Garou as Quasimodo Notre Dame de Paris
A question that comes up a lot is about Quasimodo’s hair. Why does he have red hair? I recently saw this asked on http://notredamedeparisfans.tumblr.com/. Quasimodo in both Notre Dame de Paris and Disney version is depicted as having red hair. Other version also have him with red hair. And the answer is very simple, it’s in the original novel. Quasimodo has red hair in the book. In Book 1 chapter 5 entitled “Quasimodo” It says “…..A huge head, bristling with red hair….” as part of Quasimodo description. It’s on page 50 for those who have the Barnes Nobel version.
Quasimodo’s Reveal Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney
So why did Hugo pick red for Quasimodo’s hair color? Well the reason could be that there was a medieval belief that red hair marked a beastly sexual desire and moral degeneration. Or it makes him more of a social outcast than if he had a blond, black or brown hair.
Anthony Hopkins as Quasimodo from the 1982 version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Though why Esmeralda in Notre Dame de Paris sometimes has red hair is a different question. I mean I the first person cast had black hair (Noa), Helene Segera has brown but against the red light looks reddish. Then when Julie Zenatti was cast she got the red hair as well as France D’Amour. Since then of the more than a few other opted for red hair.
Frances d’Amour as Esmeralda in Notre Dame de Paris
Is quasimodo really even ginger? I mean he’s got red hair and pale pasty skin but what about freckles? This whole ginger thing came from South Park who said you need all three elements meaning that quasi is a day walker. ( I’m just keeding
As a kid I always figured that maybe Quasimodo was part Irish and that’s how he got the red hair.
Then when I got older and people started that whole “gingers have no soul” thing, I thought maybe that might be the reason for Hugo giving Quasimodo red hair.
As far as Esmeralda having red hair: NO! Esmeralda is supposed to have black or dark brown hair. Her hair isn’t blonde or red, or any other color; it’s either black or dark brown.