| Anya | |
|---|---|
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| First appearance | Anastasia (1997) |
| Created by | Don Bluth |
| Based on |
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| Designed by | Don Bluth |
| Portrayed by |
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| Voiced by |
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| In-universe information | |
| Full name | Anya (born the Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia) |
| Title | Grand Duchess |
| Family | |
| Significant other | Dimitri |
| Relatives | Marie (grandmother) |
| Nationality | Russian Empire/Soviet Union |
| Pets | Pooka (dog) |
Anya[1][a] is a character in 20th Century Fox's animated film Anastasia (1997). A Russian orphan with amnesia, Anya travels to Paris, France, in hopes of re-discovering her past and family, aided by a pair of con artists who scheme to use her likeness to Russia's Imperial family to win a lucrative reward. Although largely fictionalized, the character is loosely based on two historical figures: Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia, the youngest daughter of Tsar Nicholas II, and Anna Anderson, an imposter famous for claiming to be the Grand Duchess. Plot elements from the film Anastasia (1956), in which the title character is played by actress Ingrid Bergman, served as a primary source of inspiration for Anya.
Created by director and animator Don Bluth, Anya is based on the urban legend that Anastasia survived the Romanov family's execution in 1918, with writers omitting most of the tragic elements about her life in favor of a more optimistic re-telling. Basing her appearance on actresses Audrey Hepburn and Julia Roberts, Bluth re-designed the character several times in order to achieve a design he felt best embodied her personality. Anya is voiced primarily by actress Meg Ryan. Despite being the filmmakers' first choice for the role, Ryan was wary about the film's dark subject matter, and only committed after the directors animated an original sequence to dialogue from her film Sleepless in Seattle (1993). Singer Liz Callaway provides Anya's singing voice, while actresses Kirsten Dunst and Lacey Chabert provide the speaking and singing voices, respectively, for a younger version of the character.
Reception towards Anya has been mostly positive, with film critics praising her spirited personality and independence. Ryan's voice acting was also well-received, although some critics found her American accent distracting. In 2017, actress Christy Altomare originated the role of Anya in the Broadway musical adaptation of the film.
- ^ Bluth, Don (November 21, 1997). Anastasia (Motion picture). 20th Century Fox. Rasputin is the only character who directly addresses Anya as "Anastasia" in the film; Vladimir introduces her to Sophie as "Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna", but never addresses her by this name or title. She is credited as "Anastasia" in the film's end credits.
- ^ "Anastasia Nikolaevna". Behind The Voice Actors. Archived from the original on 2022-01-30. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
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