- “Serpents and spiders, tail of a rat
Call in the spirits, wherever they’re at!” - ―Madame Leota's opening line[src]
Madame Leota is a ghostly character from the Haunted Mansion franchise. Originally conceived as a character to be featured in The Haunted Mansion, Leota's character has been expanded, to be featured in multiple Disney attractions, as well as a feature film. She was originally portrayed by Leota Toombs, whom she was named after, while Eleanor Audley voiced her.
Background
Personality
Madame Leota is generally surrounded by mystery. Her motives tend to be vague, though a lot of interpretations tend to lean toward her being good or at least a neutral force. She generally favors speaking in rhyme as her incantations seem to be based around it.
Powers and Abilities
- Mediumship: The ability to contact someone who is deceased. Madame Leota has displayed this ability while conducting séances.
Appearances
The Haunted Mansion
Madame Leota appears as a clairvoyant gypsy spirit, in the 2003 film, portrayed by Jennifer Tilly. Unlike many residents of the mansion, she isn't a trapped ghost, but a spirit, encased within a crystal ball.
While wondering the mansion, Jim Evers (played by Eddie Murphy) finds his way to a room occupied by Leota, and asks for her help in leaving. In response Leota, forces him onto a seat and levitates him off the ground, warning him of the curse that's placed within the mansion, and how he must break it, in order to save his family. When Jim falls to the ground, Leota uses her powers to enchant magical instruments, into chasing him.
When Jim learns of the dangers his wife is in, he, along with his children, Ezra and Emma, return to Madame Leota, to seek help. She shows Master Gracey's interactions with Jim's wife Sara, who he believes, to be the reincarnate of his departed lost love, Elizabeth. While Leota confirms Elizabeth to be present within the mansion, she clarifies that not everything is as straightforward, as it appears to be. She informs them that in order for the curse to be lifted, a truth must be known, all of which can be revealed by a key located in a mysterious unnamed black crypt. After everyone leaves to find it, Ramsley arrives and uses Leota's crystal ball to spy on Jim and his family.
They eventually return with possession of the key, but she informs Jim it's purpose is to unlock a chest, rather than a door, to his irritation. He lifts Leota form her stand, despite her protests, and the six of them, manage to find the chest, where she tells Jim to find a red object. After rummaging, he comes across a letter, and learns Elizabeth wanted to marry Gracey, but was killed. Upon this discovery, Ramsley arrives, and reveals his true nature, as her murderer, before expelling Jim from the estate. As a defeated Jim gives up, Leota appears before him, and with words of motivation, the pair successfully manage to reenter the mansion. While Jim leaves to rescue his family, he leaves Leota in the car, waiting.
After breaking the curse, Jim and family leave, and decide to take Leota with them. After prophesying their ever-lasting happiness, Megan complains that Leota won't shut up.
Once Upon a Time
Madame Leota is a character, who first appears in the season seven episode "The Eighth Witch", and a member of the Coven of the Eight. She is portrayed by Suzy Joachim.
Once one of the most powerful witches of all the realms, Leota died (or was killed), and lost her physical form, but her spirit was entrapped within a Crystal Ball, before she could move to the Other Side. Gothel eventually finds her, and chooses her, to join the Coven of the Eight.
Suzy Joachim as Madame Leota.
In attempt to resurrect Leota, Gothel lures Robin to Memento Mori, a curio shop, frequented by witches, in order to use her as a sacrifice, for Leota's resurrection. While the medium is attempting to perform a séance with Gothel, they are interrupted by Zelena and Hook, who wish to find Robin. The pair demand for her whereabouts, so they can leave, but Leota eliminates their means of escaping, by removing all windows and doors, in response to Hook's threats, before attacking him with a blast. When the two leave, Gothel begins the ritual, before Zelena and Hook return. Zelena volunteers herself as sacrifice, but before Leota can be restored to her living state, she is thwarted by Robin, who prevents the ritual from being completed, by disarming Gothel from the resurrection amulet with an arrow. Outnumbered, Leota and Gothel disappear.
Through unknown means, Leota is successfully resurrected, to her physical form, and joins Gothel's coven. Together, their combined power allows them to perform feats of magic, any singular witch is incapable of. Leota, along with the other members, come to Tiana's Palace, to free Drizella, from her petrified stone state, she was placed in, eight years prior, before disappearing, with plans to cast the Dark Curse. The coven later capture Henry, who was attempting to escape the curse with his daughter, and have him poisoned, as a means of forcing Regina, into using her blood. Acting as the final ingredient, Leota and the coven, successfully enact the curse, and the entirety of the coven, are sent to Hyperion Heights, with new cursed personas.
After being transported to Hyperion Heights, Leota takes on a new identity, with no memory of her past life. Eventually, her memories are restored by the Desk Sergeant under Gothel's orders, and she and the rest of the coven set up a trap for Rogers and Tilly, capturing them at the basement of a movie theater where Gothel's Grove once stood. After receiving some encouragement from Seraphina, Tilly is then forced to help her mother, Gothel, cast a spell that will exterminate all of humanity or Rogers will die.
After they are shrunk by Tilly, Rogers, Margot, and Weaver witness Leota, along with Seraphina and 3 other witches, get transformed into a tree after her part in the ritual is complete.
Printed material
The Haunted Mansion comics
In the Slave Labor Graphics Haunted Mansion comic book, Madame Leota is unaware that she has died. She first came to the house as a mortal, that fell in love with William Gracey, who had hired her for assistance with the ghosts that haunted his new home. Her advances shot down as Gracey was in love with another, Leota set a plan in motion to call more spirits in to spite Gracey, including the captain that Gracey murdered when starting his pirate career. Furthermore, a curse was placed onto the house that a terrible thing would happen when the Mansion was occupied by a thousand ghosts. In the middle of her incantations to bring more spirits in, Gracey killed her by snapping her neck, having already discovered her hand in the death of his bride. Leota's spirit would inhabit her crystal ball, unaware of what had happened. Gracey then proceeded to hang himself in the stretching room. With Leota continuing her seance as a ghost, it amplified the effect, calling spirits from around the globe.
Disney Kingdoms: The Haunted Mansion
Leota appears as a supporting character. She catalyzes the events of the story by summoning Danny Crowe to the Mansion by claiming his grandfather's spirit is trapped with the other imprisoned souls by the Sea Captain. To help Danny, Leota provides him with the ability to see the ghost themselves.
However, she is forced by the Captain to admit Danny's grandfather is not at the mansion; Leota is then shattered after. Leota regenerates after the Captain is defeated, where she shows Danny that his actions have given the ghosts their freedom back. Leota chooses to stay at the mansion, but is shown to still communicate with Danny.
Kingdom Keepers
Coming from the Haunted Mansion attraction she resides in the basement and is most likely its ruler; only appears in "The Insider"(where her full story is told to Maybeck by Charlene), in two different forms. Showing Leota her reflection will get rid of her, since she hates being reminded of what she did and what she's become. She scared patrons during park hours, but was tasered and left badly burnt.
Video games
Epic Mickey
Under the name Madame Leona, the character appears in Lonesome Manor's Library. She is upset at one of The Lonesome Ghosts for not returning a book of hers. Mickey can assist the ghost when visiting Bog Easy by getting the book for him before heading off to the Manor.
Kinect Disneyland Adventures
Leota appears in the Haunted Mansion mini-game, taking on a more sinister-looking appearance and playing a more antagonistic role.
The Haunted Mansion
Madame Leota helps the main character, Zeke Holloway, on his mission to save the mansion from the darkness that has fallen over it. She is one of the few ghosts who rebelled against the antagonist, Atticus Thorn, and, in turn, he imprisoned her in her crystal ball. In the opening sequence of the game, she gives Zeke the Beacon of Souls, his only weapon against evil spirits. She then travels with him through the mansion while giving him (and the player) advice and helpful hints. At the end of the game, she stays behind in the mansion with the other friendly ghosts and guides Zeke in pursuing his dream of being a writer.
Disney Parks
Attractions
The Haunted Mansion (Disneyland & Walt Disney World)
Madame Leota appears in the Seance Room. She conducts an otherworldly séance in an attempt to summon spirits and assist them in materializing. Using a spell book she repeats the following incantation over and over:
- “Serpents and spiders, tail of a rat; call in the spirits, wherever they're at.
Rap on a table; it's time to respond. Send us a message from somewhere beyond.
Goblins and ghoulies from last Halloween: awaken the spirits with your tambourine.
Creepies and crawlies, toads in a pond; let there be music, from regions beyond!
Wizards and witches, wherever you dwell, give us a hint, by ringing a bell!” - ―Madame Leota's incantation
Musical instruments make noise, furniture levitates and one by one ghosts start to physically materialize. When guests enter the Ballroom all of the ghosts in the mansion are finally revealed.
In 2002, Madame Leota got a tombstone in the cemetery outside The Haunted Mansion in Walt Disney World. Her epitaph reads: "Dear sweet Leota, beloved by all. In regions beyond now, but having a ball." Madame Leota's face appears on the front of the tombstone and it periodically shifts and opens its eyes.
Haunted Mansion Holiday (Disneyland)
Madame Leota recites her own take on a Christmas classic with her "Thirteen Days of Christmas" incantations. Her seance room is filled with tarot cards featuring numerous characters from The Nightmare Before Christmas and in recent years, her crystal ball takes on the appearance of a floating ornament.
Phantom Manor (Disneyland Paris)
Madame Leota's part in the attraction is similar to her role in the classic Haunted Mansions, but her incantation is more focused on inviting the spirits to Melanie Ravenswood's wedding party.
Star Tours: The Adventures Continue
Madame Leota makes a cameo in Star Tours: The Adventures Continue. She appears on G2-9T's luggage scanner in the queue, alongside several other Disney and Star Wars characters, apparently being smuggled onto a flight by a Star Tours passenger.
Shops
Memento Mori (Walt Disney World)
Memento Mori is Madame Leota's former abode and she stops by for a visit from time to time. Many of her belongings can be found in the shop. When Madame Leota is present guests can hear her humming a tune or they can catch a glimpse of her face in a mirror.
Gallery
_-_Madame_Leota_Portrait.jpg "Memento Mori (Walt Disney World) - Madame Leota Portrait.jpg (142 KB)")
_-_Madame_Leota.jpeg){kind=link}
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