Top 10 Most Relatable Disney Channel Characters
#10: Harley Diaz
“Stuck in the Middle” (2016-18)
If you’re a middle kid, there’s a good chance you felt for Harley when she referred to herself as the hump day of the week. Hump Day Harley, she said… Oof! She’s the Donatello of her family: the smartest and most sensible, the most resourceful, and often saves the day with one of her inventions. On second thought, maybe she’s more like the Phineas of her family. She did build a roller coaster that one time… As the middle child of seven, she can sometimes feel left out or undervalued among her siblings, but she’s full of spunk and pride, and is always the one to bring her family together in the end.
#9: Mabel Pines
“Gravity Falls” (2012-16)
M-m-m-Mabel! This girl is the embodiment of the color yellow. She has the high spirits of a golden retriever puppy and the energy of a bouncy ball all rolled into one, topped with glitter and stickers! Mabel’s our favorite relatable ball of sunshine for those of us filled with her same joie de vivre. She’s a little wacky and, although she has her fair share of flaws, her heart’s made of gold. Whereas those who are more of the serious or sensible type can sympathize with Dipper, Mabel’s flair and fun connects to the class clowns and dreamers of the world!
#8: Kim Possible
“Kim Possible” (2002-07)
She is your basic average girl, after all! When KP isn’t busy saving the world, she’s a pretty normal teen. She deals with popular mean girls, insecurities of her own, and a need to fit in with the crowd--you know, high school stuff! Although Kim can dodge lasers and scale mountains without a hitch, she went through her fair share of embarrassing moments. We feel for you, girl!
At least our embarrassment never made us disappear from reality! If you didn’t relate so much to Kim’s type A personality, there’s a good chance Ron Stoppable was your source for catharsis. He made us feel like maybe straying apart from the crowd isn’t such a bad thing.
#7: Jessie Prescott
“Jessie” (2011-15)
Most of us end up working jobs our hearts aren’t dead set on, at least for a little while before we can reach our bigger goals. Whether that’s a part-time job as a server or a nanny to four rich kids, a seven-foot water monitor lizard, and the laziest butler known to humanity. You know, whatever--could go either way. Jessie’s relatability stems from her pie-in-the-sky dreams of becoming an actress, and her ambition to get there. She takes what life throws her way with determination and compassion. And, eventually, it pays off. She makes it to her destination, but not before finding friends-turned-family at her pit stop on the way there.
#6: Lilly Truscott
“ Hannah Montana” (2006-11)
We’re not the main character. We’re her off-the-wall best friend! Whether she’s Lilly Truscott or Lola Luftnagle, Lilly has Miley’s back no matter what! They’re truly best friends for the ages! If you were a tomboy growing up, there’s a good chance you identified with Lilly’s character, maybe a little more than Miley’s. Despite her sense of style, which often includes hats, she is never afraid to show just how excited gets, as evidenced by her ability to do many… many cartwheels. Plus, this girl does all the sports: Skateboarding, wave-surfing, hockey-playing, back-flipping BFF say what?!
v#5: Lizzie McGuire
“Lizzie McGuire” (2001-04)
For those of us who grew up in the early 2000s, Lizzie McGuire spoke to us on a whole other level! The show tackled subjects like fitting in, insecurities and bras candidly, which was totally cool of them! Lizzie was coming into herself as a teen and young adult, and she went through all the same stuff we were going through: crush troubles, fashion troubles, and “arch-enemy” troubles! Not to mention Animated Lizzie! She’s an icon in and of herself! Sarcastic, blunt, and absolutely hysterical, we all wanted a little mini-us in platform flip flops and a boatload of attitude!
#4: Teddy Duncan
“Good Luck Charlie” (2010-14)
For all of us who grew up in big families, or maybe just as an older sibling, we found solace in Teddy Duncan. She’s an amazing big sister, and a pretty awesome person all around. She’s responsible and mature-- often a defining trait of older siblings--and cares a lot for her family, friends, and strangers alike. She also cares a lot about her grades--like, maybe a little too much--and is quite the perfectionist in general. If you were one of those kids on the honor roll every semester, there’s a good chance you saw yourself in Teddy growing up!
#3: Riley Matthews
“Girl Meets World” (2014-17)
She made weird cool! Riley, like her dad, definitely has a strong moral compass. But she’s also Topanga’s daughter, which makes for an interesting mix in personality. Riley’s optimistic and cheerful, but she’s also a little awkward and child-like in the most endearing way. She’s always ready to stand up for others, which is a trait she shares with her best friend, Maya. (xref) Riley and Maya are probably as different as they can possibly be, which is also probably why their friendship works so well. If you’re not a bubbly oddball like Riley, there’s a good chance you’ll relate to Maya’s sarcasm and cynicism.
#2: Candace Flynn
“Phineas and Ferb” (2007-15)
“Mom! MsMojo’s counting down the top 10 most relatable Disney Channel characters!” Candace is high-strung, erratic, a control-freak... and boy, can we relate! Our worst days seem like Candace’s every day. No wonder she’s always freaking out! They say that if you keep at something and never give up, you’ll eventually succeed. Yeah… that’s not true so much for this girl. If she’s not spending her time trying to bust her brothers, she’s likely on the phone with Stacy, pining after Jeremy, at the mall, or obsessing over Ducky Momo. Let’s see… gossiping, crushing, shopping, and a secret nerdy obsession? Yep, sounds like a teenager alright!
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
Luz Noceda, “The Owl House” (2020- )
She’s a Total Geek, Just Like Us!
Bertram Winkle, “Jessie” (2011-15)
“It’s Sooo Far”
Nia Moseby, “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody” (2005-08)
She Doesn’t Take Crap at Her Candy Counter!
Joey Rooney, “Liv and Maddie” (2013-17)
We’re Beginning to See a Pattern with Middle Kids…
Penny Proud, “The Proud Family” (2001-05)
If ‘Loud & Proud’ Was Personified!
#1: Alex Russo
“Wizards of Waverly Place” (2007-12)
There are few characters quite like Alex Russo. She’s all of us and, yet, she’s too cool for us. This is one middle child who doesn’t live up to the stereotype--all eyes are on her! Alex is lazy, sarcastic, and a troublemaker, especially in earlier seasons. It’s a good thing this girl is a wizard, because we have a hard time believing she’d survive without it! Alex will pick the easy way out every single time, even if the easy way is bound to blow up in her face. We hate to admit but… [sigh] that’s probably as relatable as it gets.