Mother Gothel

Walt Disney himself first attempted to adapt the fairy tale "Rapunzel" into a feature-length animated film during the 1940s.[2] However, the filmmaker's efforts were never fully realized because the fairy tale was considered too "small".[3] In 2008, co-directors Nathan Greno and Byron Howard decided to enlarge the film's scale to transform it into a "big event" for it to be successful.[3] Meanwhile, the character Mother Gothel was developed into a much more complex villain than the witch upon whom she is based,[4] conceiving her as "a very lonely woman who really did not know how to have a relationship of any kind".[5] Little else had been determined about the character at the time, who was simply described as "the type of woman who ... envisioned herself in the spotlight."[6] A departure from traditional Disney Villains, Mother Gothel is not a witch or a sorceress. Because she lacks supernatural powers, the character is forced to rely solely on her wit, charm, intellect and charisma, a conscious decision made by Greno and Howard.[7] However, in the Brothers Grimm's original fairy tale, Gothel is very much depicted as a typical witch-like character, an idea that was modified for the Disney film adaptation in favor of having Gothel's agelessness instead be "derive[d] ... from Rapunzel's hair."[5]

Seeking inspiration for Gothel and Rapunzel's "bizarre" relationship, Greno and Howard conducted a series of interviews with several female Disney employees,[3] asking them to list qualities in their mothers that "they found annoying and cloying or restricting",[8] specifically "the things that their mothers would do that made them feel trapped or made them feel smothered" to make the villain appear more relatable.[7] Gothel's "Mother Knows Best" line "Getting kind of chubby" was in fact borrowed from one of these interviews.[9] Gothel embodies "the darker side" of overprotective parents;[8] at the beginning of the film, Gothel and Rapunzel's relationship resembles more-so of "a pure mother-daughter relationship." Elaborating on Gothel's "unique mothering style", Howard explained to Den of Geek that the character "has to convince this smart girl that she is her mother ... whatever her motivations are."[4] Citing Gothel as one of the film's most difficult characters to develop as a result of her complex relationship with Rapunzel, Greno explained to Den of Geek:[4]

"Mother Gothel can't be mean. She has to be very passive-aggressive. She was one of the hardest characters to crack. When we were developing her, people were saying that she doesn't feel enough like a villain, and people would point to characters like Ursula. And then she was too dark for a while ... Because what you do with her directly affects how you play Rapunzel in the movie. Because, if you play an extremely dominant and cruel villain, that girl is going to become meek and downtrodden, with almost nothing of a person, with low self-esteem. And we knew we didn't want a character like that ... We had to balance it out, and figured that Gothel has to be more subtle than that, rather than a one-note, domineering mother."

— Co-director Nathan Greno to Den of Geek.

The St. Paul Pioneer Press observed that Gothel represents "an update" of the traditional wicked stepmother, evolving into "the passive-aggressive stepmother" instead.[10] In actress Donna Murphy's opinion, a "classic" villainess is "somebody who wants something with such intensity and such great need but comes to a place of not being bound by any kind of moral code or any sense of what's ethical", concluding that "They will do anything to get what they want".[11] The Austin Chronicle observed that the directors' inclusion of Gothel as "an evil mother figure as a trigger for the storyline" remains one of the "classic hallmarks of Disney animation".[12] According to Kay Turner, author of the book Transgressive Tales: Queering the Grimms, "Gothel" means "godmother" in German.[13][14]

Mother Gothel is voiced by Broadway actress Donna Murphy in her voice acting debut; the actress would eventually go on to receive universal acclaim for her performance.

The directors admitted that they were not keen on hiring solely big-named, A-list celebrities[15] or top-billed actors to voice the film's main characters.[16] Howard explained that, to be cast, the actors simply had to have the "right voice" for the characters, preferring voice actors "who could ... bring a natural ease to those characters." Greno elaborated, "It was never about how big the star was ... It was always about ... who's best for the part".[17] Film critic James Berardinelli of ReelViews observed that this decision echoed "Disney's approach during the late 1980s and early 1990s, when big name stars where often bypassed in favor of lesser known talents."[18] An additional asset was that the actor be able to perform well both independently and collaboratively.[17]

Mother Gothel is voiced by American actress and singer Donna Murphy, a Tony Award-winning Broadway actress who was informed about the casting call for Tangled by her agent. Having never voiced an animated character before, the actress decided to audition for the role of the film's villain based solely on the expectation that the unfamiliar experience would be "fun".[5] Almost immediately, Murphy developed a strong liking towards Gothel because of the character's complexity.[5] Known for her award-winning Broadway performances, Murphy prepared herself for her Tangled audition similar to the way in which the actress would have prepared for a Broadway audition. Refusing to rely solely on her voice, Murphy also provided Gothel with an additional background that "flush[ed] out the moments beyond what we see in the film."[7] Although Greno and Howard had already held Murphy in high regard as "a spectacular singer",[19] the actress was required to audition a song for the directors nonetheless,[20] performing "Children Will Listen" from the musical Into the Woods.[19] Howard revealed in an interview that Murphy was ultimately chosen out of hundreds of actresses because she possessed "something extra";[19] the directors especially enjoyed the charisma and intelligence Murphy brought to the role.[9]

Growing up a fan of Disney films, Murphy had never wanted to play a princess, preferring characters who were adventurous and "drove the action" instead.[7] In the actress' opinion, villains continue to be the most dynamic characters in Disney films. Describing the opportunity to voice a Disney villain as a "juicy" experience, Murphy explained that this is because these characters are "not bound by ethics or moral codes or concern for what someone thinks or how it might hurt someone else", providing actors with more freedom.[7] Upon her first session, Murphy appreciated the directors for exposing her to early concepts and ideas about Gothel.[11] However, Murphy was not provided with a complete script because "They’re very protective about that."[6] Murphy was directed to lower the pitch of her voice in favor of demonstrating a rather "flat" sound.[7] Although Murphy did not base her own performance on any one individual in particular, she admitted to Babble that she was somewhat inspired by Betty Lou Gerson's performance as Cruella de Vil in Disney's One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961).[8] Comparing voice acting to Broadway, Murphy commented that, in animation, "You’re recording and you’re discovering it and giving the performance all at the same time. It's not like you have three weeks rehearsal."[7] Additionally, Murphy never worked with co-star Mandy Moore, voice of Rapunzel; instead, Murphy revealed that scenes with Gothel and Rapunzel were actually recorded opposite one of the directors impersonating Moore,[5] who also explained to Murphy that Gothel's design will continue to evolve as the character begins to adapt the actress' mannerisms.[11] Howard enthused that Murphy "nailed" Gothel, admitting to ultimately using 90% of the actress' original material and takes because "The character just came right to life when she came in."[5]

Gothel's "exotic" appearance was based on American singer Cher.

Convinced that "Disney does villains better than anyone,"[21] the directors felt pressured to create a villain who would ultimately "live up to the classic villains of [Disney's] past films."[3] Greno and Howard wanted Gothel to be both a funny and frightening character,[6] describing her as "a commanding and powerful presence ... who could also have warmth".[9][11] Greno believes that Gothel is particularly scary because she is not a witch, explaining, "She's a real-world-type villain."[4] Considered "one of the [film's] hardest characters to crack" by Greno, he and Howard wanted Gothel to be depicted as a conniving villain who is likeable and charismatic enough that audiences would be convinced by her and Rapunzel's unconventional relationship. Greno explained, "if Mother Gothel was a mean villainess, and looked like a villainess and acted scary, you'd be like, 'Why is Rapunzel staying in the tower?'"[4] In early drafts, Gothel was inspired by Ursula from The Little Mermaid (1989), causing the character to become "too dark." Ultimately, the filmmakers voted in favor of having Gothel be subtle as opposed to having her remain "a one-note, domineering mother," similar to Lady Tremaine, Cinderella's cruel stepmother, from Disney's Cinderella (1950).[4]

As reported by The Korea Times, the thought of Gothel being a villain who is both a "greedy, selfish woman and a mother figure to Rapunzel" was initially "perplexing" for animator Jin Kim, and it wasn't until after Kim heard Gothel's "Mother Knows Best" for the first time that he "came up with the 1940s Hollywood screen siren motif" for the character.[22] The directors also strived to make it obvious that Mother Gothel and Rapunzel are not related. Greno told Animation World Network, "When they're standing together, it is very clear that this is not a mother and daughter, just by the frames of their bodies, their hair, the pigments of their skin," as opposed to when Rapunzel is in close proximity with her true parents, the King and Queen.[23] Howard added that, in comparison to Rapunzel, "Gothel is very tall and curvy, she's very voluptuous, she's got this very exotic look to her. Even down to that curly hair, we’re trying to say visually that this is not this girl's mother."[15] The animators studied footage of Murphy to get "ideas about facial expressions" and "gestures."[5] After much speculation,[24] the directors finally admitted that, in addition to Murphy, Gothel's physical appearance was in fact influenced by American singer Cher. Howard explained that this was "because Cher is very exotic and Gothic looking," continuing that the singer "definitely was one of the people we looked at visually, as far as what gives you a striking character."[15]

Because Mother Gothel is constantly lying to and belittling Rapunzel, the terms gaslighting and passive-aggressive[25] has since gone on to be commonly associated with Gothel.[26] Critics felt that Gothel could possibly pioneer "a new kind of Disney villainess," introducing "the undermining, passive-aggressive, guilt-trip-inducing witch."[27] The Village Voice wrote that, as a villain, Gothel "is Disney's first villainess whose chief crime is being an underminer," warning Rapunzel that she is simply "too silly, too uneducated, too unsophisticated" to survive life outside of the tower.[28] The Los Angeles Times referred to Gothel as "A guilt-tripping, overprotective, super-manipulative parent from hell."[29] One film critic observed that "Gothel is one of the most understated villains Disney has used in a long time. She harkens back to the wicked step mother idea in Cinderella ... She proves it's possible to be evil without all the theatrics." The author continued, "Gothel is one for the ages with a bit of darkly comedic timing and the overall greed and menace a villain needs to be disdained."[30] The character has received comparisons to the Evil Queen, Snow White's stepmother, from Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937).[31]

Donna Murphy believed that Gothel did really love Rapunzel in her own way.[32]

"I also think there is this thread of a kind of love that she does have for Rapunzel. It's not what she set out. But she does raise this child and it's the most intimate and certainly the most sustained relationship I think the woman has had in her 387 years or however old she might be. So as deep as the need is to get something for herself, she can't help but fall in love with her. She's spirited, creative, and charming and I think that stirs something in her that is confusing for Gothel. And Gothel has to keep reminding herself of what is most important, which is taking care of herself. But I think there is a genuine kind of humanity. It's by degree, it's not unconditional love but there is a love that develops."

— Donna Murphy to Collider.

Mother Gothel performs two of the film's songs: "Mother Knows Best," described as a "brassy, Broadway-targeted tune"[33] and an "authoritarian anthem"[34] in which Gothel warns her daughter "all about the evils out to get Rapunzel,"[35] and "Mother Knows Best (Reprise)," both written by composer Alan Menken and lyricist Glenn Slater. While making Rapunzel's music more modern in the vein of a singer-songwriter, "young and contemporary and fresh," Menken decided to make Gothel's songs "more classic Broadway," described as more of "a big stage diva type" of music.[19] Critics have observed similarities between "Mother Knows Best" and "Out There" from Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996), on which Menken also served as a composer.[36]

Musically, the filmmakers "were open ... to ideas that [Murphy] had," as the actress had felt different about "a slightly different ending to something musically in the arrangement," requesting to try something else, to which the filmmakers responded, "Absolutely!"[5]

Mother Gothel appears in Tangled (2010). For hundreds of years, Gothel, a vain old crone, hoarded the rejuvenation powers of a magical golden flower to remain young and beautiful, while selfishly keeping the flower's existence a secret from the rest of the world. However, when the pregnant Queen of Corona falls fatally ill, the flower is desperately retrieved and fed to her, healing her and in turn inadvertently stripping Gothel of her access to what is essentially the only thing that is keeping her alive. Meanwhile, the King and Queen's newborn daughter Rapunzel is gifted with the flower's abilities, which manifest via her long, golden hair when a special song is sung so long as it remains uncut. Desperate to stay alive, Gothel kidnaps the baby princess from the palace and imprisons her in a secluded tower for eighteen years, posing as Rapunzel's "loving and protective" mother and prohibiting her from leaving, telling her that the outside world is full of dangers and people which would take advantage of Rapunzel's hair but really she just wants to keep the power of the hair to herself.

As her eighteenth birthday approaches, Rapunzel continues to grow eager to leave the tower to view the mysterious "floating lights" secretly – lanterns released annually by the King and Queen in remembrance of their lost daughter – in person. While Gothel, reprimanding Rapunzel when she asks, forbids this, she agrees to Rapunzel's request to take a three-day-long journey to retrieve art supplies for Rapunzel, giving her just enough time to escape the tower, aided by a wanted thief named Flynn Rider. However, not too far from the castle, Gothel is soon tipped off by Maximus, a guard horse who is searching for Flynn, that Rapunzel has gone missing. With her life endangered and her age rapidly increasing, Gothel desperately pursues Rapunzel and Flynn.

Enlisting the help of the Stabbington brothers, a duo of thieves who were once betrayed by Flynn, Gothel offers them both revenge on Flynn Rider and Rapunzel's gift once they agree to help her find them, not intending to keep the latter half of her promise as she only wants Rapunzel for herself. When her initial attempt to convince Rapunzel to return home with her fails, Gothel, upon a second encounter, tricks the Stabbington Brothers into immobilizing Flynn, later knocking them unconscious when they attempt to kidnap Rapunzel, appearing as she was rescuing her. Convincing Rapunzel that Flynn has betrayed her, they return to the tower. While Flynn escapes from the dungeon, Rapunzel suddenly realizes her true identity and rebels against Gothel, only to be chained and gagged. Gothel stabs Flynn upon his arrival to rescue Rapunzel, but agrees to free Rapunzel long enough to heal him on the condition that she remain with her forever. However, Flynn unexpectedly cuts Rapunzel's hair, causing it to lose its magic. It turns brown, and a horrified Gothel (failing to salvage Rapunzel's hair) ages rapidly, falling out of the tower's window but disintegrating into dust before she hits the ground, essentially dying of old age leaving her clothes behind. Flynn succumbs to his wound and dies in Rapunzel's arms, but is miraculously returned to life by Rapunzel's tears, and she is finally reunited with her biological parents.

Having aged into dust six months earlier, Mother Gothel appears in the 2D Tangled: Before Ever After only as a painting in Rapunzel's mural on her bedchamber walls. Eugene (Flynn Rider) had described how she had hoarded the mystical healing powers of the golden Sundrop Flower to sustain her youth and how she had stolen the infant princess and kept her locked up in a tower for eighteen long years. She is last mentioned when Eugene had saved Rapunzel from her wrath, which had resulted in him being stabbed to death by her silver knife.

A few days later, when the coronation ceremony was interrupted by the arrival of the notorious criminal Lady Cain had told Rapunzel that she had no idea who she was dealing with, to which Rapunzel replied that she has "dealt with much worse" as a reference to the woman who had abducted her as an infant and raised her as her own daughter for the past eighteen years.

She appears in a nightmare Princess Rapunzel had, in "What the Hair!?" after her seventy-feet long magical blonde hair had mysteriously returned nearly a week ago. She had bragged about how Rapunzel thought that she was "gone forever" and had expressed her wicked delight in seeing that her "daughter's" golden hair and its mystical properties had returned. She then comfortingly told Rapunzel that she came back to bring her back to her tower, where she would be "safe and secure." It was then that the black rock spikes, which resulted in the regrowth of Rapunzel's 70-feet golden hair, appear all around her.

In "The Quest for Varian", a smug Eugene had shown Maximus the window of the tower was "where Mother Gothel fell to her doom."

In "The Alchemist Returns", Princess Rapunzel says to her father King Fredric that he is not the first person to lie to her and say that she is not ready for the real world, as a reference to her adopted mother.

In the second season's episode "Rapunzel: Day One", Gothel is referenced by an amnesic Rapunzel who, having lost her memories, naturally thinks that Gothel is her mother. She excitedly pointed out to Cassandra that she should "try the special spice Mother makes".

She reappeared in "Rapunzeltopia" in a nightmare created by the evil magic of Tromus the Eternal, one of the ghostly disciples of the dark sorcerer Zhan Tiri. In "Lost and Found", a flashback of Lord Demantius' implies that Gothel was formerly one of his three disciples who had double-crossed him to his longtime archenemy Zhan Tiri.

In the first half of the final season premiere "Rapunzel's Return", Cassandra encountered a child-like spirit later revealed to be Zhan Tiri. Zhan Tiri reveals to Cassandra that she is Gothel's biological daughter, showing her the events following the newborn Rapunzel's abduction where Gothel abandoned her four-year old Cassandra when the Captain of Royal Guard stumbled across her cottage with him adopting the girl. Zhan Tiri exploits that resentment to turn Cassandra on her friends, lashing out at her adopted father in "Islands Apart" for hiding the truth of her mother from her. She also lashes at Rapunzel in the 2-part episode "Cassandra's Revenge", sarcastically stating to Rapunzel that they should "have a chat" about her mother choosing Rapunzel over her own flesh and blood. Rapunzel tried to explain that Gothel had abducted her and held her against her will, that it was not her decision. Still incensed, Cassandra asked if it was her decision to push her out a window.

In "A Tale of Two Sisters", it is said that Gothel's restless spirit now haunts the cottage where she had lived with a young Cassandra before deserting her. A curious Cassandra and Rapunzel go to investigate these rumors, but it is actually a ruse by the Enchanted Girl (Zhan Tiri) to further push the human hosts of the Sundrop Flower and Moonstone Opal apart. By further exploring, the two women find out that Gothel had a diary of sorts in the form of magic mirrors, that displayed her overly narcissistic self and disdain for her young daughter Cassandra. A painting of her is seen above the fireplace before it was burned by green fire. A missing broken hand mirror then showed a seemingly loving memory of Gothel expressing her motherly affection toward Cassandra but was, in truth, hiding the fact that she had only said such sweet words to keep Cassandra out of her hair for awhile, as she always considered her own child a "lousy, little pest."

In addition to the popular Mother Gothel Classic Doll[37] and appearing alongside Rapunzel, Flynn, Pascal and Maximus in the Rapunzel Tangled Figure Play Set,[38] the character's likeness has since been adapted and modified by Disney into a much more glamorous doll for sale alongside several re-imagined Disney villainesses as part of the company's Disney Villains Designer Collection, released in 2012.[39] Costumed in a long burgundy gown made of satin, Gothel wears her thick black hair in "a theatrical up-do."[40]

Mother Gothel appears on the ABC television series Once Upon a Time, portrayed by actress Emma Booth. She débuts in the seventh season and is one of the main antagonists. This version is a dryad who inherits the title of Mother Nature from the previous Queen of the Dryads named Mother Flora (portrayed by Gabrielle Miller) following a massacre on the dryads. She is the mother of Alice with the Captain Hook of the Wish Realm and became a powerful witch who is the leader of the Coven of the Eight. In Hyperion Heights, she is an accomplice of Drizella and is known as Eloise Gardener.

Mother Gothel made her debut appearance in the Kingdom Hearts series in Kingdom Hearts III, with Murphy reprising her role in the English version. Her role plays out as in the film, but here, she strikes an alliance with the True Organization XIII in exchange for bringing Rapunzel back to the tower. But after she restrains Rapunzel and attacks Eugene, they conclude that her extreme darkness could destroy her world and turn her into a Heartless called the Grim Guardianess to use in the Second Keyblade War, but she is quickly vanquished by Sora.