Disney and Pixar have had some of the most inventive and adorable characters ever seen in film, and it’s difficult to choose the most memorable. It’s the kooky little sidekicks and protective companions that make the films so popular, and in some cases are the reason for their continued success.
Here are ten of our favourite Disney side characters:
1. Olaf (‘Frozen’) – Now the name of every child’s snowman, this quirky little fella came to life with Elsa’s power and his optimism is infectious. He loves the idea of summer and warmth, and even risked melting just to protect Anna because ‘Some people are worth melting for’.
Olaf from ‘Frozen’
2. Baymax (‘Big Hero 6’) – When he’s not suited up in armour, he’s a bouncy warm marshmallow of a robot who can give you hugs and attend to you whenever you’re in pain. He saves Hiro’s life countless times – what more could you ask from a companion. Though being asked ‘On a scale of one to ten, how would you rate your pain?’ repeatedly would get annoying after a while.
Baymax from ‘Big Hero 6’
3. Pascal (‘Tangled’) – A chameleon of few words… well, none, actually… but probably the cutest of the bunch. He keeps Rapunzel company in her tower and doesn’t really have much signifance storywise, but still manages to be the star of the show with his colour-changing habits and adorable expressions.
Pascal from ‘Tangled’
4. Dug (‘Up’) – He might seem smarter than your average pooch because of his high-tech talking collar, but he’s still just as distracted when there are squirrels about. Dug meets Carl and Russell during their journey to Paradise Falls. He’s voiced by screenwriter Bob Peterson.
Dug from ‘Up’
5. Dory (‘Finding Nemo’) – A sidekick so captivating that she became the star of the sequel. She keeps Marlin’s spirits up as he trawls the oceans for his lost son, and despite the fact that she can’t remember anything turns out to be a big help. Ellen DeGeneres has become synonomous with the phrase ‘Just keep swimming’ ever since.
Dory from ‘Finding Nemo’
More: Watch the trailer for ‘Finding Dory’
6. Mushu (‘Mulan’) – If you have to go war, you want a stone guardian of your ancestors to come to life and help you. Mushu might look small, but there’s more hilarious wisdown in this Chinese dragon than all his stone counterparts. With the voice of Eddie Murphy, he keeps young Mulan safe as she takes on the Huns.
Mushu from ‘Mulan’
7. Sebastian (‘The Little Mermaid’) – Because ‘Under The Sea’ is one of the best Disney songs of all time. Sure Ariel doesn’t appreciate the fact that her lobster minder keeps relaying information about her whereabouts to her father King Titan, but he knows how to carry off a tune.
Sebastian from ‘The Little Mermaid’
8. Thumper (‘Bambi’) – Bambi the fawn’s best friend and the one who helps him learn to walk and speak. The twitchy-nosed rabbit also has a few important life lessons for the young deer, namely: ‘If you can’t say nothing nice, don’t say nothing at all.’
Thumper from ‘Bambi’
9. Baloo (‘The Jungle Book’) – Mowgli’s protector in the jungle. Being a gigantic grizzly bear, Mowgli has little to fear from the wild. He’s the man-cub’s main role model but becomes heartbroken when he comes to terms with the fact that his young friend must return to the man village.
Baloo from ‘The Jungle Book’
10. The Aliens (‘Toy Story 2’) – The Aliens are like the 90s version of ‘Despicable Me”s Minions. Three of these squeaky extra-terrestrial toys join Andy’s collection after spending the majority of their existence in a claw crane machine at Pizza Planet. They’re fascinated by anything and everything and don’t even have names.
The Aliens from ‘Toy Story 2’
