The Importance of Encanto's Representation

If you frequently leave your house or go on the internet (i.e., you don’t live under a rock), you’re likely already familiar with the upbeat rhythms of Lin Manuel Miranda’s hit song, We Don’t Talk About Bruno and the movie that goes along with it: Disney’s Encanto (2021).

Encanto follows 15 year old Mirabel Madrigal in Colombia as she navigates a world where her entire family is granted unique magical powers… except for her. Many are drawn to the movie’s colorful and lively animation, emotion, beautiful message, and dynamic music. The Encanto soundtrack has been topping the charts in a way no Disney movie has since Frozen (2013). Parents are often heard jokingly complaining that this movie is constantly on repeat in their households. But kids and Disney adults alike just can’t get enough of this heartfelt story.

Besides the music and fun-loving characters, one thing in particular caught my eye in Encanto: the representation. Historically, Disney has not done great in this area, both in racial and LGBTQ+ representation. When I heard that Encanto would be set in Colombia with an entirely Colombian cast of characters, I was intrigued… and a little worried, based on Disney’s whitewashed past. There is a huge lack of POC Disney characters in proportion to white ones, and while this is definitely improving in modern times, Disney does not always represent different cultures correctly or well. Their first Black princess, Tiana, was famously transformed into a frog in the mere beginning of the film, thus not really presenting her as Black for the majority of the movie. Disney has even had to apologize with warnings about racially insensitive content in their movies before presenting some of their older films. Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon, meant to represent Southeast Asia, fell short of the representation Southeast Asia needs. There have been many instances of Disney trying and failing to accurately represent diverse cultures, leaving viewers anxiously waiting for a winner.

Nonetheless, I was extremely excited for the release of Encanto. As a Filipina and lover of mass media, the need for good representation and unfortunate lack of it is an issue close to my heart. Diverse representation of different cultures and different types of people shows the world what all people are capable of. Only celebrating one type of person in the media can be harmful to how we think about people, as it subconsciously tells us that only one type of person can succeed and deserves to have their story told. Most of the time, the media only shows white people as main characters and heroes, placing a doubt in the minds of people of color that they can achieve the same things as the white characters they see on TV. Our society needs equal representation of all kinds of races, sexualities, gender identities, disabilities, body types, families, and more, in order for all people to believe in themselves the way they deserve to.

Fortunately, Encanto was applauded for its Colombian representation by Latinx people around the world. The movie accurately depicts Colombians with a very large range of skin tones, something not seen often in the media. Children were able to find characters whom they loved and who looked like them, bringing joy to the internet world as parents posted pictures of their kids posing next to their Encanto doppelgangers. This representation accomplishes two things: educating everyone on what Colombians really look like, and allowing kids to see themselves reflected in the media, boosting their self confidence and giving them idols they relate to.

Unlike other Disney movies, I’ve yet to hear complaints about Disney’s representation of Colombian culture in Encanto. Those who related culturally to the movie claimed it was lovely and accurate in the way it portrayed Colombia, in the costumes, character dynamics, and more, as opposed to the way Colombians are usually stereotypically portrayed to an international audience. Encanto even included some songs in the Spanish language, the most notable of which being the fan favorite Dos Oruguitas, a heartbreaking song about two caterpillars in love who must leave each other in order to grow. Encanto’s critically acclaimed singer-songwriter Lin Manuel Miranda says that they “chose Colombia because of the incredible diversity, because it’s the home of magical realism. And we went down there in 2018 and just went to major cities and really small towns and just soaked up music everywhere we went. It was kind of the most fun field trip ever.” This intense research process helped the movie and the music stay true to Colombian culture, which paid off in the long run as it satisfied the audience’s need to see their heritage on the screen.

There was also representation among Encanto’s voice actors, who were all Latin American. This gave Latin American actors the deserved chance to show off their amazing talent in an amazing story.

The representation in Encanto is extremely important in helping Latinx kids and adults feel worthy and seen, but I found that the most important effect was that it helped kids who aren’t Latinx recognize and accept other races.

I have two younger sisters and work at a preschool camp, so I find myself surrounded by kids a lot. They’re always celebrating Encanto, singing the songs, arguing over who the best character is, and so on. When I was their age, all of my favorite shows centered around white people and white stories. I was unaware that other kinds of stories could be told. When I told my own stories, they reflected the ones I had heard, with white people as the main characters. While these stories still hold great value and are incredibly important, it’s just as important to know that all cultures deserve to be represented in the same way. The fact that kids of all races are obsessed with Encanto reflects the different mindset they’ll grow up with, that all races are capable of being heroes and contain people to look up to. Movies like Encanto help kids learn acceptance and celebrate diversity. Encanto was a great step by Disney to create a more diverse and equal environment for all people, but it shouldn’t stop here: we need more movies like Encanto in our lives to show real people, without the stereotypes that surround them, and celebrate our differences.