Who is Mama Odie based on?
Ava Arnold
Updated on March 01, 2026
The Mama Odie character was inspired and patterned after the late, famed New Orleans storyteller, Coleen Salley, even down to the character's voice. Coleen consulted with the director several times, but never lived to see the completed movie. Her name is mentioned in the films credits.
Is Mama Odie based on Marie Laveau?
Mama Odie is likely at least partly based on Marie Laveau, long considered the "Voodoo Queen" of New Orleans. In truth, there were at least TWO Marie Laveaus - the mother passed the name (and the business that came with it) to her daughter, who dressed and acted like her mother to maintain consistency.Is Dr facilier Mama Odie's son?
In an earlier script, Dr. Facilier would have been Mama Odie's son, who followed the path of the dark arts, unlike his mother. In this same script, there was to be a showdown between the two of them, which would have converged into a major battle during the Mardi Gras festivities.Is Tiana based on Leah Chase?
Tiana is based off of real-life chef Leah Chase.Instead, Disney modeled Tiana after, the Queen of Creole Cuisine, Leah Chase. Chase is 93-years old and has fed everyone from Thurgood Marshall to President Barak Obama.