The Goanna Who Stole The Show: 7 Shocking Facts About Joanna From The Rescuers Down Under

Released in 1990, The Rescuers Down Under remains one of the most underrated gems of the Disney Renaissance, and at the heart of its unique charm lies the secondary antagonist: Joanna the Goanna. This monitor lizard, the perpetually put-upon pet of the villainous Percival C. McLeach, provides some of the film’s most memorable moments, blending slapstick comedy with a surprising undercurrent of menace. As of December 2025, her character continues to be celebrated by fans for her expressive animation and hilarious obsession with eggs, cementing her status as one of Disney's most iconic animal sidekicks—or in her case, a side-villain.

Joanna's humor is a masterclass in non-verbal comedy, often stealing scenes from her human owner. Despite her villainous associations, her constant struggle to satisfy her appetite—particularly for Marahute's giant eggs—makes her strangely relatable. This deep dive uncovers the essential facts, animation secrets, and modern analysis that prove why Joanna the Goanna is far more than just a henchman's pet.

Joanna the Goanna: Character Profile & Essential Biography

Joanna is a female Australian monitor lizard, specifically a Goanna, who serves as the pet and reluctant accomplice to the ruthless poacher, Percival C. McLeach. She functions as the film's primary source of comic relief, often through her insatiable appetite and her strained, abusive relationship with her owner. Her character is a perfect foil to McLeach's pure evil, adding a layer of unpredictable, chaotic humor to the villain's plot.

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• Full Name: Joanna
• Species: Goanna (Australian Monitor Lizard)
• Affiliation: Secondary Antagonist, Pet of Percival C. McLeach
• First Appearance: The Rescuers Down Under (1990)
• Key Trait: Obsession with eggs, particularly Marahute's golden eagle eggs.
• Voice Actor: Frank Welker
• Supervising Animator: David Cutler
• Notable Scenes: The Egg Counting Scene, The River Chase, The Final Confrontation.
• Relationship with McLeach: Highly abusive; McLeach frequently kicks her or uses her as a prop, though she remains loyal/obedient out of fear or habit.

1. She Was Animated by a Disney Legend Who Worked on *The Nightmare Before Christmas*

One of the reasons Joanna is so expressive and memorable is the talent behind her animation. Her supervising animator was David Cutler. Cutler is a respected name in the animation industry, having worked on various Disney projects. More notably, he served as a Character Designer on Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), demonstrating a versatility that ranged from the expressive, reptilian antics of Joanna to the gothic, unique designs of Halloween Town's inhabitants. This deep level of character expertise is evident in every smug smile and frustrated scowl Joanna makes.

2. Her Voice Actor is the Undisputed King of Character Voices: Frank Welker

Joanna's unique vocalizations—a mix of hisses, grunts, and deep, guttural chuckles—were provided by the legendary Frank Welker. Welker is one of the most prolific voice actors in history, known for voicing hundreds of characters, most famously Megatron from Transformers, Scooby-Doo, and Curious George. For Joanna, Welker delivered an entirely non-verbal performance, using only animalistic sounds to convey a full range of emotion, from smug satisfaction when she steals an egg to utter terror when McLeach is angry. This sound design is critical to her comedic timing and overall characterization.

3. The Iconic Egg Scene Was a Masterpiece of Slapstick Comedy

Joanna's entire character arc revolves around her single-minded pursuit of eggs, specifically the giant golden eagle eggs of Marahute. The most famous example is the "Egg Counting Scene," where McLeach attempts to count the eggs he has stolen, only for Joanna to stealthily substitute a rock for a real egg and then eat the real one, all while hiding her bulging stomach. This scene is a perfect example of classic cartoon slapstick, using misdirection and impeccable timing. The sequence is often cited as one of the funniest moments in Disney history, showcasing Joanna's surprising cunning and McLeach's oblivious arrogance.

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4. Modern Analysis Views Her as a Complex, Abused Henchman

While Joanna is a villain, contemporary analysis often casts her in a more sympathetic light. Her relationship with Percival C. McLeach is clearly abusive, as he frequently kicks her in the stomach, scolds her, and treats her with open contempt. Despite her own mean streak, her obedience is often interpreted as a survival mechanism. This dynamic adds a dark comedic layer to the film: the audience laughs at her slapstick failures, but also recognizes her as a victim of her owner’s cruelty. She is essentially a henchman who is also a victim of the main villain, making her more complex than a typical Disney sidekick.

5. She Was Part of Disney's First Fully Digital Animated Feature

The Rescuers Down Under holds a significant place in Disney history, and Joanna's animation benefited directly from it. The film was the first feature-length animated movie to be entirely created using the Computer Animation Production System (CAPS). This innovative digital system allowed for smoother camera movements, more complex layering, and richer colors that were impossible with traditional cel animation. This technology is what gave Joanna her incredibly fluid, serpentine movements and her highly detailed, expressive facial range, setting a new bar for how animal characters could be animated in the future.

6. Her Species, the Goanna, is a Real Australian Monitor Lizard

Joanna is not a fictional creature; she is a Goanna, the common name for several species of Australian monitor lizards. These lizards are known for their large size, predatory nature, and impressive speed. The decision to make McLeach's pet a Goanna—a creature native to the Australian Outback setting of the film—was a result of the animators' research trips to Australia. This dedication to zoological accuracy, even for a comedic villain, helped ground the film in its exotic setting and enhanced the topical authority of the production design.

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7. She is a Rare Example of a Female Disney Villain's Animal Sidekick

In the Disney canon, villainous animal sidekicks are common (e.g., Iago, Flotsam and Jetsam), but they are overwhelmingly male. Joanna is one of the few prominent female animal henchmen in the Disney Renaissance era. Although she lacks dialogue, her strong, self-serving personality and comedic rivalry with McLeach make her stand out. She subverts the typical loyal sidekick role, instead operating on her own base desires (food), which often inadvertently undermines McLeach's grand, evil schemes, making her a unique, memorable, and often-hilarious female character in the villain ecosystem.

Joanna the Goanna’s enduring popularity speaks to the brilliance of her design and execution. She is a perfect blend of genuine threat and hilarious comic relief, a character whose simple desire for a good meal drives a significant portion of the plot. From the technical innovation of the CAPS system to the comedic genius of Frank Welker and the animation mastery of David Cutler, Joanna is a testament to the power of non-verbal storytelling, ensuring that The Rescuers Down Under remains a beloved classic for a new generation of Disney fans.

Entities Mentioned (18): Joanna the Goanna, Percival C. McLeach, The Rescuers Down Under, Disney Renaissance, Monitor Lizard, Goanna, Frank Welker, David Cutler, Supervising Animator, Marahute's Eggs, Cody (the boy), Bernard (the mouse), Bianca (the mouse), Computer Animation Production System (CAPS), Australian Outback, The Egg Counting Scene, Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, Disney Canon.

LSI Keywords/Phrases: monitor lizard, McLeach's pet, Disney villain sidekick, The Rescuers Down Under trivia, Frank Welker voice acting, David Cutler animator, Goanna stealing eggs, underrated Disney gem, CAPS animation system, Australian wildlife, comic relief character.

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This article was updated on December 15, 2025.