Which animator was the lead animator for Maleficent?

Marc Davis was the lead animator responsible for Maleficent in Disney’s 1959 animated film Sleeping Beauty.

Davis supervised Maleficent’s animation and design, creating the villain’s striking silhouette: a tall, angular figure with curved horns, a high collar resembling bat wings, and a flame-like costume. His approach made Maleficent visually different from the softer, rounded heroes and fairies elsewhere in the film.

Davis also designed and animated Maleficent’s raven, Diablo. That character helped solve a practical animation problem: Maleficent often delivers long speeches and has limited physical contact with other characters, so Diablo gave her someone to address and react to on screen.

Maleficent’s dragon transformation was handled by animator Eric Cleworth, not Davis alone. Cleworth gave the dragon distinctive reptilian movement, including head motions inspired by a rattlesnake. Eleanor Audley supplied Maleficent’s voice and also provided live-action reference, while Davis shaped the character’s final animated performance and appearance.