If you’ve ever sailed through Disneyland’s Pirates of the Caribbean, you’ve likely spotted Redd—the fiery-haired pirate who stands confidently at the auction scene. But did you know she was likely inspired by two of history’s most fearsome female pirates?
Redd’s roots trace back to Anne Bonny and Mary Read, two legendary women who wreaked havoc on the high seas during the Golden Age of Piracy in the early 18th century. Though their careers as pirates were brief—only a few months—their reputations have endured for centuries.
Let's go take a deeper look at these two real-life pirates who inspired Disneyland’s Pirates of the Caribbean.
Who Were Anne Bonny and Mary Read?
The early lives of Mary Read and Anne Bonny are not well known. Most of what we know comes from sources written after their lifetimes that took a lot of liberties; the goal was to sell books about pirates. Chief among them was Captain Charles Johnson's A General History of Pyrates, first published in 1724 and then reprinted many times. It was a bestseller—because pirates were interesting then too!
Note: Captain Charles Johnson is a pseudonym. We don't know who the author of this popular book was, though some people believe it was a pen name for the author Daniel Defoe, who wrote the book Robinson Crusoe.
What is maybe true, or at least partly based in truth, is that Anne Bonny was born in Ireland, an illegitimate daughter whose father would relocate to Carolina in the Americas. It is said she married a sailor name James Bonny, giving her the (in)famous surname. Sailing around with her husband, at some point, she seems to have left him, and thereafter, she connected with one Captain John "Calico Jack" Rackham, a feared pirate of the time who had also served under the pirate Charles Vane. Rackham and Bonny supposedly married, and she joined his pirate crew.
Mary Read was born in England and seems to have lived for a time as a boy, perhaps a ruse by her mother to acquire inheritance as the person with a male heir. If the sources are accurate, then Read would eventually join the army, still living under a male identity, but would eventually marry, become widowed, and then move to the West Indies in 1715,
Both women defied expectations by becoming pirates at a time when most ships forbade women on board. Bonny and Read worked as pirates for several months under Rackham in 1720.
Note: There is a LOT more to say about these two women, but future posts will have to focus in greater depth on their stories and the possibility of whether or not they were lovers, as some people have suggested.
Known for their ferocity in battle, the two women fought in men's clothing with their long hair flowing behind them and, according to some accounts, bare chests—an intimidating sight meant to startle their enemies.
How so?
Women at this time were supposed to be modest, chaste, quiet—and clothed. At least proper women. So, to see a female pirate who was also half-naked and violent? This was a transgression. According to sources written shortly after they were captured and tried for piracy, Read and Bonny wielded these so-called transgressions to their benefit, catching those they attached off guard when they saw their exposed female bodies. This also made these two women more dangerous because they knowingly broke social norms.
It turns out that their transgressions, their flagrant disregard for what was expected of them, and their willing violence to live freely as pirates were also titillating to many readers, which is why the fame of Bonny and Read skyrocketed in 1724 when A General History of the Pyrates was published.
This book included the earliest known illustration of the two women, depicting them in men’s clothing, wielding weapons, and standing on a rocky ledge with ships behind them. Interestingly, the book opted not to show them with their breasts exposed; later, images would reveal their bare chests.
While Anne and Mary made their mark, Anne Bonny is more widely remembered today—perhaps because of her Irish heritage, striking red hair, and bold personality. Mary Read remains less well-known, at least in popular culture. The TV series Black Sails (2014–17) demonstrates this, focusing on the Golden Age of Piracy. It includes pirates like Vane, Rackham, and Bonny, but not Read.
How Did They Influence Disney’s Redd?
Redd, the red-haired pirate in Disneyland’s Pirates of the Caribbean attraction, is undoubtedly inspired by these two historical figures—especially Anne Bonny. With her confident stance, rebellious attitude, and command of the auction scene, Redd embodies the fearless spirit of these infamous women.
I'd be remiss in not mentioning the connection to a painting that is included in the Disney attraction at Disneyland. It hangs in the Crew's Quarters and was painted by Disney Legend and Imagineer Marc Davis. Today, the painting is often in the dark, but it shows a partially nude, red-headed pirate who reclines on a chair and enjoys wine and fruit. I've written about this painting elsewhere, but I'd wager that Marc Davis was also channeling Anne Bonny when he created this painting, called Portrait of Things to Come, for the attraction. I'll dig into this matter in more detail later.
The character of Redd has undergone big transformations herself over the years at Disneyland. For decades, she was a woman being auctioned off by pirates after the capture of Puerto Dorado. She was striking not just for her red hair and clothing, but she was also scandalously holding up her skirts! The horror! A pirate auctioneer used to show, "Strike your colors, you brazen wench! No need to expose your superstructure!" But Disney decided to update the attraction in all its parks in 2017 from the wench to the pirate known as Redd. Shortly thereafter, they even debuted Redd as a live character to meet in the parks.
Real-Life Pirates Who Inspired Disneyland’s Pirates of the Caribbean
Disney has long drawn from real history to shape its attractions, and the story of Anne Bonny and Mary Read fits perfectly into its fun, albeit romanticized world of pirates. Their legacy continues to inspire pop culture, proving that history is often stranger—and far more exciting—than fiction.
Are you a fan of pirate history or Pirates of the Caribbean at Disney? Share your favorite pirate fact (or story) in the comments!
CITE THIS PAGE: Kilroy-Ewbank, Dr. Lauren. "The Real-Life Pirates Who Inspired Disneyland’s Pirates of the Caribbean and the Character Redd." lkilroyewbank.com <Insert date you accessed> https://www.lkilroyewbank.com/post/the-real-life-pirates-who-inspired-disneyland-s-pirates-of-the-caribbean-and-the-character-redd.
Learn more
A short online reading about the real pirates of the Caribbean from the Royal Museums Greenwich
Here is another short essay about pirates in the Golden Age of Piracy from Smithsonian Magazine
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