Jojo Rabbit - Characters & Cast

Initially, Jojo is motivated by a desperate desire to fit in and be a 'good Nazi.' He is lonely, missing his absent father, and seeks belonging and purpose within the Hitler Youth. As the story progresses, his motivation shifts to protecting Elsa and surviving, driven by his growing affection for her and the harsh realities of the war.

Jojo begins as a naive, lonely boy completely consumed by Nazi propaganda, desperate to belong. His worldview is systematically dismantled through his interactions with Elsa, the Jewish girl hidden in his attic. He transitions from fear and learned hatred to confusion, empathy, and eventually, love. He ultimately rejects his fanatical beliefs, symbolized by kicking his imaginary Hitler out of a window, and embraces a new, uncertain future founded on human connection rather than ideology.

Elsa's primary motivation is survival. She endures confinement and fear to escape persecution. She is also driven by the memory of her family and her fiancé, Nathan. Her motivation evolves to include protecting Jojo and finding a way to live again after enduring immense loss.

Elsa is introduced as a hidden, vulnerable figure, but she quickly reveals her strength, intelligence, and sharp wit. She begins by using Jojo's ignorance to her advantage for survival. Over time, she drops her defensive guard and forms a genuine, sibling-like bond with him. She becomes his unwilling teacher, challenging his propaganda-fueled beliefs with reality and humanity. She ends the film stepping out of confinement and into a terrifying but free world.

Rosie is motivated by a profound belief in love, kindness, and doing what is right. She wants to create a better world and protect her son from the hateful ideology of Nazism, even while he embraces it. Her actions are driven by a moral imperative to resist evil, no matter the personal cost.

Rosie maintains a vibrant, joyful, and loving demeanor despite the oppressive political climate. She is a secret member of the German resistance, representing a moral compass and a force of life-affirming love. She actively works against the regime while fiercely protecting both her son and Elsa. Her arc is tragically cut short when she is executed for her resistance work, but her influence is the catalyst for Jojo's ultimate transformation.

As a figment of Jojo's imagination, Adolf's motivation is to reinforce Jojo's indoctrinated beliefs. He exists to validate Jojo's desire to be a Nazi and to keep him from straying from that path. His goal is to maintain control over Jojo's 'brain.'

Adolf begins as Jojo's goofy, encouraging best friend—a manifestation of a 10-year-old's understanding of the Führer, shaped by propaganda and a need for a father figure. As Jojo begins to question Nazism and bond with Elsa, Adolf becomes more petulant, insecure, and eventually menacing, mirroring the true nature of Hitler. His arc concludes when Jojo, having outgrown the need for him, physically kicks him out of a window, symbolizing Jojo's complete rejection of Nazism.

Klenzendorf seems motivated by a weary sense of self-preservation and a deep-seated disillusionment with the Nazi regime. His affection for Rosie and Jojo, and possibly a hidden moral code, motivate his protective actions. His final sacrifice is driven by a desire to do one good thing and protect the child of the woman he respected.

Captain Klenzendorf is introduced as a cynical, demotivated Nazi officer running a youth camp. He appears to be going through the motions of his duty without any real conviction. Throughout the film, subtle hints suggest his dissent, such as his flamboyant uniform designs and his ambiguous protection of Jojo and Elsa from the Gestapo. His arc culminates in a final, heroic act of sacrifice where he saves Jojo's life by denouncing him as a Jew, leading to his own execution.