Who, or WHAT is Maleficent?
Maleficent is a fictional character and the main antagonist in Walt Disney's 1959 film Sleeping Beauty. She is a powerful fairy who curses the human princess Aurora to die on her sixteenth birthday, but later has a change of heart and attempts to undo the curse. The character was based on the fairy godmother in Charles Perrault's fairy tale "The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood", as well as the wicked fairy godmother in the Brothers Grimm's version of the story, "Briar Rose". In recent years, Maleficent has become a much more prominent character in Disney media, with the release of the live-action film "Maleficent" in 2014, and its sequel "Maleficent: Mistress of Evil" in 2019, in which the character is portrayed by Angelina Jolie.
The character of Maleficent is known for her striking appearance, which includes horns on her head, and a powerful and menacing presence. She is often considered a classic Disney villain, and her curse on Aurora is one of the most iconic moments in the film.
In the original Sleeping Beauty film, Maleficent is not depicted as a dragon. She is a powerful fairy with magical powers, who appears in the form of a human woman with horns on her head. However, in some interpretations of the character, she is often portrayed as a dragon, particularly in the later Disney productions. For example, in the live-action film "Maleficent" released in 2014, and its sequel "Maleficent: Mistress of Evil" in 2019, Angelina Jolie plays the character in both her fairy and dragon forms. In these films, Maleficent is shown to have the ability to shapeshift between a human-like form and a dragon. The dragon form is particularly intimidating, with huge wings and massive body. This depiction was a creative decision by the movie team to give more menacing look to the Maleficent as a main antagonist.