Jodi Benson, Ariel– Disney Princesses Then and Now

Then: In 1989, Benson was a talented soprano singer and up-and-coming voice actress who had lent her talents to the English dubbing of Hayao Miyazaki's anime 'Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.' 'The Little Mermaid' proved a tipping point in Benson's voice acting career.

Now: She has gone on to voice Ariel in the movie's TV spin-off series, as well as the teeny titular heroine of Don Bluth's 'Thumbelina,' and a long list of Disney characters, including the plucky and brave Barbie doll of 'Toy Story 2' and 'Toy Story 3.' For her contributions to the Disney legacy, Benson was honored with a Disney Legend Award in 2011.