Mom Shares Sweet Moment When Son Connected With Encanto Character
Disney's Encanto is resonating with audiences on all kinds of levels, as a mother showed when she revealed her 2-year-old son developed a special connection with one character. The 60th animated feature to be released by Disney, Encanto arrived in theaters back in November and earned the highest opening of the pandemic era for an animated feature when it grossed $27.2 million over three days ($40.5 for the entire Thanksgiving weekend). That was already a solid showing for the family-friendly pic, but its popularity has only increased since it arrived on Disney+ on Christmas Eve.
Directed by Bryon Howard and Jared Bush and co-directed by Charise Smith, Encanto revolves around the magical Madrigals. Thanks to their powerful house, each member of the family has been blessed with a special gift - except for Mirabel (Stephanie Beatriz), who was inexplicably shunned by the family casita when she was a young girl. However, when the house starts to lose its magic, it might be that only Mirabel can save the day. Encanto also features the vocal talents of those like John Leguizamo, Jessica Darrow, Diane Guerrero, and María Cecilia Botero.
In addition to earning praise for its colorful animation and infectious soundtrack, Encanto has received special attention for its diversity. By revolving around a Colombian family, Encanto has brought fresh representation to the moviegoing landscape, and it hasn't gone unnoticed. Kah Brand, the mother of 2-year-old Kenzo, sparked an online conversation when she shared a picture of her son during a family viewing of Encanto. Kenzo noticed he looks just like young Antonio Madrigal (Ravi Cabot-Conyers) and, as Brand told POPSUGAR, "seemed to be in awe, just smiling and staring at the screen." Brand shared the adorable moment in a social media post, which can be seen down below.
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Brand added, "For him, I truly believe that he thought he was seeing himself because of the resemblance between him and Antonio." As she said in her post, representation matters, and Encanto has given audience members like Kenzo the opportunity to see themselves on screen. One of the stars of the movie, Wilmer Valderrama, seemed to predict this around the time of Encanto's release, saying the Disney movie set a high bar for cultural representation. Now, weeks after its release, it's safe to say this is a movie that has brought some positive change into the world and brightened a little boy's spirits.
Perhaps the most remarkable thing about Encanto is how, even while focusing on a family of color, it feels like just as much of a Disney movie as, say, Tangled or Frozen. It tells a heartwarming story about the pressures of living up to expectations and being true to one's self, and it has resonated with viewers all around the world. Brand's story is just more proof that genuine, positive representation can go a long way, particularly with young kids just looking for role models. Hollywood might make a lot of missteps in this area, but at least Encanto got it right.
Source: Hause of Curls/Instagram, POPSUGAR