Growing up, I loved all things Disney, especially their iconic lineup of Disney Princesses. Today, they still fill me with nostalgia, and even as I write this article, I have Aladdin in the background because Disney has been such a warm and comforting presence for me throughout my life. As a kid, it was normal for me to wear out my VHS copies of Disney Princess films. I twirled in plastic tiaras, sang along to every soundtrack, and daydreamed about fairy tale endings. But looking back, there’s one princess I wish had been portrayed differently: Aurora from Sleeping Beauty.

Now, Aurora is probably my least favorite Disney Princess because she is so pᴀssive and her personality is barely developed in the 1959 animated film. Aurora is more of a symbol than a person, a princess whose fate was dictated by others. Then, decades later, 2014’s Maleficent re-imagined Aurora, played by Elle Fanning, as a princess with agency and depth. Instead of being a pᴀssive figure waiting to be awakened by true love’s kiss, she forged her own relationships, made her own choices, and saw the world with curiosity rather than naivety. This Aurora wasn’t just a dreamer — she was a pᴀssionate doer.

Aurora In The Animated Sleeping Beauty Film, Explained

She Isn’t Even In Her Own Movie For Very Long

Aurora, also known as Sleeping Beauty, feels like she’s in the pᴀssenger seat of her own film. Out of all the Disney Princesses, she has the shortest amount of screen time, as Aurora only appears on-screen for a whopping 18 minutes, despite supposedly being the protagonist. Honestly, the three fairies in the film, Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather, are doing most of the heavy lifting.

The three fairies are the ones who raise Aurora on their own in the middle of the woods so she stays clear of Maleficent’s curse. Plus, it is they who make Aurora’s iconic pink dress and help Prince Phillip defeat Maleficent at the end of the film. Meanwhile, Aurora spends most of her limited time in the animated film playing with critters in the woods and fawning over Prince Phillip, even though she only encountered him once as a teenager.

Then, she’s put to sleep for a good portion of the film, only to be awoken by Prince Phillip’s nonconsensual kiss, which is referred to as “true love’s kiss”. Despite its gorgeous animation, Sleeping Beauty is an uncomfortable watch, mainly because of how they portray Aurora.

Elle Fanning Brings Aurora To Life, Literally

She Added So Much To A Bland Character

Elle Fanning’s portrayal of Aurora in Maleficent and its sequel, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, transformed the classic Disney Princess from a pᴀssive dreamer into an active character with agency. Fanning’s Aurora is independent, compᴀssionate, and ᴀssertive, which is a refreshing change from her animated counterpart. In Maleficent, Aurora isn’t just a beautiful princess waiting for fate to unfold; she forms a deep bond with Maleficent, challenging the traditional fairy tale dynamic. Instead of being a victim of Maleficent’s curse, Aurora becomes the bridge between humans and fairies, actively shaping her destiny rather than being an observer in her own story.

The sequel elevates her agency even further. Aurora leaves the rank of Princess and becomes the Queen of the Moors. She navigates the complexities of love, politics, and war while standing up to Queen Ingrith and making decisions that impact both the fairy and human worlds. She’s no longer a pawn in a story about magic and revenge — she’s a leader. Fanning brings warmth, strength, and a modern sensibility to Aurora, proving that princesses don’t have to be pᴀssive symbols of romance. Instead, they can be forces of change in their own right.

What Elle Fanning Has Said About Playing Aurora

She Liked Re-Inventing The Princess Archetype

Fanning was excited to take on the role of Aurora in Maleficent, and was only fourteen years old at the time of filming. To be fair, Aurora is only 16 in Sleeping Beauty. The actress detailed playing Aurora in an interview with Harper’s Bazaar shortly after Maleficent: Mistress of Evil premiered. In the interview, she discussed how the film changed elements of the original fairy tale to appeal to modern audiences, considering that some viewers have issues with Sleeping Beauty’s depiction of diversity, race, and gender. Specifically, Fanning was sure to craft Aurora as a strong woman who has a very human need for romance and companionship. Fanning said:

Aurora is a very romantic princess – she dreams of being married and becoming a mother – and there’s nothing wrong with that… It doesn’t make a woman less strong because she wants that. I think that’s actually a very modern take.

Aurora’s Awakening Kiss Is Wildly Different In Maleficent

It’s A Welcome Change

The kiss that wakes Aurora in Maleficent subverts the traditional fairy tale ending. In the animated film, Prince Phillip, whom Aurora barely knows, kisses her while she is unconscious, fulfilling the fairy tale trope of “true love’s kiss”. It’s a romanticized moment, but one that reinforces the idea that Aurora’s fate is entirely dependent on an outside force, particularly a man. The kiss is also problematic for more obvious reasons, mainly that Aurora is unconscious, making the romantic display non-consensual. No, the kiss in Sleeping Beauty has not aged well.

In contrast, Maleficent redefines the meaning of true love. As Aurora lies in an enchanted sleep, Maleficent, played by Angelina Jolie, who has grown to love the girl as a daughter, kisses her forehead. It’s a moment of deep remorse for Maleficent, who feels that she is responsible for Aurora’s predicament. Maleficent has also seen Aurora as a surrogate daughter throughout the film, so it’s only natural that she would want to send off someone who she sees as family with a kiss. It’s this act of genuine, unconditional love that breaks the curse, which is different from the original film that relied entirely upon romance.

I think the change is welcome here, not just because the original kiss is not only non-consensual but also because it places an emphasis on non-romantic love. So many Disney movies emphasize the importance of “true love” in the romantic sense, which can send the wrong message to kids. Don’t get me wrong, I adore Disney and always will. But Prince Phillip kissing Aurora at the end of Sleeping Beauty is saying that only romantic love will save the day and is even necessary to live when, this ideology couldn’t be further from the truth.

There are plenty of people who have lived totally fulfilling lives despite never getting married or finding their “true love”, and it’s essential for people, especially children, to feel loved by those closest to them, like their parents. So, having Maleficent plant a motherly kiss on Aurora’s forehead works perfectly because it shows the significance of relationships that aren’t romantic but still incredibly important for a happy life.