Lola Bunny is a ''
Looney Tunes
''Looney Tunes'' is an American Animated cartoon, animated comedy short film series produced by Warner Bros. starting from 1930 to 1969, concurrently with its partner series ''Merrie Melodies'', during the golden age of American animation. ''
cartoon character
In fiction, a character (or speaker, in poetry) is a person or other being in a narrative (such as a novel, play, radio or television series, music, film, or video game). The character may be entirely fictional or based on a real-life person, i ...
portrayed as an
anthropomorphic
Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human traits, emotions, or intentions to non-human entities. It is considered to be an innate tendency of human psychology.
Personification is the related attribution of human form and characteristics t ...
female
rabbit
Rabbits, also known as bunnies or bunny rabbits, are small mammals in the family Leporidae (which also contains the hares) of the order Lagomorpha (which also contains the pikas). ''Oryctolagus cuniculus'' includes the European rabbit speci ...
created by
Warner Bros. Pictures
Warner Bros. Pictures is an American film production and distribution company of the Warner Bros. Pictures Group division of Warner Bros. Entertainment (both ultimately owned by Warner Bros. Discovery). The studio is the flagship producer of ...
. She is generally depicted as
Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny is an animated cartoon character created in the late 1930s by Leon Schlesinger Productions (later Warner Bros. Cartoons) and voiced originally by Mel Blanc. Bugs is best known for his starring roles in the '' Looney Tunes'' and '' ...
's girlfriend. She first appeared in the 1996 film ''
Space Jam
''Space Jam'' is a 1996 American live-action/animated sports comedy film directed by Joe Pytka, with animation sequences directed by Bruce W. Smith and Tony Cervone, and written by Leo Benvenuti, Steve Rudnick, Timothy Harris, and Herschel ...
''.
Development
Honey Bunny
The first character with the name "Honey Bunny" first appeared in the ''Bugs Bunny's Album'' comic book in 1953. That character was depicted as Bugs' cousin who is an explorer.
The name was reused for a separate character intended as Bugs' love interest, who debuted in ''Bugs Bunny Comic Book'' #108 on November 15, 1966.
Robert McKimson
Robert Porter McKimson Sr. (October 13, 1910 – September 29, 1977) was an American animator and illustrator, best known for his work on the ''Looney Tunes'' and '' Merrie Melodies'' series of cartoons from Warner Bros. Cartoons and later DePa ...
designed the prototype version of the character with
Phil DeLara
Philip DeLara (1914–1973) was a Warner Bros. Cartoons animator and Disney comics, MGM and Hanna-Barbera artist.
As an animator, he worked on Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig and Daffy Duck and later on Speedy Gonzales, and The Tasmanian Devil, among oth ...
redesigning Honey and using her as a semi-regular in the ''Looney Tunes''
Gold Key Comics
Gold Key Comics was originally an imprint of American company Western Publishing, created for comic books distributed to newsstands. Also known as Whitman Comics, Gold Key operated this way from 1962 to 1984. Currently, Gold Key Comics is owned b ...
in the 1960s.
[
Honey's physical appearance varied over time. She was originally drawn with lop ears with a bow and pale yellow-tan fur. A female rabbit resembling this design appears at the end of the 1979 television special '']Bugs Bunny's Thanksgiving Diet
''Bugs Bunny's Thanksgiving Diet'' is an animated television special released on November 15, 1979; it stars Bugs Bunny and incorporated parts of several ''Looney Tunes'' cartoons. The special followed up on the successful ''Looney Tunes'' special ...
''. Later merchandise using the character depicted her as more closely resembling Bugs, with grey fur but a more visibly feminine model and clothing, which was used until the early 1990s. She also made several video game cameos such as ''The Bugs Bunny Crazy Castle
''The Bugs Bunny Crazy Castle'', known in Japan as for the Family Computer Disk System, is a 1989 puzzle video game developed by Kemco for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was also released for the Game Boy in Japan as and in North Americ ...
'', ''Bugs Bunny's Birthday Ball
''Bugs Bunny's Birthday Ball'' is a 1990 pinball game designed by John Trudeau and Python Anghelo and released by Midway (under the '' Bally'' name). It is based on Warner Bros.' ''Looney Tunes'' and ''Merrie Melodies'' series of cartoons. Thi ...
'', and ''The Bugs Bunny Crazy Castle 2
''The Bugs Bunny Crazy Castle 2'', known in Japan as ミッキーマウスII (''Mickey Mouse II'') and in Europe as ''Mickey Mouse'' or ''Hugo'', is a video game originally developed by Kemco for the Game Boy in 1991. It is the sequel to the 1989 ...
''. Honey was also mentioned in the book ''Looney Tunes: The Official Visual Guide''.
In the mid-1990s, Warner Bros. started working on ''Space Jam
''Space Jam'' is a 1996 American live-action/animated sports comedy film directed by Joe Pytka, with animation sequences directed by Bruce W. Smith and Tony Cervone, and written by Leo Benvenuti, Steve Rudnick, Timothy Harris, and Herschel ...
'' (1996). There were plans to feature Honey Bunny. Some artists commented that Honey looked too much like Bugs, and eventually created Lola Bunny as a replacement.
History
''Space Jam''
Lola first appeared in the 1996 film ''Space Jam
''Space Jam'' is a 1996 American live-action/animated sports comedy film directed by Joe Pytka, with animation sequences directed by Bruce W. Smith and Tony Cervone, and written by Leo Benvenuti, Steve Rudnick, Timothy Harris, and Herschel ...
.'' She is shown with tan fur, blonde bangs, and wears a cropped yellow tank top, purple shorts and a matching rubber band on both ears like a ponytail. She has light blue eyes and a shapely figure. Lola is voiced by Kath E. Soucie in the film.
Lola was created to serve as a romantic interest
Romance or romantic love is a feeling of love for, or a strong attraction towards another person, and the courtship behaviors undertaken by an individual to express those overall feelings and resultant emotions.
The ''Wiley Blackwell Encycl ...
for Bugs. As soon as she appears, Bugs is instantly smitten and several other male characters ogle her. Throughout the film, there is a sub-plot of Bugs attempting to win her affection. Lola reciprocates Bugs feelings when she is nearly injured by one of the opponents in the basketball game, and Bugs saves her.
According to author Kevin Sandler, Lola's personality is a combination of the Hawksian woman
The "Hawksian woman" is, in film theory, a character archetype of the tough-talking woman, popularized in film by director Howard Hawks through his use of actresses such as Katharine Hepburn, Ann Dvorak, Ava Gardner, Hedy Lamarr, Rosalind Russell, ...
, tomboy
A tomboy is a term for a girl or a young woman with masculine qualities. It can include wearing androgynous or unfeminine clothing and actively engage in physical sports or other activities and behaviors usually associated with boys or men. W ...
, and femme fatale
A ''femme fatale'' ( or ; ), sometimes called a maneater or vamp, is a stock character of a mysterious, beautiful, and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers, often leading them into compromising, deadly traps. She is an archetype of ...
archetypes. She is a straight-talking, no-nonsense woman who is extremely independent and confident. She is both highly athletic and extremely seductive in her behavior. Her catchphrase is "Don't ever call me 'Doll'". As animation director Tony Cervone
Spike Brandt and Tony Cervone are an American television writing, animation and production team at Warner Bros. Animation and formerly at Nickelodeon Animation Studios. Brandt was born on December 24, 1961, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Cervone on ...
explained, Lola was originally intended to be more of a "tomboy
A tomboy is a term for a girl or a young woman with masculine qualities. It can include wearing androgynous or unfeminine clothing and actively engage in physical sports or other activities and behaviors usually associated with boys or men. W ...
", but the production team feared that she would appear "too masculine" and chose to emphasize her "feminine attributes" instead.
Following ''Space Jam'', Lola has regularly appeared in solo stories in the monthly ''Looney Tunes'' comic published by DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery.
DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with thei ...
.
Other appearances
Lola appears as a news reporter twice, both in the direct-to-video
Direct-to-video or straight-to-video refers to the release of a film, TV series, short or special to the public immediately on home video formats rather than an initial theatrical release or television premiere. This distribution strategy was p ...
film ''Tweety's High-Flying Adventure
''Tweety's High-Flying Adventure'' is a 2000 American animated musical slapstick comedy film produced by Tom Minton and James T. Walker, written by Tom Minton, Tim Cahill and Julie McNally, and directed by James T. Walker, Karl Toerge, Charles Vi ...
'' and the game '' Looney Tunes: Space Race''. Kath Soucie reprises her voice in both. In the series ''Baby Looney Tunes
''Baby Looney Tunes'' is an American animated television series depicting toddler versions of ''Looney Tunes'' characters. It was produced by Warner Bros. Animation. The series focused on real world problems and morals that children may relate t ...
'', she is like her older counterpart in ''Space Jam'', having tomboyish traits and an affinity for basketball. She is voiced by Britt McKillip
Britt Analisa McKillip (born January 18, 1991) is a Canadian actress and singer. Her credits include the film ''Scary Godmother: Halloween Spooktacular'' and its sequel ''Scary Godmother: The Revenge of Jimmy'', and her role as Reggie Lass in th ...
. In the action-comedy ''Loonatics Unleashed
''Loonatics Unleashed'' is an American Superhero fiction, superhero animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation that ran on Kids' WB for two seasons from 2005 to 2007 in the United States.
The series was based/inspired on the ' ...
'', her descendant is Lexi Bunny
This article details fictional characters in the animated television series ''Loonatics Unleashed''. Below are the heroes, villains and minor characters of the series.
Loonatics
The main characters of the series. These characters are the descen ...
.
''The Looney Tunes Show''
Lola also appears in ''The Looney Tunes Show
''The Looney Tunes Show'' is an American animated sitcom produced by Warner Bros. Animation that ran from May 3, 2011, through November 2, 2013, on Cartoon Network. The series consists of two seasons, each containing 26 episodes, and features cha ...
'', where she was voiced by Kristen Wiig
Kristen Carroll Wiig (; born August 22, 1973) is an American actress, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. Born in Canandaigua, New York, she was raised in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and Rochester, New York. She moved to Los Angeles, where she joi ...
. As opposed to her personality in ''Space Jam'', she is portrayed as an eccentric, airheaded, endearing, and cheerful young rabbit who tends to obsess over Bugs, whom she refers to as "Bun-Bun". She is very dedicated to achieving goals, but oftentimes tends to forget what she was doing. Lola is mostly involved in bizarre situations, either created by herself or when accompanied by her friend Daffy.
Bugs nevertheless appears to enjoy having her around, even surprising himself when declaring himself her boyfriend in "Double Date
Dating is a stage of romantic relationships in which two individuals engage in an activity together, most often with the intention of evaluating each other's suitability as a partner in a future intimate relationship. It falls into the categor ...
" where she helped Daffy get the courage to ask Tina Russo
''The Looney Tunes Show'' is an American animated sitcom produced by Warner Bros. Animation that ran from May 3, 2011, through November 2, 2013, on Cartoon Network. The series consists of two seasons, each containing 26 episodes, and features ch ...
out on a date. Later in the series, Bugs and Lola are seen in multiple episodes spending time with each other.
Lola's wealthy parents Walter (voiced by John O'Hurley
John George O'Hurley Jr. (born October 9, 1954) is an American actor, comedian, singer, author, game show host and television personality. He is known for his portrayal of J. Peterman on the NBC sitcom ''Seinfeld'', and was the sixth host of the ...
) and Patricia (voiced by Grey DeLisle
Grey DeLisle (; born Erin Grey Van Oosbree; August 24, 1973), sometimes credited as Grey Griffin, is an American voice actress, comedian and singer-songwriter. DeLisle is known for various roles in animated productions and video games. On Sept ...
in season 1, Wendi McLendon-Covey
Wendi McLendon-Covey (née McLendon; born October 10, 1969) is an American actress and comedian. She is known primarily for her work in comedic and improvisational roles. Since 2013, McLendon-Covey has played the role of Beverly Goldberg, a fam ...
in season 2) appear in the show as well.
Lola is one of the two lead characters in the straight-to-video spin-off film '' Looney Tunes: Rabbits Run'', however here she is voiced by Rachel Ramras
Rachel Leah Ramras (born December 20, 1974) is an American actress, comedian and television writer. In 2017, she, Hugh Davidson and Larry Dorf created and starred in their own TV series, '' Nobodies''.
Ramras has written for ''Mike Tyson Mysteri ...
.
Later appearances
The ''New Looney Tunes
''New Looney Tunes'', originally titled ''Wabbit: A Looney Tunes Production'' in the US and ''Bugs!'' in some markets for its first season, is an American animated television series from Warner Bros. Animation based on the characters from ''Loon ...
'' portrays Lola as a happy and friendly character. She appears in the segments "Hare to the Throne", "Lola Rider" and "Rhoda Derby". Her appearance is similar to ''The Looney Tunes Show'', although she wears a different outfit. She always shows eccentricity and maintains her carefree attitude. Her intrepid and adventurous side appears within some episodes, where she performs various sports. Lola returned in '' Space Jam: A New Legacy'' with an updated character design, voiced by Zendaya
Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman ( ; born September 1, 1996) is an American actress and singer. She has received various accolades, including two Primetime Emmy Awards. ''Time'' magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the ...
although Soucie was initially announced to be reprising the role.
Lola appeared in the preschool series ''Bugs Bunny Builders
''Bugs Bunny Builders'' is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation, based on the characters from ''Looney Tunes'' and ''Merrie Melodies''. The series aired on July 25, 2022 on Cartoon Network on their Cartooni ...
''. This version gained positive reception, for her defying gender stereotypes by working as a leader for a construction team.
Voice actresses
Since Lola Bunny's first official appearance in 1996, the cartoon character has been voiced by a variety of voice actresses.
For the majority of the ''Looney Tunes
''Looney Tunes'' is an American Animated cartoon, animated comedy short film series produced by Warner Bros. starting from 1930 to 1969, concurrently with its partner series ''Merrie Melodies'', during the golden age of American animation. '' series, Lola's character was voiced by Kath Soucie Kath or KATH may refer to:
* Kath (city), the historical capital of Khwarezm
* Kath (name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name or surname
* KATH-TV, the NBC TV station in Juneau, Alaska
* KATH (AM)
KATH (910 kHz) is an ...
, an American voice actress. Soucie has voiced Lola in ''Space Jam
''Space Jam'' is a 1996 American live-action/animated sports comedy film directed by Joe Pytka, with animation sequences directed by Bruce W. Smith and Tony Cervone, and written by Leo Benvenuti, Steve Rudnick, Timothy Harris, and Herschel ...
'' (1996), ''Tweety's High-Flying Adventure
''Tweety's High-Flying Adventure'' is a 2000 American animated musical slapstick comedy film produced by Tom Minton and James T. Walker, written by Tom Minton, Tim Cahill and Julie McNally, and directed by James T. Walker, Karl Toerge, Charles Vi ...
'' (2000), ''Looney Tunes Racing
''Looney Tunes Racing'' is a kart racing video game released for the PlayStation and Game Boy Color and published by Infogrames. It was released in 2000 in North America and in 2001 in Europe.
Gameplay
''Looney Tunes Racing'' features different ...
'' (2000), '' Looney Tunes: Space Race'' (2000), the ''Looney Tunes'' webtoons (2001–2005), ''Looney Tunes Dance Off'' (2010) and ''New Looney Tunes
''New Looney Tunes'', originally titled ''Wabbit: A Looney Tunes Production'' in the US and ''Bugs!'' in some markets for its first season, is an American animated television series from Warner Bros. Animation based on the characters from ''Loon ...
'' (2015–2020).
From 2011 to 2014, American actress, comedian, writer, and producer Kristen Wiig
Kristen Carroll Wiig (; born August 22, 1973) is an American actress, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. Born in Canandaigua, New York, she was raised in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and Rochester, New York. She moved to Los Angeles, where she joi ...
, voiced Lola in ''The Looney Tunes Show
''The Looney Tunes Show'' is an American animated sitcom produced by Warner Bros. Animation that ran from May 3, 2011, through November 2, 2013, on Cartoon Network. The series consists of two seasons, each containing 26 episodes, and features cha ...
''. For her portrayal, Wiig received several nominations and won the People's Choice Voice Acting Award in 2011.
Others
*Britt McKillip
Britt Analisa McKillip (born January 18, 1991) is a Canadian actress and singer. Her credits include the film ''Scary Godmother: Halloween Spooktacular'' and its sequel ''Scary Godmother: The Revenge of Jimmy'', and her role as Reggie Lass in th ...
(''Baby Looney Tunes
''Baby Looney Tunes'' is an American animated television series depicting toddler versions of ''Looney Tunes'' characters. It was produced by Warner Bros. Animation. The series focused on real world problems and morals that children may relate t ...
'', ''Baby Looney Tunes' Eggs-traordinary Adventure
''Baby Looney Tunes' Eggs-traordinary Adventure'' is a 2003 American traditionally animated comedy direct-to-video film from Warner Bros. Animation. It is a special based on the television series ''Baby Looney Tunes''. The special follows the m ...
'')[
*]Jessica DiCicco
Jessica Sonya DiCicco (; born June 10, 1980) is an American actress. She is known for voicing in animated television series and video games. Her first voice role was the announcer for Nickelodeon's educational channel Noggin. DiCicco has since v ...
(as Lexi (descendant of character) in ''Loonatics Unleashed
''Loonatics Unleashed'' is an American Superhero fiction, superhero animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation that ran on Kids' WB for two seasons from 2005 to 2007 in the United States.
The series was based/inspired on the ' ...
'')
*Rachel Ramras
Rachel Leah Ramras (born December 20, 1974) is an American actress, comedian and television writer. In 2017, she, Hugh Davidson and Larry Dorf created and starred in their own TV series, '' Nobodies''.
Ramras has written for ''Mike Tyson Mysteri ...
(''Scooby Doo & Looney Tunes Cartoon Universe: Adventure'', '' Looney Tunes: Rabbits Run'')
* Carla Delaney (''Daffy Duck Dance Off'')
* Zendaya
Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman ( ; born September 1, 1996) is an American actress and singer. She has received various accolades, including two Primetime Emmy Awards. ''Time'' magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the ...
('' Space Jam: A New Legacy'')
* Chandni Parekh (''Bugs Bunny Builders
''Bugs Bunny Builders'' is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation, based on the characters from ''Looney Tunes'' and ''Merrie Melodies''. The series aired on July 25, 2022 on Cartoon Network on their Cartooni ...
'')
Reception and legacy
Since her first appearance, Lola quickly became a fan favorite and an iconic character in the ''Looney Tunes
''Looney Tunes'' is an American Animated cartoon, animated comedy short film series produced by Warner Bros. starting from 1930 to 1969, concurrently with its partner series ''Merrie Melodies'', during the golden age of American animation. '' franchise. She has frequently been regarded as an animated sex symbol
A sex symbol or icon is a person or character widely considered sexually attractive.Pam Cook, "The trouble with sex: Diana Dors and the Blonde bombshell phenomenon", In: Bruce Babinigton (ed.), ''British Stars and Stardom: From Alma Taylor to ...
. In 2020, she was named the "most attractive cartoon character across the world" based on global search volume per month. Shannon Carlin of Bustle.com praised Lola from ''Space Jam
''Space Jam'' is a 1996 American live-action/animated sports comedy film directed by Joe Pytka, with animation sequences directed by Bruce W. Smith and Tony Cervone, and written by Leo Benvenuti, Steve Rudnick, Timothy Harris, and Herschel ...
,'' calling her "confident" and "talented". Dan Kahan of PopDust.com wrote that Lola was meant to be "ogled, both by in-world characters and viewers".
Lola from ''The Looney Tunes Show
''The Looney Tunes Show'' is an American animated sitcom produced by Warner Bros. Animation that ran from May 3, 2011, through November 2, 2013, on Cartoon Network. The series consists of two seasons, each containing 26 episodes, and features cha ...
'' was well received by critics. CBR.com
''Comic Book Resources'', also known by the initialism CBR, is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book–related news and discussion.
History
Comic Book Resources was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1995 as a development of the Kingdom Co ...
ranked Lola and Bugs No. 2 in their 10 Best Romances From Childhood Cartoons, stating that she is more "lively and vapid" than in ''Space Jam'', and is "pretty cute and funny to watch". IGN.com praised the character, calling her a "crazy but charming character" with Kristen Wiig doing "a phenomenal job". WhatCulture.com calls Lola more interesting compared to her first appearance, stating that the "Lola of this show is scatter-brained, strange, and incredibly off-putting, making her leagues more interesting and funny as a result." Jonathan North of Rotoscopers.com complimented Lola from the same series, saying that it "brought out Lola's character far better than her debut in ''Space Jam'' did."
In 2019, after watching the original ''Space Jam'' for the first time, Malcolm D. Lee, the director for '' Space Jam: A New Legacy'', said that he "felt off-guard on how Lola was too sexualized" and decided to turn her into the typical "strong woman" character of modern films, stating: "The original Lola Bunny was not politically correct
''Political correctness'' (adjectivally: ''politically correct''; commonly abbreviated ''PC'') is a term used to describe language, policies, or measures that are intended to avoid offense or disadvantage to members of particular groups in socie ...
...It's important to reflect the authenticity of strong, capable female characters." The new personality and look gained controversy, specifically among Twitter
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
, as fans complained about her "nerfed" appearance that made her intentionally less physically appealing.
Author Kevin Sandler has said that Lola Bunny was created as a female merchandising counterpart to Bugs Bunny. The character's original merchandise now sells for far more than its original price on resale markets. For example, original dolls now sell for hundreds of dollars on eBay
eBay Inc. ( ) is an American multinational e-commerce company based in San Jose, California, that facilitates consumer-to-consumer and business-to-consumer sales through its website. eBay was founded by Pierre Omidyar in 1995 and became a ...
. However, Lola Bunny is not the only character to see a rise in contemporary popularity, as original ''Looney Tunes'' merchandise in general has gained nostalgic value.
Accolades
Kristen Wiig, who portrayed Lola Bunny in ''The Looney Tunes Show
''The Looney Tunes Show'' is an American animated sitcom produced by Warner Bros. Animation that ran from May 3, 2011, through November 2, 2013, on Cartoon Network. The series consists of two seasons, each containing 26 episodes, and features cha ...
'', received several nominations for her work and won the 1 Behind the Voice Actors Award.
See also
*Babs Bunny
The ''Tiny Toon Adventures'' animated television series features an extensive cast of characters. The show's central characters are mostly various forms of anthropomorphic animals, based on Looney Tunes characters from earlier films and show ...
References
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bunny, Lola
Anthropomorphic rabbits and hares
Fictional rabbits and hares
Fictional basketball players
Looney Tunes characters
Female characters in animated films
Film characters introduced in 1996
Animated characters introduced in 1996
Anthropomorphic animal characters
Female characters in animation
Female characters in film
Space Jam