Pixar has been delivering feature films for almost thirty years at this point, giving us story after story. There have been some truly amazing movies that have come from the studio, which created characters that have lived on for years. I’m talking about Mike and Sully from Monsters Inc., Nemo from Finding Nemo, or even Woody and Buzz from the amazing Toy Story franchise.
But, what about the underrated Pixar characters that we never get to talk about? In partnership with AMC Theatres, we are going to discuss the studio’s best underrated characters today, in honor of Pixar’s latest movie, Elemental, releasing in theaters on June 16th, which you can buy tickets to now. Before the movie arrives to heat up our summer, here are some of our picks for the most underrated Pixar characters.
Violet – The Incredibles
The Incredibles is truly a story full of incredible people – as you would presume. But how come no one ever talks about Violet? I see people online discuss Mrs. Incredible, Mr. Incredible, heck, even Dash more than Violet, and I’m not sure why, because to me, she’s the coolest out of all the Incredibles.
Not only does she have a sick power in turning invisible – imagine everything you could do with that kind of power – she’s one of the most relatable characters of the movies. She’s a teenager just trying to fit in and struggling to do so, but slowly coming into her own and gaining the confidence she needs. That’s a great character, and honestly one of the best underrated Pixar ones I can think of.
Art – Monsters University
I feel like no one ever brings up Monsters University and I’m not sure why, because I really love the movie. It gave me that college feeling that I wanted as a high school freshman, while still being colorful enough to appeal to my kid side, and one of the characters I loved from the movie was Art.
This long-legged creature was one of the funniest characters that Pixar had at the time, and created some moments in the movie that honestly made me laugh my butt off. And, the fact that Charlie Day, who is known for his hilarious comedic delivery, voiced him, made it all the better.
Jessie – Toy Story Franchise
I’m pretty sure that Jessie was my first girl crush as a kid, not going to lie, because I thought she was so badass. Sure, we can talk about Woody and Buzz and how awesome they are as partners, but let’s talk about the real cowgirl here and pay attention to Jessie.
Even though she was abandoned by her child, she leaves with Woody to go on a new adventure and ends up becoming as close with him as everyone else. Not only that, but she’s smart and knows her way around a lasso or two and has very clever ideas. You can’t help but love every time she yodels – Jessie is the first girl in a Pixar movie that truly had me smiling.
Mr. Ray – Finding Nemo
Finding Nemo is such a great movie (which turned twenty in 2023, and it’s hard for me to even believe), but the one character that I need to talk about is Mr. Ray.
We don’t see him for that long during the movie, only when he’s with the children of the fish, but every time I see his scenes whenever I’ve rewatch the movie, I feel a genuine smile come over my face. Mr. Ray reminds me of that one teacher you had back in elementary school who you’ll always hold dear to your heart because they did everything they could to make your lives at school that much more fun.
Mr. Ray was always a sweetheart, and I will forever love him, which is why it’s sad no one ever really talks about him.
Giulia – Luca
Giulia is me. I am Giulia. When I first watched Luca, I fell in love with this character. Yes, the friendship between Luca and Alberto is strong and honestly one of the best relationships that Pixar has shown in its new era of movies, but Giulia was the third person that really brought the whole dynamic together.
She was kind, spunky, and had a heart of gold. She almost reminded me of the young version of Ellie from Up, because she had that same sense for adventure and exploring. She deserves to be talked about way more.
Colette – Ratatouille
She taught Linguine how to cook – that alone makes her deserve a spot on this list. I could never.
But, genuinely, Colette is a real one. Not only did she put up with the fact that Linguine was hired because of nepotism – because that’s exactly what happened – she helped him learn how to cook, grew feelings for him, and then somehow stayed with him when he revealed a whole kitchen full of rats cooking.
She still left for a little bit when Linguine lied to her, but she ended up coming back and working with him after. That takes a strong woman to do that, and I have to give her props. So underrated.
Captain B. McCrea – WALL-E
While I know that Captain B. McCrea didn’t really save humankind, just because if they kept sailing in space they would have probably turned out just fine, you have to give him props for taking on AUTO and barely being able to move his legs.
While the humans are not the story in WALL-E, he was one human I could stand seeing more of, and I really adored his goofy nature before he put that away to become a real captain and take over the ship.
Anger – Inside Out
Inside Out is one of those movies that comes once in a lifetime. It’s really unlike any other experience, and while everyone speaks about Joy and Sadness and how they both have to survive for the other to thrive, no one ever talks about Anger.
Not only is Anger hilarious in the movie – as voiced by Lewis Black – but including Anger with Riley’s emotions is important to show that even as we get older, our anger can sometimes get the best of us – but often, we need to feel that anger to heal, which is what Riley does in combination with Sadness, Joy, and every other emotion towards the end of the film. We need to talk about those feelings more and he was a great example of that.
Laurel – Onward
Onward came out at quite possibly the worst time – at the very start of the COVID-19 pandemic – so it didn’t get the proper attention it deserved. However, Laurel is arguably one of the best Pixar mothers, even in 2023.
Not only was she there for her children in many ways after losing the love of her life, she faces her fears later on in the movie and is able to distract a whole dragon so her sons can finish their quest. Talk about a mighty warrior.
Merida – Brave
She’s underrated in her own movie. I literally never see anyone talk about Brave. I know, I get it, it’s not the absolute best Pixar film. There are moments that could be improved upon. But Merida is the best part of that film.
Not only is she a skilled archer and royalty, she’s fiercely independent, has a quirky attitude, and makes mistakes like all of us. She’s loyal to her family and her country, and deep down, does have a heart of gold and good intentions. She’s one of the best modern-day Disney princesses and I will stand by that.
With Elemental releasing on June 16, 2023, who knows what characters we might want to add to this list in the future. Only time will tell… In the meantime, tickets for Elemental are now on sale.
