Cruella de Vil, the iconic villainess from Disney’s 101 Dalmatians, is known for her distinctive black and white hair. But was Cruella born with this unique hair color or did she dye it? Let’s take a look at the evidence both for and against Cruella dyeing her hair.
The case for Cruella dyeing her hair
There are several clues that point to Cruella artificially coloring her hair:
Her hair color is highly unnatural
Cruella’s hair is half jet black and half snow white. This striking two-tone look does not occur naturally in humans. The only way to achieve such an evenly split black and white hairstyle would be through careful application of dye.
Her roots don’t show
In all her scenes in 101 Dalmatians, Cruella’s roots never seem to show. If she was born with black and white hair, you would expect to see some regrowth at the part line. The fact that the divide between the black and white halves remains pristine suggests Cruella is diligent about touching up her roots.
She openly admits to dyeing her hair
In the live action Cruella origin film, a young Cruella tells her friends she plans to dye her hair half black and half white once she has enough money to buy hair dye. This implies that Cruella’s two-tone ‘do is not natural and requires artificial coloring.
Her hair color changes over time
When we first meet Cruella in the animated 101 Dalmatians, the black and white sections are evenly split down the middle. But in the live action remake starring Glenn Close, Cruella’s hair is mostly black with white tips. This inconsistency suggests Cruella experiments with different styles of dyeing her hair over the years.
The case against Cruella dyeing her hair
However, there are also some reasons to think Cruella’s hair may be natural:
No visible dye lines
There are no obvious dye lines or regrowth visible in Cruella’s hair. Typically with artificial coloring, you would be able to see some demarcation between the dyed and undyed hair. The seamless blend suggests her hair may be natural.
No root touch-ups needed
Cruella seems to go long periods without having to re-dye her roots. In 101 Dalmatians, she never has her hair touched up despite having dark roots that would be highly visible against her white hair. This implies her roots don’t actually grow in and may be her natural color.
Her hair was black and white as a child
In cartoon flashbacks, Cruella had black and white hair even as a young girl. Since most children don’t dye their hair, this suggests Cruella was simply born with this unique hair coloring.
Unusual hair colors run in her family
In the live action film, Cruella’s mother also has black hair on one side and blonde hair on the other. This hereditary pattern indicates Cruella’s split hair color is genetic, not self-styled.
Evidence Cruella dyes her hair
To summarize the evidence that Cruella dyes her hair:
| Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Highly unnatural look | Solid black and white hair does not occur naturally in humans |
| No visible roots | Roots are indistinguishable from rest of hair, implying dye touch-ups |
| Admits to wanting to dye hair | Young Cruella tells friends she plans to dye her hair black and white |
| Color changes over time | Hair color distribution is inconsistent across movies |
Evidence Cruella’s hair is natural
And the evidence suggesting Cruella’s hair is natural:
| Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|
| No dye lines visible | Clean divide between black and white implies no artificial coloring |
| Roots don’t need touch-ups | Hair seems to grow in naturally black and white without dye |
| Black and white as a child | Hair color present since childhood, before dyeing likely |
| Runs in family | Mother has similar black and white hair pattern |
Conclusion
There is convincing evidence on both sides of this debate. Cruella’s highly unnatural hair color and inconsistencies in how it is styled over time suggest artificial dyeing. However, the lack of obvious regrowth or dye lines implies her unique coloring may be natural. We also can’t rule out the possibility that Cruella was born with naturally black and white hair as a genetic quirk that runs in her family.
Given Cruella’s bold, flashy personality and passion for fashion, the theory that she meticulously dyes her hair for dramatic effect seems more likely. Though not definitive, the clues point toward Cruella artificially creating her iconic two-tone hairstyle instead of it being her natural coloring. Either way, Cruella certainly uses her hair to make a statement and establish her villainous style!
Cruella’s Character Background
Before analyzing the question of Cruella’s hair, it’s useful to provide some background on her character and appearances in Disney films and media.
Cruella in 101 Dalmatians
Cruella first appeared in Disney’s 1961 animated classic 101 Dalmatians. In this film, she is a wealthy, fashionable heiress who wishes to use the skins of 99 Dalmatian puppies to make a fur coat. Cruella employs two bumbling thieves, Jasper and Horace, to kidnap the puppies for her nefarious purposes. She is portrayed as a completely evil and eccentric character with a half black, half white hairdo and an obsessive desire for furs.
Cruella in Live Action Remakes
101 Dalmatians was remade into a live action film in 1996 starring Glenn Close as Cruella. This version expanded on Cruella’s backstory, showing her rise in the fashion world and unhinged obsession with fur. Elements of her costume design and hair color distribution were changed for a more modern take on the character. Cruella was popular enough to warrant a sequel film, 102 Dalmatians, released in 2000 with Glenn Close reprising her role.
In 2021, Disney released Cruella starring Emma Stone, depicting Cruella’s young adult years becoming a fashion designer in 1970s London. This film portrays a punk rock-inspired origin story for how the Cruella character embraced her sinister side.
Cruella in Animation
Besides the 101 Dalmatians films, Cruella has appeared in various Disney television shows and animated movies over the years. She plays a recurring role as one of Mickey Mouse’s nemeses in Disney cartoons and comics. Cruella retains her iconic hair and fashionista personality throughout her animated appearances.
Key Elements of Cruella’s Character
Some of the key traits that define Disney’s Cruella character across her various incarnations include:
- Black and white half-and-half hairdo
- Oversized fur coats made of Dalmatian fur
- Long cigarette holder she is constantly smoking
- Obsession with furs, puppies, and the color red
- Sophisticated but unhinged personality
- Life long career in the fashion industry
- Her iconic name referencing cruel and devil
Cruella’s two-tone hair is her most visually striking and recognizable feature across every adaptation of the character. This makes the question of whether it is her natural hair color or intentional styling especially interesting to examine.
Analysis of Hair Color Change in Films
One of the key pieces of evidence that Cruella dyes her hair is that her color distribution changes significantly between the animated 101 Dalmatians and the live action remake.
In the original:
- Hair evenly split down middle black on one side, white on the other
- Hairline is straight across forehead
In the remake:
- Mostly black hair with white tips/bangs
- Hairline is more natural looking
This chart summarizes the differences:
| Version | Hairstyle | Appearance |
|---|---|---|
| Animated | Half black, half white parted down middle | Harsh blunt straight hairline |
| Live Action | Mostly black with white tips | Natural curved hairline |
The significant inconsistency in how Cruella’s hair is colored and styled in the animated vs live action 101 Dalmatians is strong evidence that it is not her natural color. If her hair grew in naturally as half black and half white, it is unlikely the distribution would shift so drastically.
The more natural appearance in the live action film suggests Cruella dyes her hair to get the dramatic split black and white look, but doesn’t maintain it as strictly when not appearing in cartoons. This points to Cruella actively choosing to dye her hair different ways rather than her hair coloring coming in that way on its own.
Analysis of Photographic Evidence
In addition to comparing her animated and live action hair styles, we can also examine photographic evidence of Cruella de Vil to look for any visual signs of dyeing such as regrowth or dye lines.
Photograph 1: Evening Ball Gown
This photo of Cruella in a glamorous ball gown shows her hair parted neatly down the middle with bright white hair on one side and jet black hair on the other. No dark roots are visible on the white side. The black and white sections blend seamlessly with no obvious dye lines.
Photograph 2: Fur Coat Close-up
A close-up of Cruella in one of her extravagant fur coats allows a closer examination of her hair part and roots. Once again, the divide between black and white is perfectly straight with no transition. However, the brightness of her white hair suggests it is bleached, not her natural coloring.
Photograph 3: Dalmatian Obsession
In this photo of Cruella cuddling Dalmatian puppies, we get a clear view of her hairline at the forehead. The stark transition from black to white with no grizzled or muted section indicates the sharp divide between colors is artificial, not natural.
Photograph Analysis
Analyzing photographic evidence of Cruella reveals:
- No visible dark regrowth at part or hairline
- Sharp divide between black and white sections
- No subtle blend between colors
This supports the theory that Cruella dyes her hair to achieve the striking two-tone look. Her roots don’t show and the colors remain vivid rather than blending naturally.
Contextual Advertising Analysis
Looking at Cruella’s character design and personality in the context of advertising and marketing also provides insight into whether her hair is natural or styled.
Using Hair to Stand Out
Cruella clearly wants to stand out and be noticed through her bold fashion choices. Dyeing her hair black and white helps her achieve this, making her more memorable and iconic.
Reflecting Her Brand Identity
Cruella’s hair reflects key aspects of her brand identity as a fashion designer – she is stylish, striking, sophisticated and a bit sinister.
Inspiring Trends
As a trend-setter, Cruella’s distinctive hair could kick off a hot new hair coloring trend and generate more interest in unique hair dye jobs.
Advertising Takeaways
Looking at Cruella’s goals and motivations through an advertising lens strengthens the case for her dyeing her hair to support her image and brand. The two-tone look is likely carefully crafted as part of her persona.
Impact on Disney Brand Image
Disney’s choice to make Cruella’s hair black and white also has implications for their brand image and public perception:
Visual Symbolism
The black and white hair symbolizes Cruella’s morally black and white, good vs evil nature in a visually striking way.
Iconic Character Design
The bold hair makes Cruella extremely visually distinctive and memorable as a Disney villain.
Product Options
Cruella’s hair allows for the production of recognizable merchandise like wigs and costumes for dress-up and Halloween.
Brand Takeaways
Disney likely chose to make Cruella’s hair black and white not just for realism but for maximum visual impact in supporting their brand and characters.
Impact on Youth and Culture
Beyond insights into Cruella herself, analyzing this issue also provides some perspective on the impact of fictional characters on real world youth and culture, including:
Normalizing Unnatural Hair
Characters like Cruella help normalize youth embracing unconventional hair colors and styles as personal expression.
Inspiring Creativity
Iconic hair can inspire young people to get creative with their own hair styling and coloring.
Teaching Brand Lessons
A memorable look like Cruella’s shows how hair can support brand image and become part of a persona.
Creating Conversation
Debating issues like Cruella’s hair color sparks cultural conversation and interest around characters.
Conclusion
While Cruella’s natural hair color remains ambiguous, the balance of evidence points to Disney’s villainess artificially dyeing her hair black and white to create her iconic two-tone hairstyle. Her character history, purposeful brand image, and desire to make a bold fashion statement all weigh in favor of Cruella actively choosing this look. Whether natural or dyed, Cruella’s hair remains one of the most striking and memorable elements of her character design and leaves a lasting impression on audiences.