The part this post leaves out is how Woods got the role in the first place, because that's where the story gets absurd. Disney wrote Hades for Jack Nicholson. Serious. Menacing. Slow-burning villain energy. Nicholson came to the studio, got the full tour, brought his daughter dressed as Snow White. Then he walked over money. They cast John Lithgow. Lithgow recorded lines for months. His voice never clicked with the animation, and Disney fired him in August 1995, less than two years before release. Woods walks in. They hand him the script and ask for the same dark, serious read every other actor had given. He ignores it. Plays the Lord of the Underworld like a sleazy used car salesman from Long Island. Ad-libs half his lines. The directors rewrite the entire character around his improv. Roger Ebert compared it to what Robin Williams did with the Genie. The film cost $85 million and made $252 million worldwide. Disney still called it a disappointment because it was the first animated film since The Rescuers Down Under to miss $100 million domestic. And when the budget spiraled during production, Woods tried to give his salary back so they could finish the movie. He's now voiced Hades in the TV series, Kingdom Hearts, Fantasmic, House of Mouse, Disney Speedstorm, Once Upon a Studio, and basically everything else for 28 years. He's said he'll show up for any appearance, any format, any pay. Nicholson walked away from the role over a check. Woods has spent three decades trying to pay Disney to let him keep playing it.