“I’m a damsel, I’m in distress, I can handle it.”

This week I’ve paired up with Sheela Goh to do DisneyBound outfits based on some of our favorite heroines.

Today it’s about the sarcastic and gorgeous Meg from the movie Hercules. The film was part of the era known as the Disney Renaissance which is known for its amazing and successful animated movies. The story and its characters are based on Greek mythology. Meg in particular is based on Heracles’ first two wives, Megara and Deianira, as well as Barbara Stanwyck’s performance in The Lady Eve.

Meg in the animated Hercules will appear again in the live-action remake.

Momma’s interpretation of Pocahontas.

As a kid I mimicked Meg by saying her sassiest lines and doing some of her hand gestures. I always saw her as a super cool character unlike any of the other Disney heroines I’d seen. She was cynical, jaded, and didn’t immediately fall head-over-heels for Hercules like some of her predecessors did (Ariel and Eric, Aurora and Phillip, Cinderella and Charming). I found her refreshing and adored her one-liners, like “read my lips: forget it!”

I Won’t Say I’m in Love is also an amazing song that is so perfectly her. It wasn’t an emotional ballad about self-discovery, but instead an R&B and Motown music inspired bop about her denial concerning her feelings for Hercules. I mean, honestly, that’ll probably be me in the future because I can be stubborn and tend to bury my feelings.

Susan Egan provided both the speaking and the singing voice of Meg.

Before voicing Meg, Susan Egan played Belle in the Broadway musical Beauty and the Beast, my favorite movie ever.

Egan revealed that “Alan Menken (the music composer) initially blocked [her] from going after that part. He said that the female lead in Hercules was supposed to be this cynical smart-ass, sounding nothing at all like sweet, innocent Belle.” Thank goodness he let her though, because I honestly cannot imagine anyone else voicing the character. I mean, she is Megara. Or Meg as her friends call her 😉

A live-action remake of Hercules is supposed to happen and I am so here for it! The story itself is heartfelt and filled to the brim with humor and amazing bops. I’m sure that it’ll be an amazing adaption.