Pixar has been around for more than twenty-five years now, and through it all has created some of the most beloved cartoon characters that we all know, from Dory to Buzz Lightyear to Wall-E and so many others. And, while there have been plenty of awesome characters from earlier Pixar films we could go on for hours about, let’s give some love to characters from recent Pixar fare - specifically, the scene-stealers.
I’m talking Sox from Lightyear, or Abby from Turning Red, or any of those characters that you know aren’t the main characters, but you remember them anyway for how hilariously funny they are. Here are some of the biggest scene-stealers from recent Pixar movies.
Sox (Lightyear)
I genuinely didn’t think, when I first heard about Lightyear, I would like it as much as I did. I had so many questions and few answers until I made my way to the theater to see it, and now, I can fully say that I truly enjoyed the heck out of his sci-fi space adventure, featuring a a talented Lightyear cast.
But, you want to know what really made it great? Sox. That little, hilarious robot cat.
Let me tell you, I actually went to this movie with my dad, who is also a big Pixar lover like myself, and I don’t think I’ve heard him laugh this hard in so long at a Pixar side-character, for how many times this little cat stole the scene. From the way Sox would use his strange array of talents to help out his squad to the emotional moments he would have with Buzz, he was just always the best addition to this crew. Peter Sohn really did an amazing job voicing this character.
Bing-Bong (Inside Out)
“Take her to the moon for me.” That line still gets me everytime.
I think what I like the most about Bing-Bong from 2015’s Inside Out is that all of us, at one point, surely had an imaginary friend that we’ve forgotten about from time to time. God knows I did, and I’m positive you did too. Bing-Bong was the ultimate conglomeration of the imaginary friends we always wanted - kind, funny, has a heart of gold, and would always be there for us.
That’s why his moments were some of the best in the movie, because every time he was on screen, he always made you laugh, or made you smile, or, in his last hours, made you cry. Even when Riley was beginning to forget him, he still did everything in his power to make sure Joy made it out of that deep subconscious area so she could feel happiness again - knowing it would kill him. It’s so incredibly moving and makes me cry to this day.
Jack-Jack (The Incredibles 2)
I freaking love Jack-Jack, because his character is simply the question, “What if we put all the powers from the superheroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe into a baby and see what happened?”
This dude is ridiculous in The Incredibles series. While we didn’t see much of him in the first movie, the second one is where he really shines and steals the show so many times. I still remember to this day that fight he had with the raccoon in the Incredibles’ new home, using literally every one of his powers as a baby to hunt down that raccoon - and severely scarring it for the rest of its life.
All I’m saying is that if we don’t keep an eye out for that sassy little baby, he’s gonna end up like the next Homelander from The Boys. But, for now, he’s a cute overpowered baby who truly makes me laugh every time he’s on screen.
Abby (Turning Red)
I genuinely loved Turning Red, and as a young woman who went through her own kinds of growing pains as a teenager myself, I could relate heavily to that main character. But, man, Abby was just so dang funny.
The whole Turning Red cast was perfect, but Abby was just so out-of-pocket hilarious. The way that this short, little teenager is just utterly violent and chaotic makes me snort every single time I’ve watched the film. I still can’t get over the moment where Mei asks Abby to punch her, she does, and that gleeful, sinister smile comes over her lips at the punch.
She’s such a fiery ball of energy and reminds me of some of my closest friends, and every scene she’s in, she takes center stage. I love it.
Ducky And Bunny (Toy Story 4)
At first, I thought Toy Story 4 was not going to be needed whatsoever, like most of the world. I felt that Toy Story 3 was a good conclusion to the Toy Story series, and we didn’t need another part of the story, but I can gladly say I was wrong, and really enjoyed the fourth installment.
I also enjoyed the heck out of Ducky and Bunny, those two carnival toys that come along for the ride.
These two characters are voiced by Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key, the creators of the hilarious sketch comedy show, Key and Peele, and both have gone on to do their own individual projects that are amazing. But man, there is just something about their chemistry, even in voice-only roles, that makes me smile.
These two are so ridiculously funny and have the craziest made-up scenarios in their head, and what makes it even better is that we get to watch. I mean, that entire segment of them trying to describe to Buzz how they would get the key to the antique cabinet - causing chaos as they do - hilarious.
The Counselors (Soul)
Soul was the first Pixar film that I saw the year I graduated from college, and boy, did I need it, as someone who was trying to find her own path in life. That movie, for those who haven’t seen it, is one that will change you from the moment it begins with its emotional moments.
I feel like Soul is a Pixar film that didn’t try to be too funny, but it still had some scene-stealing characters, and those came in the form of the Counselors from the Great Before - all of which are named Jerry.
What makes them so funny is not even what they say - it’s how they act, literally sending these souls to be shaped and born and doing it all with a smile on their faces and being so calm and collected, but somehow, they still all have their own interesting personalities. They’re just so great. I love ‘em - I mean, literally sending souls off to be insecure and self-absorbed, it had me crying laughing.
There are so many amazing Pixar scene-stealers, but these are just some of my recent favorites that I just can’t stop thinking about. It just makes me want to re-watch all of these fantastic movies.
