Digital Artist Reimagines What Cartoon Characters Would Look Like If They Were Real
The world is taking a new dimension as various technological advancements take us by storm every day in different areas of life. Who would have thought we’d see the day when people would go to theaters and cinemas in numbers to watch cartoons? Still, here we are, adapting to the change.
Cartoons have always been known to be fictional and unreal. Well, we knew that until recently, when Hidreley Leli, a Brazilian artist who grew up watching cartoons like the rest of us, decided to do what no one had done before.
With a mix of several photos and special software, he uses artificial intelligence to show us what our favorite cartoon characters would look like in reality. Here are 45 amazing images of cartoon characters in human form, from Disney to The Simpsons and others. The results are simply stunning!
All images in this article are courtesy of @hidreley on Instagram.
1. Princess Jasmine
Jasmine needs no introduction; we all remember how Aladdin played out. A homeless man poses as a prince to win Princess Jasmine’s heart and trick her into marrying him. But Jasmine knew better as she was not a prize to be won.
With no genie’s magic needed or magic lamp, artificial intelligence has managed to bring the tough and mysterious princess to life. Her beauty is unmatched, and now we understand why Aladdin went through such great lengths to make her his wife. Those eyes!
2. Eric
Eric in The Little Mermaid is still unarguably one of the hottest Disney characters. A lot of people had a huge crush on him when they watched the story. Remember how he rowed the boat and stole Ariel’s heart with a kiss?
Although he genuinely loved the princess, he was seduced by Ursula, but that didn’t last as he went back to Ariel. Just like we predicted, Prince Eric turned out to be as handsome as he was in the cartoon. Maybe even more handsome.
3. Pocahontas
Pocahontas was a free-spirited noble, and highly intelligent woman. She exuded wisdom and kindness. In the cartoon, she was painted in a wild and beautiful fashion. By using A.I, we now know what the famous cartoon would look like if she were real.
Now we understand why she always did what she wanted and acted on her beliefs. In the true story, Pocahontas went to England to be with John Smith, the man she fell in love with. We don’t know why, but Disney took that part out.
4. Ariel
What did you hear about redheads? We heard they are very passionate, extra confident, and very rare. Well, all that is true, and Ariel, a princess in the sea, is a good example of how much confidence these redheads have.
Although Ariel lived a dull life in the ocean, with the help of Ursula, who freed her with a magical spell, Ariel was able to live out her dreams. With this image, we now understand why Eric couldn’t let her go.
5. Julieta Madrigal
For those who haven’t seen the film, this is Julieta Madrigal. She was the matriarch in Encanto. She was also Luisa, Isabella, and Mirabel’s mother. According to the plot, she is a Colombian woman in her 50s with curly gray hair and beautiful brown skin.
Her magical power is to cook healing food, and she does it pretty well. Several times in the movie, she healed people with just a meal. We are astonished by the resemblance! The artist certainly knows how to use this online tool in his favor.
6. Joe Gardner
In the Soul movie, Joe Gardner was a high school teacher and piano player who enjoyed jazz music. Although he was in his 40s, he had always dreamed of performing jazz music, and the movie takes us on his journey.
After several trials and tribulations, he was able to make that dream into reality. The 3D version of his character looks so real. To be honest, he’s way more attractive here than he was in the movie. What do you think?
7. Pepa Madrigal
We can’t help but also mention Pepa Madrigal from Encanto. If you haven’t seen the movie, we strongly suggest you do so. Pepa Madrigal was the emotional one in the family, and her powers included an ability to control the weather depending on her mood.
If she were happy, there would be sunshine; if she were sad, a storm would brew. A.I. has finally brought that intensity to life by making her into a real person. Her look and expression really fit that of someone who had such powers.
8. Annabelle
When it comes to horror movies, you can never forget to mention Anabelle, the prequel to the hit movie The Conjuring. The story revolves around a possessed doll and a lot of dead bodies. It is definitely not for children, even if she is a doll.
If you haven’t seen the movie, it’s a shame. This 3D version doesn’t do enough justice to how scary the doll was. Although they look pretty much alike, we believe this human representation doesn’t look evil enough. She only looks like a creepy mean girl.
9. Moe Szyslak
We all remember Moe Szyslak from The Simpsons, the grumpy and miserable bartender and proprietor of Moe’s tavern. Prone to violent outbursts, he got himself in trouble on so many occasions. Regardless, we still love the bartender who has made us laugh quite a few times.
If you ever imagined the possibility of seeing the character in real life, you don’t have to imagine any longer. This Artificial Intelligence artist has turned that peculiar thought into a reality, and we have to thank him for it.
10. Carl Fredricksen
Up was a touching 2009 animated movie that inspired everyone. The whole storyline was about how it’s very easy to lose sight of things we have and people who matter to us until they’re gone. The movie garnered five Oscar nominations and won two.
The story was centered around Carl Fredricksen, a grumpy old man with all his balloons. We loved this cartoon character, but to get a real 3D human version of him is totally worth it. The nose, wrinkles, glasses, and hair are totally on point!
11. Tinkerbell
Tinkerbell was a fairy that appeared in several Peter Pan movies. Even though she was just a tiny fairy, we loved her regardless. With her feisty and kind personality, she was always running around in her green dress and matching shoes.
This is what Tinkerbell would have looked like in the real world, and we are really impressed by it. Although this human has a tiny bit of resemblance to Taylor Swift, she still reminds us of the adorable Disney fairy.
12. Li Shang
Li Shang was one of the main characters we always looked forward to seeing in the movie Mulan. Captain Li Shang always loved to get down to business by defeating Hans and escorting the three princesses safely back to Qui Gong.
Because of his good looks, he was always referred to as “Pretty Boy,” and this A.I. version just backs up that claim because he is indeed hot. In fact, if we may add, he is far more handsome than he was as a cartoon character.
13. Rapunzel
Rapunzel was one of the Disney princesses who had a rather lonely and cruel life. She was locked up in a long castle far away from the world because of her rare gift of magic and long hair that glowed when she sang.
It was lonely up there with her wicked captor, who used her to her own benefit. Her human form shows us even more of her beauty, and it’s no surprise she had a fairytale happy ending with her Prince Charming.
14. Aladdin
We saw Jasmine from Aladdin, but this list wouldn’t be complete without her husband. Aladdin was a street urchin with no money or drop of noble blood in him, yet he still managed to seduce the Princess of Agrabah, and now we know why.
He’s a charmer, with all the good looks and the right words to make any woman fall for him. Be honest; even if you weren’t crushing on his character, you wouldn’t mind falling for his A.I. version. We totally would fall for this guy.
15. Camilo Madrigal
Another Encanto character, but this time it’s Camilo Madrigal, who was the real entertainer in the animated movie. He had shape-shifting abilities and could turn into any person he wanted. Known for his positive attitude to life, he’s often regarded as a fan favorite.
Camilo Madrigal was fifteen years old in the film, and this life-like version of him captures his youthful exuberance. He is just a funny and playful teenager who’s having the time of his life with a huge smile and curly hair.
16. Lisa Simpson
Lisa Simpson is a favorite on The Simpsons sitcom. She’s only eight years old, but her intelligence surpasses her age. And it’s mainly because of that that she became a bit of a loner. In one episode, she was shown as a president in the future.
She is a young vegetarian who often questions the chaos in her house. A.I. has genuinely transformed all her simple features into a real human with huge eyes and a friendly smile. Even her looks seem very intelligent. Well done, Hidreley!
17. Merida
We learned so much from Merida in Brave, the Scottish Princess whose intelligence and independence took us by surprise. A favorite line of hers is, “You control your destiny, you don’t need magic to do it, and there are no magical shortcuts to solving your problems.”
No doubt we all love this Disney princess, and here we see what she could have looked like in the real world. With blue eyes and fiery red hair, we see the resemblance, but this one lacks the intensity and toughness the cartoon character possessed.
18. Flynn Rider
Flynn Rider was the typical bad boy in Tangled. He was a notorious thief, con artist, and player. He had a change of heart when he met Rapunzel, the girl with extremely golden long hair. Flynn was very handsome in the film.
Looking at this A.I. image, we must say he looks exactly as he should. Handsome, witty, funny, and with a nasty smirk. He represents the bad boys, and his good looks are enough to make any straight girl’s knees tremble.
19. Mulan
When all the men got drafted for war, Mulan worried about her elderly father and disguised herself as a boy to take his place in the China war. Known for her bravery and confidence, she fought strongly and came back victorious.
We wonder how she was able to trick everyone and make them believe she was a boy. Based on what we see here, she has all the feminine features and soft lines. There is no way we’d have been easily fooled!
20. Chucky
Even if you’re not a fan of horror movies, you must have heard about the possessed doll Chucky, who goes around murdering his victims with a sharp knife. Regarded as the scariest doll ever, there’s something about this A.I. version we can’t resist.
Maybe it has something to do with the eyes or that creepy smile, but one thing is certain, his appearance makes the hairs in our body stand up! Always remember to look over your shoulders. You never know when the doll is ready to strike.
21. John Smith
This has got to be the man of our dreams. Dashing and funny, he played zero games. When John Smith met Pocahontas, he made his intentions known from the start saying, “I’d rather die tomorrow than live a hundred years without knowing you.”
This might seem a little cheesy for the people who prefer the bad guys, but who doesn’t love a genuine and romantic man? His A.I. human representation is just too perfect, and we can’t help but drool at this picture.
22. Ned Flanders
Throughout The Simpsons series, Ned Flanders was a devout and evangelical Christian who always loved to share the word of God and managed to stay away from temptation. He is often considered the pillar of the Springfield community, even if the Simpson family mocked him most of the time.
This Artificial Intelligence version of Ned looks exactly like how we would have imagined him. With his mustache and suit, he definitely looks like someone who enjoys doing the Lord’s work. Kudos to the artist for pulling this one off; it is indeed Ned!
23. Lady Tremaine
One of the most hated stepmothers in Disney has got to be Lady Tremaine in Cinderella. The evil woman oppressed and maltreated Cinderella for a very long time but always showered her children with so much love that they turned out spoiled rotten.
It’s incredible how this software was able to bring out all her evil features to life and make her a real person. She looks like a real witch with those cold eyes and creased brows. We don’t like you, Lady Tremaine.
24. Milhouse Van Houten
Milhouse is Bart’s bestie. He’s an insecure, gullible, and less popular kid in school. We all watched Milhouse in fourth grade for over 30 years. We aren’t sure how that works, but this guy never seems to graduate or even age.
He often found himself in trouble because of his friend, Bart. With this Artificial Intelligence technology, we get to see him as a real-life nerd with his glasses and very rough eyebrows. Very impressive! What do you think about this one?
25. Anna
If you’re a Frozen fan like us, you must be over the moon right now. We all loved Anna, Elsa’s little sister. She had the power to create and control ice, and we could relate to her relationship with other characters.
Our favorite Disney character has come to life with the help of this software, and we are very pleased with this transformation. With her angelic smile and beautiful freckles, we still can’t believe Hans betrayed this beauty for the throne.
26. Olive Oyl
Now it’s time for a character from the past. This is Olive Oyl, a feisty and temperamental young woman. As we all know, the sailor Popeye has had eyes for this woman for well over a century, and who can blame him?
It’s rather surprising that A.I. was able to make this woman into a real person. Her character was drawn as a 2D image back in the day, and we have to commend this digital artist for bringing her to life perfectly.
27. Snow White
Snow White had it rough ever since birth, and we felt bad for everything she had to go through. The evil queen is to blame for all of her troubles. Her first attempt to take her life drove Snow White into the forest.
The queen still didn’t give up and tried to kill her again, this time with a poisoned apple. This software has shown us the exact reason why the evil queen was always jealous of Snow White. She is beautiful beyond words.
28. Hans
Here’s Hans, the good-looking guy who’s outwardly charismatic and calm but, in truth, is false-hearted and greedy. With his good looks and pretense, he managed to fool Anna and even us into believing he had genuine feelings for her.
Power-driven, he wanted the throne for himself and didn’t mind betraying Anna to get it. But we love Disney because evil never ever triumphs, and his plans ultimately failed. We guess the rumors are true; bad guys always look good!
29. Peter Pan
The famous boy who never seems to grow up is none other than Peter Pan. A very carefree, boastful, and fearless boy. His home was Neverland, and he always enjoyed battling pirates. Ever wondered what his face would look like if he were a troublesome teenager?
Well, here it is. He would look exactly like this Artificial Intelligence generated image. Handsome, funny, and daring – all of these traits mixed with a little bit of mischief and pranks up his sleeves, waiting to be let out at every given opportunity.
30. Princess Tiana
The Princess and the Frog had a peculiar storyline, but we enjoyed it nonetheless. Tiana was an excellent cook in New Orleans, hoping to open her own restaurant someday. When she kissed a frog, he turned into a handsome prince.
In the end, they tied the know and lived happily ever after, just like you predicted. According to this digital artist, if Princess Tiana was human, she would look like this. We can’t agree more. The brilliance of technology and creativity is just marvelous.
31. Raya
Disney’s newest princess is Raya, the badass female character who said she had trained her entire life to become a guard of the most precious gem in her divided world. Her life goal was to find the powerful dragon that would help her world go back to what it was before.
With this A.I. image, we can see the determination in her eyes as she looks willing to do what it takes to achieve her goal. Ever need someone to push you into achieving your goals? Look no further; this is your girl.
32. Apu
Another Simpsons character, but this time it’s none other than Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, an Indian immigrant who ran the Springfield Kwik-E-Mart. Apu is known to deliver exceptional services and is a die-hard workaholic. He spends most of his time at work rather than at home.
This man is a classic character from The Simpsons. We are grateful for this 3D image of him, and we can just imagine this man in his mart with a smile on his face, thanking us for coming and hoping to see us again.
33. Lilo Pelekai
Remember Lilo and Stitch? Yep, it’s the animated movie that made us emotional and that we couldn’t get enough of and can’t even remember how many times we rewatched it. Here’s Lilo, an orphan from Hawaii who lived with her older sister and a lot of aliens.
It’s one thing for Artificial Intelligence to generate several faces, but this one definitely stood out for us as the most unique. With all the accurate little details and thoroughly proportioned face, we have to give kudos to the software and the digital artist. Aloha, Lilo.
34. Bruno Madrigal
Encanto was full of people who had one supernatural power or the other, especially the Madrigal clan. In every family, there’s always a strange person, and this time it’s none other than Bruno, who has the power to see the future.
Bruno was often seen as a monstrous and sadistic person, but he’s, in fact, a shy man who suffers from anxiety, like his sister, Pepa. Let’s cut him some slack and appreciate his human form with the nose, eyes, and hair. It’s all on point.
35. Meg
Voiced by Mila Kunis, Meg from the show Family Guy is often the brunt of everyone’s jokes. Rather than the being the sterotypical forgotten middle child, she is the forgotten eldest child. Poor Meg has to navigate her teenage life while dealing with all the cruel pranks played on her.
We already felt like we could somewhat relate to Meg, even though she is just a cartoon character. This real-life render of her makes her even more relatable. Also, we must say this version of Meg has the most gorgeous eyes.
36. Sailor Moon
It’s common knowledge that anime originated from Japan and Sailor Moon was the most popular one in the 90s. It was a massive hit, and it revolves around a teenage girl who transforms into a powerful heroine and works tirelessly to battle the forces of evil.
Until now, we have never dared to imagine what Sailor Moon would look like as a real person. But with technology, that impossibility has become possible. She looks very realistic with all the details, from the shape of her head to her blue eyes. We are in awe!
37. Dash Parr
Dash Parr was a major character in the 2003 animated movie The Incredibles. Although Dash had the power to run super fast, he was a normal teenager who had a little bit of ego and lots of pranks up his sleeve.
The movie was in 3D, but it still wasn’t realistic enough. This A.I. software has broken that bridge, and for once, we get to see how Dash would look if he were human. We admit, he does look like a young troublemaker!
38. Belle
When the movie Beauty and the Beast was released, it was a hit, and everyone loved it. Everyone seemed to love Belle’s character, not just for her beauty but for her brains. She loved reading books and was always fantasizing about going on adventures.
Big Gaston was an arrogant and aggressive man who demanded Belle marry him. He was willing to go to extreme lengths for her. Here is the face he fell in love with. Just like her name, Belle is beautiful and intelligent.
39. Princess Moana
Disney’s Moana was released in 2016, and it told the story of an adventurous teen girl who sails out on a difficult mission to save her people. Along the way, Moana meets Maui and is able to fulfill the ancient quest of her ancestors.
She ended up captivating us with her beautiful voice and amazing personality. Here we see her character brought to life by this artist who used A.I. She looks so real, and we bet you must be wondering how this is possible. Well, it’s technology.
40. Kristoff
We can tell even from this Artificial intelligence image that Kristoff wasn’t the hot guy in Frozen, and neither is he one of the top 10 hottest Disney male leads. However, he had good qualities to make up for what he lacked in good looks.
He wasn’t the guy we envisioned Anna with, but by the end of the movie, they just seemed perfect together. They even got engaged. Truth be told, his A.I. version is way better looking than the cartoon character, but they both look kind.
41. Prince Naveen
Prince Naveen didn’t have it easy. Actually, he had a rough life. Due to his laziness and selfishness, he was disowned by his parents and disinherited of all his royal privileges. And if that wasn’t bad enough, an evil sorcerer turned him into a frog.
Even though he might have deserved it, we still feel sorry for him. Let’s have a look at what this Prince looks like using this AI software. He looks really nice. At least that’s a nice reward for the years he spent eating insects!
42. Elsa
On the outside, she looks poised and regal with her platinum-blonde hair and pale skin. However, for a long time, Elsa had problems accepting herself. We watched her hide in fear of people discovering her beautiful gift – the ability to create ice.
We are glad that by the end of the movie, the Disney heroine was able to control her powers. If we met her A.I. version in person, would it be easy to tell she possessed such powers? Well, we’ll never know.
43. Bart Simpson
Without even trying hard to compare, we can see the resemblance between the familiar yellow cartoon and this real-life reimagining. It exudes his mischievousness, rebelliousness, and disrespect for authority. From his prank calls to disobedience in class, this boy has a knack for getting in trouble.
Check out the humanized version of Bart Simpson. For all we know, this is one of the best “live-action” versions of a The Simpsons character. His hair, chin, and face are full of mischief. With him looking like this, we can tell he’s plotting something.
44. Isabela Madrigal
Isabela Madrigal, the perfect character in Encanto, really didn’t need to do much to enchant us with her character and ability to make and grow flowers. We thought she was happy being perfect, but Isabela, at one point, got tired of all the perfection and expectations.
We really can’t blame her; it must have been tiring to meet expectations as she is often referred to as the “perfect golden child.” This human-like version of Isabela certainly compliments her looks and is in every way better than her character. Effortlessly perfect.
45. Cinderella
Cinderella is unarguably the most popular Disney princess. We all love her tale of ‘from rags to riches.’ She was ill-treated by her stepmother and stepsisters and cleaned up after them. However, in the end, she had the last laugh and married the prince.
All this was possible when she lost her glass slipper. Many girls tried to get the slipper to fit in, but it wouldn’t. Here’s the real-life beauty they all tried to compete with. Now that we think about it, they never stood a chance.
46. Tintin
The Adventures of Tintin started off as a comic book from France before it was adapted into an animated movie. Since the book was initially published in 1907, it has been translated into over 70 languages all over the world.
The reason this book is so popular is because of the morals it teaches. There is no way this post would have been complete without adding Tintin. His A.I. version comes very close to the original with his upturned bangs and flushed cheeks. Spectacular.