Hayley Mills Reveals How a Pekingese Puppy Won Over Walt Disney — and Changed Her Career at 80

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News (1 / 1) 21.04.2026 16:57 / Olga

Hayley Mills looked back on a memorable London meeting with Walt Disney — and the tiny white Pekingese that unexpectedly stole the scene and may have helped her land Pollyanna. Read on to discover the full story!

A puppy in the rain

Mills recalled piling into a taxi with her family during a downpour when her mother dashed back to fetch a small dog that Vivien Leigh had given them. The pup, Suki, had originally been a gift from Laurence Olivier to Leigh and left a trail of white fur and even an unfortunate accident on the lime green carpet of their Sloane Square flat before the meeting.

Face-to-face with Disney

Arriving at the Harlequin suite, the family found themselves hushed before Walt Disney opened the door. Mills says the encounter was warm and playful — Disney even knelt to interact with Suki — and she believes the relaxed atmosphere helped her secure the role of Pollyanna.