Jessica Rabbit is Roger’s human Toon wife in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Jessica is one of the most famous sex symbols on the animated screen. Inspirations include actresses Veronica Lake, Rita Hayworth, and Lauren Bacall. She claims to Eddie Valiant, “I’m not bad, I’m just drawn that way,” which has become a popular quote. Writer Gary K. Wolf had based Jessica primarily on the cartoon character Red from Tex Avery’s Red Hot Riding Hood. In the book, she was an immoral, up-and-coming star and former comic character over whom her estranged husband (comic strip star Roger Rabbit) became obsessed.

She is re-imagined in the film as a sultry, but moral, cartoon singer at a Los Angeles supper club called The Ink and Paint Club. She is one of several suspects in the framing of her husband, who is a famous cartoon star. She is voiced by Kathleen Turner. Amy Irving was cast to sing “Why Don’t You Do Right?” (a blues song made famous by Peggy Lee) for Jessica’s first scene in the movie. According to animation director Richard Williams, other than being a really hot female human toon temptress, she deeply loves her husband Roger. She even calls him her “honey-bunny” and “darling”. She claims that he makes her laugh, is a better lover than a driver and that he’s magnificent and “better than Goofy” after Roger brandishes his gun at Judge Doom and the Weasels, telling Doom that the meaning of justice would probably hit him like a ton of bricks before Roger literally gets hit by a ton of bricks. As proof of her love she tells Eddie that she’ll pay any price for Roger and she even helps prove him innocent by helping in the investigation. Even though she’s a human Toon, she is shown to have a few of the comedic cartoon antics typical of other Toons. One such example was her cleavage having a hammerspace ability as one of the weasels searched her (with obvious perverted intent) for Marvin Acme’s last will and testament, only to comically get his hand caught in a bear trap and Valiant commenting on the event with a pun (“Nice booby trap”). Another could be her restrained “wild take” (as she shouts, “Oh, my God, It’s DIP!”) seeing Judge Doom’s scheme involving the Dip, while a subtle effect was added by animator Russell Hall: The bounce of Jessica’s bosom was reversed from that of a real woman so that it would bounce up when a real woman’s breasts bounce down and vice versa. Furthermore when she blows kisses (as seen to Eddie in one scene) the lip-kisses are also done in a cartoonish style. After the film, Jessica also appeared in the Roger Rabbit/Baby Herman shorts Tummy Trouble as a nurse, Roller Coaster Rabbit as a damsel in distress, and Trail Mix-Up as a park ranger. In Tummy Trouble and Roller Coaster Rabbit she made no impression, but in Trail Mix-Up Roger fantasizes over her, calling her a ‘babe in the woods’ and panting like a dog. She also appeared frequently in the Roger Rabbit comic book series, and she had her own feature in most issues of Roger Rabbit’s Toontown such as “Beauty Parlor Bedlam,” where she comes face to face with female weasel counterpart, Winnie. With the success of the film and upon the opening of Disney’s MGM Studios on May 1, 1989, the film’s characters featured prominently in the company. After taking the Studio Backlot Tour, various props decorated the streets including two different photo opportunities with Jessica: a glittery cardboard cutout and “The Loony Bin” photo shop which allowed you to take pictures in costume standing next to an actual cartoon drawing of characters from the film. There was also a plethora of merchandise including Jessica Rabbit rub-on stickers called “pressers”.[citation needed] The Jessica Rabbit Store, entitled “Jessica’s”, was once part of Pleasure Island, Disney’s nightclub attraction and shopping area. The store included a giant 2-sided neon Jessica sign with sequined dress and swinging leg and featured nothing but Jessica Rabbit merchandise. The store closed in 1992. In 2008, Jessica Rabbit was selected by Empire Magazine as one of The 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time. In March, 2009, a UK newspaper voted Jessica Rabbit the sexiest cartoon character of all time, with Betty Boop in second place and the Cadbury’s Caramel Bunny in third.