About “Encanto” in a few words:

Encanto is a 2021 American musical fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. The story revolves around the Madrigal family, who live in a magical Colombian town where everyone has a unique power except for the protagonist, Mirabel. The film explores themes of family, identity, and self-acceptance, and features original songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Encanto has received critical acclaim for its animation, music, and storytelling, and has become a beloved addition to the Disney canon.

Meet the characters from Encanto

Mirabel

Oh Mirabel, the impossibly hopeful heart of the house — she’s this scrappy, bookish, fiercely loyal underdog who refuses to be sidelined, even when everyone else thinks she’s the odd one out. She’s awkward and brilliant at the same time, tripping over her own feet one second and delivering a gut-punching truth the next, with those glasses that always slide down her nose (or did I just notice that now?). She’s riddled with doubts but has this stubborn, stubborn courage — like a tiny drum that never stops beating — and she keeps finding clever, silly ways to hold the family together. Also, she hoards tiny notes and probably has an emergency snack in her dress pocket, don’t ask how many times she’s patched things with glue and hugs.

Abuela Alma

Abuela is the iron-hearted matriarch with a porcelain-thin softness hidden somewhere deep under all her rules and rituals — she commands the room but you can feel that old grief simmering right behind her stare. She’s all about legacy, order, and the candle that started everything, and yet when you watch closely there’s this ridiculous, almost tender stubbornness — she can be terrifying and comforting within the span of a single breath. She’s the keeper of history and also the guardian of the family’s fear, which makes her both utterly necessary and tragically yes, a little scary. Tiny fun fact: she probably keeps a rosary and a list of everything you’ve ever done wrong, but also knows everyone’s birthday without looking.

Julieta

Julieta is pure comfort personified — kind, steady, and the world’s best kitchen-level superhero, because her food doesn’t just taste amazing, it heals you like a hug you can eat. She’s calm in a way that makes chaos feel manageable, and her hands are big and gentle and totally trustworthy (I imagine them covered in flour and band-aids). She’s quietly fierce when someone she loves is hurt, but mostly she’s the soft center that everyone secretly runs to, usually with crumbs on their face. Also, she hums endlessly while cooking and keeps a ridiculous stash of herbal notes in her apron like a witch who moonlights as a grandma.

Isabela

Isabela starts off all perfect petals and statuesque poise — you see the flawless flower queen vibe — but then she wildly flips into this deliciously messy, over-the-top plant chaos and it is glorious. She loves being adored and arranged perfectly, yet she also wants to stomp in the mud and throw thorns at expectations (metaphorically… or maybe literally?). There’s this hilarious tension between posh princess and botanical punk, and watching her bloom into her own weirdness is endlessly fun. Also, she probably has a secret corner where she grows rogue cactuses and reads trashy adventure novels under fake moonlight.

Luisa

Luisa is the literal muscle and the emotional touchdown — strong, dependable, a one-woman moving crew who somehow carries everyone’s burdens while trying to smile through it. She’s got this comedy-of-sighs energy, like she feels everything physically — lift a couch, lift a secret, carry a disappointment — and that weight has edges, so she’s tender underneath the brawn. She’s heroic and tired and secretly terrified of breaking (or of letting people see her break), which makes her bravery feel both incredible and achingly human. Also she hoards ribbons for reasons that make no sense and hums very dramatic workout music while doing chores.

Pepa

Pepa is lightning in a dress — emotional weather made person, dramatic as all get-out and honestly kind of wonderful because she never hides what she feels (yes, even the thunderhead of embarrassment). Her moods are literally climate-adjacent so one minute she’s sparkly sunshine and the next you’re evacuating the living room, but it’s always colorful and theatrical and you can’t look away. She tries really hard to keep everything upbeat with loud patterns and tiny umbrellas, but she has a soft underbelly of worry that sometimes makes her more relatable than you’d expect. Also she collects mismatched scarves and speaks in exclamation points when she’s excited; it’s adorable and slightly perilous.

Antonio

Little Antonio is just pure wonder — shy, wide-eyed, and fully besties with every animal within a ten-mile radius, like he has a secret handshake with the jungle. He’s equal parts timid and brave; give him a friend with paws and he’ll suddenly be the leader of an expedition, whispering to frogs like they’re old pals (and honestly, give him a leaf and he’ll become a diplomat). He’s trusting in that adorable child way and somehow so grounded that animals respond to him like he’s their appointed mayor. Oh and he absolutely has a tiny collection of animal-sized hats and will judge you if you don’t pet a stray immediately.

Camilo

Camilo is chaos couture — the shapeshifter with a flair for drama who can be anyone and does it with such panache you almost forget who he is. He’s a show-off and a prankster, loves attention, and yet under all the costumes he has this sweet, knotty question about identity and belonging (like, he’ll do an impression of you and then quietly ask if that’s really him). He’s hilarious and so adaptable that sometimes he loses his own edges, but he’s also fiercely loyal, and will change into a thousand faces to protect people he loves. Also, he always carries a scarf and has a habit of fixing his hair mid-transformation, which is both practical and extra.

Dolores

Dolores is the whisper-you-can’t-hide-from — she hears everything, like every secret gets filed in her head with a Post-it and a dramatic eyebrow raise. She’s low-key, dry, observant, and yes she’ll call you out with a single soft sentence that hits like a headline; she’s the best gossip you’ve never asked for. She’s protective and precise, and somehow manages to be both a librarian of rumors and a fortress of calm, which is a very weird combo that works exactly as you’d hope. Also she bites her lip when she’s excited and collects tiny brass bells she claims are “for ambience,” but you know she uses them to check if someone’s lying.