Greenwell won the "Become a Disney Pirate" contest that the company ran to promote the home video version of the second Pirates of the Caribbean film, Dead Man's Chest. As a result, a likeness of her in full pirate regalia now graces the walls that guests pass just before they board the popular ride.
When she was first informed by email that she had won the contest, Greenwell dismissed the notification as spam. But when a Disney representative contacted her by phone, she realized that her pirate plunder was real. To create the "Mademoiselle Greenwell" character, Disney flew the winner and some of her pals to Walt Disney Imagineering in Glendale, California. There, she met artist Jim Crouch, whose drawings of legendary pirates line the walls of the attraction's queue line. Greenwell donned a pirate costume, and Crouch sketched her.
Crouch and Greenwell reunited on January 29 to participate in a ceremonial unveiling of her portrait at Disneyland's Pirates attraction. The two were dressed as pirates and were joined by some of the park's pirates for a raucous skit that included a bit of comedy and some singing. While Crouch had been prepped for the event and remained in character, Greenwell had no idea what to expect. She was a great sport, and the friends who accompanied her got a big kick out of her antics.
Crouch, who also had sittings with the films' stars Johnny Depp (Captain Jack Sparrow) and Geoffrey Rush (Barbarossa) to create portraits for the ride, says that he enjoyed painting Greenwell and turning her into a pirate. Like many Imagineers, Crouch is a lifelong park fan. "I used to ride Pirates of the Caribbean as a little kid and loved it. I wanted to be a stowaway and live among the pirates in the ride," he said. "It's hard to imagine that I'm now a part of it. It's incredible."
While Greenwell had been on the Walt Disney World version of the Pirates ride in Florida, she had never been on the California original until she won the contest. She said that she liked the Disneyland ride better--and not just because her character was on the wall. "It's longer, it seems bigger. Floating past the restaurant is great."
Pirates of the Caribbean is one of the most celebrated and beloved rides at the Disney parks and in all of parkdom. Its popularity led to the wildly successful film series, which, in a turn of meta-synergy, inspired the attractions to incorporate characters from the film. Captain Jack Sparrow and Barbarossa now pillage and plunder among the original cast of the rides in Florida and California. The portrait of Mademoiselle Greenwell will remain part of the attraction through June 2009.
See images of the unveiling ceremony in the Become a Disney Pirate Photo Gallery.
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