A few weeks ago while attending The Geekly Retreat in California, I had the privilege of screening the live-action Lady and the Tramp, available now to stream on Disney+. Afterwards we were able to interview two of the cast members. Yvette Nicole Brown, who plays Aunt Sarah, and Adrian Martinez, who plays Elliot, the dog catcher. That’s right. We interviewed two of the “villains!” Read on to discover if these Disney villains are misunderstood.
Are Disney Villains Misunderstood?
Yvette Nicole Brown and Adrian Martinez have harsh roles. BUT, are they really “bad guys?” I was able to look at their characters in a different light after their interview.
Adrian Martinez describes his character of Elliot, the dog catcher, as “just someone who’s trying to do his job.” After all…he IS the dog catcher. It really is his responsibility to keep the stray dogs off of the streets. Someone has to do it. Does that necessarily make him a villain?
Adrian said he’d like to think of Elliot as a “cat man.” This made all of us LOL. He said he envisions Elliot coming home after a long day to a house full of cats!
Adrian said he feels like the ending scene really got to Elliot. When the Dear family claims Tramp as their dog, he realizes that it’s all about family. Tramp has a family, so his job is done.
Yvette Nicole Brown helps us feel for Aunt Sarah
Oh, Aunt Sarah. Why are you so wicked? Why do you not like sweet Lady? I can honestly say, after speaking with Yvette Nicole Brown, she truly humanized Aunt Sarah. You can’t help but feel for her when she comes to the Dear household thinking she’s going to be babysitting new baby, Lulu…only to find out she’s the dogsitter. Ouch.
“I never even got to hold her.” – Aunt Sarah (Yvette Nicole Brown)
That one line struck me while watching Lady and the Tramp, never mind when Yvette Nicole Brown brought it up herself.
Here is this woman who has traveled to (what she believes) watch her niece. She is SO excited. Then she finds out that’s not why she’s there. You can see the sadness in her eyes. We don’t know Aunt Sarah’s story. We don’t know why she’s alone, or why she’s so angry. Something had to happen to this woman to make her the way she is.
Yvette Nicole Brown said she “hopes every character she plays has heart.” While it might not appear on the surface, you can undoubtedly see Aunt Sarah has heart.
Fun fact about Yvette Nicole Brown: She adopted one of the dogs on set! She also almost didn’t take the role of Aunt Sarah because of her personal love for dogs.
About Lady and the Tramp
In Disney+’s “Lady and the Tramp,” a timeless re-telling of the 1955 animated classic, a pampered house dog and a tough but lovable stray embark on an unexpected adventure and, despite their differences, grow closer and come to understand the value of home.
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