"The celebration of a lifetime."
Coco - Characters & Cast
Character Analysis
Miguel Rivera
Anthony Gonzalez
Motivation
His primary motivation is to become a musician and receive his family's blessing to pursue his dream, which he believes can only be achieved by connecting with his supposed great-great-grandfather, Ernesto de la Cruz.
Character Arc
Miguel begins as a boy torn between his passion for music and his loyalty to a family that forbids it. His journey through the Land of the Dead forces him to confront his family's history and his own identity. He evolves from a rebellious individualist to someone who understands that his dreams are intertwined with his heritage, ultimately using his music to heal his family.
Héctor
Gael García Bernal
Motivation
His motivation is singular and desperate: to get his photo placed on an ofrenda so he can cross over and see his daughter, Coco, one last time before she forgets him.
Character Arc
Héctor is introduced as a desperate, charming rogue trying to cross the marigold bridge. He is on the verge of the "final death" as he is being forgotten by the living world. His arc is one of revelation and redemption, as he is revealed not as a failure, but as the true musical talent, a loving father, and Miguel's actual great-great-grandfather who was murdered and betrayed.
Ernesto de la Cruz
Benjamin Bratt
Motivation
His motivation is to protect his fraudulent legacy at any cost. He is driven by a selfish desire for adoration and is willing to do whatever it takes to ensure his fame is never challenged, even if it means murdering Héctor and attempting to get rid of Miguel.
Character Arc
Ernesto begins as Miguel's idol—a charismatic and celebrated musician embodying success. His arc is a dramatic fall from grace as his charming facade crumbles to reveal a murderous, narcissistic fraud who stole everything from his partner, Héctor, to achieve fame.
Mamá Imelda
Alanna Ubach
Motivation
Her primary motivation is the protection and well-being of her family. This manifests as a strict enforcement of the music ban, which she believes is necessary to prevent the heartbreak she endured from happening again.
Character Arc
Imelda is the formidable matriarch of the Rivera family who instituted the ban on music out of heartbreak and a desire to protect her family after her husband left. Initially rigid and unforgiving, her love for her family forces her to confront her past. She learns to forgive Héctor and even rediscovers her own love for music to save Miguel, showing her immense strength and capacity for change.