.

Edith Head was an American costume designers who is the most awarded woman in Academy Awards history. She worked on films such as Sabrina (1954), All About Eve (1950), and The Sting (1973). Aside from her occupation, Edith’s signature short bob haircut is what makes audience members believe she is the inspiration behind Edna Mode.

Brad has confirmed that Edith was not the original inspiration behind the character, but it’s easy to see why so many speculated it to be true. Brad has gone on to say that Edna’s background is half-German and half-Japanese, because both countries have an incredible advancement in technology. Many people have also drawn similarities between Edna and actress Linda Hunt, as well as Iris Apfel and Vogue’s Anna Wintour.

Anton Ego: Giulio Andreotti

Anton Ego’s Tim Burton-esque appearance and fear-striking personality can be drawn from a few different real life influences. Anton’s physical appearance and speech has been theorized to be inspired by the ex-Italian Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti. Andreotti served as Prime Minister over 3 different periods in the 1970s and 1980s. His thin-framed glasses, speech pattern and influential personalities are what draw the 2 together.

It’s also been said that Anton looks like horror actor Vincent Price with his longer facial structure, and French actor/director Louis Jouvet, with his pointed ears and longer nose.

Colette Tatou: Chef Hélène Darroze

Everyone’s favourite rôtisseur chef Colette Tatou of Gusteau’s Restaurant, is the “toughest cook in the kitchen”. The same can be said about chef Hélène Darroze, the owner of 3, Michelin Star restaurants. Hélène grew up in the restaurant industry through her family, though she had a brief academic life in administrative business. When she went back to help out at the restaurant when she was older, she became a professional chef, and opened her own restaurant in Paris called Restaurant Hélène Darroze. After almost 10 successful years there, she assisted in opening up The Connaught at The Connaught Hotel in London. For a long time, her time was split between traveling from Paris to London, bringing her daughters along. Though Helene had a better time working with the men around her than Colette did, the restaurant powerhouse did inspire the strong-willed female character.

“The guys were always very kind. Of course, I worked hard. But I always recognized that I was a woman, and when I needed help, I asked for help. Perhaps I am just optimistic.”

— Hélène Darroze

Doc Hudson: Hudson Hornet

After watching the Cars movies, didn’t you ever fantasize about being able to watch these cars race? Well, back in the 1950s, you could. The Fabulous Hudson Hornet is not just a fictitious name, but the Doc existed in real life. Hudson Motor Car Company began making cars in 1909, however, the brand name didn’t become synonymous with NASCAR racing until 1950. The Hudson Hornet began being produced in 1950, with new models coming out until 1957. The 1951 Hudson Hornet model is the one that Doc Hudson is based on, with great significance tied to it. This model won the NASCAR season opening race with driver Marshall Teague in 1951, and other drivers took that title again until 1955. Herb Thomas won the premiere series championship twice in this car, once in 1951 and again in 1953. In 1952, the Hornet won 27 of its 34 races, an incredible feat during that time.

Through all of this success, Herb Thomas’s name has always been tied to the Hudson Hornet, as he won 39 times in it. The story of Doc Hudson mirrors Herb’s life story, his dedication to racing, His car crash in 1955 in a Buick, and the break he took in 1956 from racing. In the end, he returned to race and won 3 consecutive races with Chrysler.

“There was a lot left in me. I never got a chance to show ‘em. I keep that to remind me never to go back. I just never expected that that world would... would find me here.”

— Doc Hudson

Joe Gardner: Dr. Peter Archer

Joe Gardner’s life as a middle school band teacher brings an element of relatability to the film Soul, as teachers or adult figures in our lives often shape the way we see the world. Although the movie focuses on Joe’s life outside of school as a jazz musician and his desires to go professional, it was extremely important from the writing perspective that they nailed his life as a teacher. That’s when Pixar found Dr. Peter Archer, a middle school band teacher and professional musicians based in Queens borough New York City. Dr. Archer had a 30-year resume to show for as a teacher, so he was an easy choice for the studio after observing several teachers in New York. He received a phone call the next day, and Pixar writers went in to observe his classes and interview him about his perspective as a band teacher. They also took photos and measurements of Archer’s classroom to replicate in the film. His passion for music and teaching provided the perfect material. Dr. Archer has since retired from teaching, but was so moved by part of his story being told through Soul to commemorate his time influencing the lives of local youth.

“My passion as a musician is just to play, same as Joe Gardner. And I think I found my spark, my love, if you will, my love for education, by accident.”

— Dr. Peter Archer