Top 10 Most Relatable Disney Characters
#10: Edgar Balthazar “The Aristocats” (1970)
As far as Disney villains go, it’s hard to find one with more relatable motivations than Edgar from “The Aristocats.” Despite being incredibly loyal to his ultra-rich mistress Madame Bonfamille, Edgar finds himself in a difficult predicament when her will reveals that he’ll only receive an inheritance when her cats die. Leaving her fortune to her cats doesn’t really make any sense considering Edgar was going to care for them anyway and it’s not like they can spend the money themselves. We can’t really blame Edgar for what he attempted to do, to be honest.
#9: Andy Davis “Toy Story” (1995)
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Most of Disney’s animated movies don’t feature regular kids, so when “Toy Story” came along we all found a character to identify with. While Andy isn’t the protagonist of this tale and we see him pretty infrequently, we can definitely relate to the special relationship he has with his toys. There’s a reason why this franchise is capable of making grown men weep - everyone can remember the connection they felt with the toys that they held dear while growing up. Because the “Toy Story” films were released so many years apart, by the time Andy was all grown up, so were we.
#8: Princess Merida “Brave” (2012)
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It was clear that the tide had changed at Disney by 2012 when “Brave” was released. The company had become known over the decades for creating princesses who needed to be saved by love’s true kiss. Along with Pixar, Disney gave us a heroine who certainly didn’t need anyone to save her. Princess Merida bucked the expectations put on her by her family and society, opting to win her own hand in marriage rather than be married off to a man she would have no interest in. Little girls everywhere rejoiced at this new role model who reminded them a whole lot of themselves.
#7: Judy Hopps “Zootopia” (2016)
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Judy Hopps has a big dream that no one thinks she can achieve - being a bunny on the police force in “Zootopia.” Her perseverance is evident throughout the film, as she always tries to do the right thing despite facing adversity on so many different levels. We all know what it feels like to have people underestimate us, and Judy’s story is an inspirational one that encourages viewers to go after their dreams no matter how bold they might seem. She also admits when she’s wrong and makes an effort to change her ways, which is something we can all use as an example.
#6: Lilo Pelekai “Lilo & Stitch” (2002)
After their parents die suddenly, the 19-year-old Nani has to take care of her younger sister, Lilo. As we’ve gotten older, we’re able to relate to Nani more as she tries to wrangle the rebellious Lilo so that social workers don’t take her away. Lilo, on the other hand, is relatable in her own right, especially in the scene where her friends from hula class turn on her. If you’ve had a social experience like that in your youth, you don’t soon forget it. It makes all the more sense that Lilo is willing to befriend an alien after that debacle.
#5: Anna “Frozen” (2013)
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Disney fans (and basically the rest of the world) have fallen hard for “Frozen” since it was released in 2013 and we can totally see why. Anna and Elsa are modern princesses with problems that viewers can relate to. While anyone who has suffered from mental illness may see themselves in Elsa, Anna is a fun-loving girl next door of a princess who seems like she was written just to be relatable. She doesn’t always look perfect and she definitely has flaws - especially when it comes to her taste in men.
#4: Megara “Hercules” (1997)
Hades may be the villain in “Hercules,” but as far as bad guys go, he’s probably the one we’d most want to hang out with. His sarcasm and sardonic humor make him seem like he can’t be all that bad. But even more relatable perhaps is ancient Greece’s resident “damsel in distress,” Megara. The thing that makes us love Meg so much is that she has a believable character arc. She starts off being self-involved and not wanting to open herself up to let people in, but by the end, she’s willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for the man she loves.
#3: Flynn Rider [aka Eugene Fitzherbert] “Tangled” (2010)
While Rapunzel may be the true hero of “Tangled” and she’s definitely relatable in her own right, we had to talk about Flynn Rider on this list. Flynn pretends to be someone he’s not, and part way through the movie, we find out that he’s actually Eugene Fitzherbert. His true story is a touching one, and we can all understand the desire to make up a fake story for ourselves when our real one isn’t something we want to be associated with. Not to mention that Flynn’s dreams of his own private island sound pretty darn good to us.
#2: Tiana “The Princess and the Frog” (2009)
While Anna and Elsa are relatable to modern viewers, there’s still pretty classic fairy tale princesses who live a charmed life. Tiana, meanwhile, is a princess who we can all get behind because she has actually worked hard to get where she is in life. Women in the real world can see themselves in this hard-working heroine who goes through many struggles to live a pretty simple life. Tiana shows that women really can have it all by falling in love and being able to realize her dreams of having her own restaurant. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Scar, “The Lion King” (1994) He's Not the Only One Who Has Been Jealous of His More Successful Sibling The Dormouse, “Alice in Wonderland” (1951) We'd Like to Take a Nap Too WALL-E, “WALL-E” (2008) We've All Felt That Level of Loneliness King Triton, “The Little Mermaid” (1989) He's Just Being a Reasonably Protective Parent Lewis Robinson, “Meet the Robinsons” (2007) We've Also Gotten Discouraged When Our Plans Don't Work Out
#1: Belle “Beauty and the Beast” (1991)
Not all of the classic Disney princesses make choices that we identify with, but if there’s one who rises to the top of the pack, it’s undoubtedly Belle from “Beauty and the Beast.” Her love of books is something that all budding bibliophiles took inspiration from, and ever since we saw her reaction to the Beast’s library, we have been hoping to have a similar moment of pure awe in our lives. At the beginning of the movie, she dreams of a bigger life than the one she has, and if that’s not relatable, we don’t know what is.
