Sabrina Von B., the actress behind Disneyland's widely shared Evil Queen, confirmed she was terminated from the park after years of viral success. She spoke to People Magazine following her exit, addressing her time in the role and what led to her finally speaking publicly.
Von B. portrayed the Evil Queen for eight years, beginning at age 18 and continuing until she was 26. During that period, she also performed as Maleficent, Agatha Harkness, and Lady Tremaine, though the Evil Queen remained her most frequent role. Videos of her sharp, improvised interactions with guests regularly circulated online, often without viewers knowing her name.
'It was a dream getting to do my own spin on a character that really wasn't popular or viral or well-known before videos of me really started going around,' she said . She added that many comments noted that guests had grown to love the villain because of her portrayal. The response, she explained, was unexpected but meaningful.
Inside The Performance That Went Viral
Guests often approached the Evil Queen with phones already raised, ready to record. Von B. leaned into fast exchanges, including telling visitors her beauty was 'all natural' or correcting someone who called her 'La Bruja' by replying 'La Reina'. These moments helped shape the character's online presence.
@sabrinavonb no makeup, all natural, holyyy airballll 🤭 #holyairball #lareina #itwasme
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'Sometimes I would surprise myself with witty comebacks that I would come up with,' she said. 'I would be like, "Oh, I can keep that in my arsenal."' She described fully stepping into the character once on stage, allowing the Queen to take over.
The role required physical endurance as well as performance skill. Von B. said the costume, heat, and daily repetition made it far more demanding than many realised. Preparation involved hydration, rest, and physical readiness before each appearance.
'Flipping that cape day in and day out was not easy,' she said. She also described facial exercises and mental preparation before stepping through the door to meet guests. 'That's when the real transformation starts.'
Fame, Secrecy, And Disney's Decision
The viral attention arrived in waves, first in 2019 after a YouTuber uploaded an interaction, then again in 2021 as clips resurfaced. Von B. said managing that attention while protecting the character's mystery became increasingly difficult. She avoided confirming her identity publicly while still employed.
'With Disney, it is a bit scary because they want to protect the magic,' she said. She added that people online attempted to identify her, which created tension around the character's anonymity. 'I protected the magic all the way until the end.'
It was only after she was no longer working at Disneyland that she confirmed she had been the Evil Queen. Her TikTok video acknowledging the role quickly reached more than 6.5 million views. The timing made clear that her confirmation followed her termination, not the other way around.
Online Response
Fan responses online have been supportive of her and critical of Disney's decision. 'She was literally perfect. She should have been allowed to be there forever or as long as she wanted to stay. What else does Disney want in a theme park character? She was a delight and well loved.' and 'Disney could've done a whole show based on her performance. But given they hired arguably the worst actress in Hollywood history for the film version, their judgment is suspect.' were only some of the comments left online.
What Remains After The Crown
Despite leaving the role, Von B. said she remains grateful for the impact she had on guests. She recalled visitors who returned year after year, including a mother and daughter she watched grow up during her time at the park. These encounters, she said, stayed with her.
'I don't take it lightly that these experiences that I created for people are stories and things that they will take with them,' she said.
Von B. confirmed she has several projects planned and hopes to work in theatre or touring productions. 'Now I'm learning how to live outside of the mouse.'
