Children’s films are often attention-grabbing, vibrant, and most importantly, teach a central lesson to their audience of young viewers. These lessons are often taught through the main characters, who experience a story arc that helps them learn to become a better person and friend. However, some of the most widely beloved main characters, who are known for their ability to change and grow, can also be highly flawed, so much so, that they may even cross the line into becoming a bad influence.
Being a bad influence doesn’t mean the character is inherently bad; in fact, portraying a character as a bad influence is what storytellers often use to show what not to do and emphasize the importance of doing the right thing. Even so, the impact of a character’s negative actions can have an adverse effect on young audiences, regardless of the filmmaker’s intent.
Today, we look at some characters whose actions range from somewhat questionable to downright wrong; from the Beast to Elsa, here are our picks for the worst role models in animated kids' movies.
10Ariel, The Little Mermaid (1989)
The Little Mermaidis one of the most cherished Disney movies of all time, due in part to the lovable main character, Princess Ariel. She is bubbly, friendly, and most of all, determined to follow her dreamsno matter what it takes. However, Ariel’s blind pursuit of her dreams can come off as extremely selfish; her actions result in hurting her father and ultimately, putting the entire undersea kingdom at risk.
When Ariel trades her voice for legs, Ursula is able to gain power and control, dethroning King Triton and sending the ocean into mayhem. Despite her remorse toward the situation, much of the story sees Ariel focusing only on her own wants and desires. Though the film peacefully comes to a close, the kingdom had to be destroyed and subsequently saved for Ariel to get her happy ending.
9Elsa, Frozen (2013)
Elsa is the beloved ice queen from one of Disney’s most successful film franchises to date,Frozen. The deep connection between her and her sister, Anna, made for a compelling story of love set on a beautiful, snowy landscape. However, Elsa has trouble processing her emotions and traumas, which leads to a gigantic outburst that puts her kingdom at risk.
When Elsa lets on that she has magical ice powers, she sets off an eternal winter in a state of panic, leaving her sister Anna to pick up the pieces. Had Elsa just told Anna of her abilities and embraced who she was, none of the major conflicts would have happened; her actions come across as selfish, especially when she refuses to return and isolates herself atop a mountain while her people are left to suffer.
8Flynn Rider, Tangled (2010)
Flynn Rider of the 2010 filmTangledis the handsome beau of Princess Rapunzel. When the two embark on a wild adventure, Flynn begins to fall for Rapunzel and eventually helps free her from her wicked captor, reuniting her with her birth parents. Though he proves himself to be a good person and undergoes major character growth, Flynn nonetheless opens the movie as a ruthless criminal.
At the beginning of the story, Flynn is shown stealing a precious crown from the palace, gallivanting through the woods on a high-speed chase, and betraying his criminal sidekicks. He is outwardly selfish, using his charm to persuade others to do what he wants, regardless of the consequences. He even manipulates Rapunzel, which leads to one of the largest conflicts in the film.
7Manny, Ice Age (2002)
Manny the mammoth is one of the central characters of theIce Agefranchise. Though he has since learned to maintain relationships and even becomes a loving father, Manny’s introduction in the original filmwas not so pleasant. Aggressive, grouchy, and at times, downright mean, Manny originally had zero empathy forSid the sloth, seeing him as more of a nuisance than as a companion.
When the two are forced to team up and work together, Manny is able to explore his insecurities and come to terms with his own self-doubt in order to be a true friend to the other animals. Yet, the damage up to that point had already been done; his crass attitude added to the film’s comedic value, but also put an example of bad behavior on display.
Related:The 7 Most Problematic Classic Disney Animated Movies, Ranked
6Oscar, Shark Tale (2004)
The 2004 filmShark Taleis an animated comedy that featured a star-studded voice cast with names like Will Smith and Robert De Niro. The story follows the main character, Oscar, as he seeks to become rich and famous; with the help of a vegetarian shark named Lenny, Oscar is able to scam the system and make his way to the top.
In his pursuit of fame, Oscar lies to and takes advantage of those around him; he is shown to be self-centered, ego-driven, and materialistic, making him a highly unlikeable character despite his resolution in the film’s conclusion.
5Joy, Inside Out (2015)
Inside Outtakes an extremely complex idea and makes it suitable for young children; here, the human mind is deconstructed and re-imagined as a vibrant fantasy land where brain functions and emotions are personified. Joy, one of the main characters, is afan favorite, known for her upbeat personality and unwavering commitment to Riley’s well-being.
Yet, despite all this, Joy is continually dismissive and at times, mean to Sadness, who is shunned from the rest of the group. Joy eventually comes to understand the importance of Sadness, however, her poor treatment and unwillingness to let Sadness play any role in Riley’s life are what leads Riley to lose herself in the first place.
4Alma Madrigal, Encanto (2021)
Encantotells the story of a magical, gifted family who use their powers to better their community; each has their own role in the family and is led by a matriarch named Alma Madrigal. Mirabel, the main character, frequently clashes with her grandmother, who seems to look down on her for the sole fact that she was not gifted any special powers.
Alma Madrigal has a touching backstory, one that helps justify her protective nature throughout most of the film. However, this desire to protect the family’s gifts drives her to act out in ways that ultimately hurt them, putting the entire family and especially Mirabel at risk. Alma Madrigal is constantly positioning her granddaughter as an outsider, criticizing her attempts at helping the family in her own special way. Though she eventually learns to accept Mirabel for who she is, Alma Madrigal spent a very long time blaming her granddaughter for the family’s shortcomings.
3Nick Wilde, Zootopia (2016)
Zootopiatells the story of predator and prey, working together to uncover the truth behind a complex mystery. Here, Nick the fox and Judy the bunny are forced to team up, resulting in the two unlikely companions becoming partners and eventually, friends. However, Nick is introduced to viewers as a conman, who belittles and takes advantage of those around him to get what he wants.
Not only does he swindle innocent citizens for a quick buck, but he makes Judy feel small and insults her position as a meter maid, despite her clear dedication and professionalism. Nick appears to lack empathy and thinks only of himself, that is before he realizes the negative consequences of his ways.
2The Beast, Beauty and the Beast (1991)
Beauty and the Beasttells the story of an unlikely romance between a woman named Belle and a cursed man, named the Beast. The Beast, who must remain a half-man half-animal creature until he finds true love, finds himself in afated connectionwith a kind woman named Belle, who learns to accept him for his heart and not his looks.
Though the two come together in the end, the Beast initially is violent toward Belle, yelling in her face and even throwing her into a prison cell against her will. His cold behavior is what prevents the two from making a connection earlier in the story; in fact, the Beast’s heartlessness is what lands him under the spell in the first place! His behavior comes across as abusive and immature, making him one of the worst role models on the entire list.
1Kuzco, The Emperor’s New Groove (2000)
The Emperor’s New Grooveis the 2000 animated comedy that followed the emperor Kuzco after he was magically turned into a llama by an evil sorceress. Kuzco soon finds himself on a wild adventure alongside a villager named Pacha and must learn to adapt to life as an animal, rather than as a wealthy ruler.
Kuzco is one of the worst role models throughout much of the film; he shows no empathy or remorse for the people he rules over. He physically throws an old man out of the palace and threatens to destroy Pacha’s home to develop the land himself, without thinking twice about who he will be hurting in the process. His spoiled attitude and clear disregard for his people make him come across as incredibly heartless, making it tough to empathize with him when he becomes a llama. Despite learning his lesson in the end, Kuzco’s behavior is a perfect example of how not to act.
