In 101 Dalmatians, it's teased that Cruella and Anita were classmates, and in Cruella, we learn more about their history. After attending school together when they were kids, Anita (played by Kirby Howell-Baptiste in the film) and Cruella reunite later in life. Anita, now a journalist, documents Cruella's rise to fame as she writes about her extravagant fashion shows in a local newspaper and even helps her with a few of her schemes.