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Ruben Aquino

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description Ruben Aquino Overview

Ruben Aquino is an American character animator whose career is closely associated with the Disney Renaissance period. He served as a supervising animator on multiple Walt Disney Animation Studios features, bringing to life characters such as Ursula in "The Little Mermaid" (1989), Maurice in "Beauty and the Beast" (1991), and Captain Li Shang in "Mulan" (1998). His work is distinguished by solid draftsmanship and a strong focus on character acting. Aquino's contributions were instrumental in defining the visual style of Disney's theatrical releases during the late 20th century.

help Ruben Aquino FAQ

Which Disney character did Ruben Aquino supervise in The Little Mermaid?

Aquino was the supervising animator for Ursula in Walt Disney's The Little Mermaid, released in 1989. His work helped shape the sea witch's broad gestures, tentacle movement, and theatrical personality.

Did Ruben Aquino animate adult Simba?

Yes. Aquino supervised the adult Simba animation in The Lion King, released in 1994, and also worked on characters in Beauty and the Beast, Pocahontas, Mulan, and Lilo & Stitch.

Which Mulan character was associated with Ruben Aquino?

Aquino was the supervising animator for Captain Li Shang in Disney's Mulan from 1998. He won an Annie Award for character animation for that performance.

What other Disney characters did Ruben Aquino animate?

His credits include Maurice in Beauty and the Beast, Chief Powhatan in Pocahontas, Pleakley in Lilo & Stitch, and Denahi in Brother Bear. These roles show his range from human characters to highly stylized comic creatures. [Ruben Aquino profile](https://vimeo.com/77842475)