Abuelo Pedro Madrigal is somewhat mysterious in Encanto, but a subtle detail may hint at a charming theory about the character. Abuela Alma Madrigal (María Cecilia Botero) received a miracle on the night her husband died. Years before the film’s events, Pedro Madrigal sacrificed his life to stop marauders from destroying his village and family. Alma received a magical gift following his sacrifice, including an enchanted candle and a sentient house. Her children then received magical powers when they became older, which the Madrigals used to help the family and the village.

The Encanto script makes Pedro’s story even sadder. In the film, Abuela Alma tells Mirabel (Stephanie Beatriz) the story of her and Pedro during the song “Dos Oruguitas.” During the song, Pedro gives Alma a look before going off to face the marauders, but the script reveals there was more going on in the scene. According to the Encanto script, Pedro’s eyes were telling Alma, “Everything will be okay.” His look also let her know that she would survive, and their children will find a new home and a better life. The script shows the marauders even listened to Pedro’s pleas before ultimately ignoring them.

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A subtle Encanto detail may hint at a sweet theory involving Pedro. Though the film doesn’t reveal much about Pedro in Encanto, Disney’s Art of Encanto sheds some light on Abuela Alma’s husband. In the book, Jin Kim, a visual development artist on the film, says Pedro is a writer, and his personality came from the script and storyboards. “I wanted to give him that soul; he sits at his desk and writes poems,” Jin Kim said. The revelation that Pedro is a poetic writer supports the fan theory that Pedro is the voice singing “Dos Oruguitas” in the film.

“Dos Oruguitas” is the soul of Encanto. The song, which is nominated for an Oscar, tells the story of caterpillars falling in love, trying to hold on to each other, and finally changing into butterflies to fly off into the future. The song is unique in Encanto because it plays as Abuela Alma tells her tragic backstory, but it doesn’t get sung on screen like the film’s other hits. Instead, singer Sebastián Yatra adds the vocals offscreen as the video shows Alma’s journey. Since Pedro doesn’t talk onscreen, it’s possible that the film could suggest he’s the one singing the song. And the fact that he’s a writer makes the Encanto fan theory stronger. He could’ve even written the song to sing to his and Alma’s triplets.

There’s a reason no one sings onscreen during “Dos Oruguitas.” During an appearance on The Tonight Show (via YouTube), the song’s creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda, explained that it wouldn’t be suitable for someone to be singing while Abuela Alma was telling her tragic story. “The notion of her singing that felt wrong,” Miranda said. So instead, Miranda decided the film needed the song to be a nature metaphor. The music works in tandem with Abuela’s emotional story when added to the scene. Though Miranda didn’t necessarily write the song with the intention that Pedro is singing it in Encanto, knowing Pedro is a writer makes it a little more believable that he’s behind the vocals.

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Bill Bradley
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Bill is an experienced reporter who’s covered entertainment and fandom since 2014. He’s done everything from unearthing the discarded Game of Thrones pilot script in a library in Texas to finding out why Steve left Blue’s Clues. He also enjoys eating Taco Bell and drinking chocolate milk.

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