Who voiced Princess Aurora in Sleeping Beauty?

Who voiced Princess Aurora in Sleeping Beauty? Mary Costa voiced Princess Aurora in Disney’s 1959 animated film Sleeping Beauty.

Costa was an American actress and singer from Knoxville, Tennessee. Walt Disney Productions spent about three years searching for Aurora’s voice before Costa auditioned in 1952. Composer Walter Schumann heard her sing at a dinner party and encouraged her to try out. Disney chose her partly because her singing voice sounded natural alongside her speaking voice.

Costa recorded Aurora’s dialogue and songs over several years, including “Once Upon a Dream.” She also had to soften her Southern accent and maintain the character’s storybook English sound. Aurora was designed as both a speaking and singing role, so using one performer for both was important to Disney.

A common mix-up is confusing Costa with Ilene Woods, who voiced Cinderella in Cinderella, or Adriana Caselotti, who voiced Snow White. Costa’s performance became one of Disney’s most recognizable princess portrayals, and she was named a Disney Legend in 1999.