Every Subtle Encanto Detail & Secret Explained By The Directors

Disney’s Encanto is chock full of small details and Easter eggs that can be easy to miss;  however, the animated movie’s directors have graciously confirmed — and debunked — many fan theories. Directed by Jared Bush, Byron Howard, and Charise Castro Smith with music by Lin Manuel-Miranda, the Colombian-inspired film won over audiences with its loveable characters and the relatable storyline surrounding generational trauma. With each rewatch of the animation, there are more and more details for fans to discover — and the directors have been happy to confirm or deny many of them.

Encanto tells the story of the incredible family Madrigal, a matriarchal family that has been blessed with a miracle. Magic flows from the candle that rests in the window of their Casita, a magical home that takes care of their every need. At the age of five, each member of the Madrigal family is given their own gift: a magical power bestowed on them by the “miracle.” When Mirabel is denied a gift on her fifth birthday, it leaves her feeling isolated from the rest of her family. When their magic begins to fail, however, it’s up to Mirabel to save it and her family.

Since its release in November 2021, Encanto has become a global phenomenon. The film’s release on Disney+ only furthered its popularity, allowing one song — “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” — to top the Billboard Charts and go platinum, along with “Surface Pressure.” The movie has produced multiple TikTok trends, endless fanart and cosplays, and unending love from those who felt represented by this diverse cast.

Pedro Died The Day The Triplets Were Born

The loss of Abuelo Pedro Madrigal in Encanto is the event that kicked off the family miracle. While it was implied that Pedro died when the triplets were very young, Bush revealed in a tweet that his loss was more heartbreaking than it seemed on the surface: the day Pedro sacrificed himself to save his family was the very day their triplets were born.

Dolores Fed Isabela Fake Information

Ahead of Isabela’s engagement, the family is gathered around the table discussing the impending nuptials; however, the information Dolores relayed may not have been entirely factual. Using her gift, Dolores tells Isabela that Mariano was going to propose that evening and that he wanted five babies, all to Isabela’s horror. However, Bush has confirmed the fan theory that Dolores is lying; her side glance reveals this information isn’t entirely — or perhaps even partially — true. It seems Dolores’s jealousy got in the way as she purposefully fed her cousin false information.

Mirabel’s Age, Birthday, & Height

As fans have come to know and love Encanto’s Mirabel, Jared Bush has been slowly sharing more information about our beloved protagonist. At 15, Mirabel is the youngest of her sisters (Isabela being 21 and Luisa being 19). Her birthday falls on March 6, and she is only 5’2″. Her mother, on the other hand, is the eldest of the triplets; followed by Pepa, then Bruno.

The Miracle Candle Is Abuela & Pedro’s Wedding Candle

The miracle candle that provides magic to the family Madrigal has shined since their miracle was gifted to them decades ago. To make the candle even more bittersweet, however, Bush reveals that the miracle candle was Alma and Pedro’s wedding candle; this gives the candle an even greater significance while further explaining how Pedro’s love could have sparked a miracle inside this candle, as it signified the creation of their family.

Agustin Doesn’t Sing In “We Don’t Talk About Bruno”

“We Don’t Talk About Bruno” reveals details about more characters than just Bruno. While the rest of the family sings and dances in sync, Agustín can be spotted in the background dancing along; however, he isn’t singing. Bush confirmed that only those Mirabel asked about Bruno are singing in this scene. Agustín likes to be included with the Madrigal family and support his daughter, and he simply did his best to follow along.

Agustin’s Clothes Represent His Daughters

Agustín is a fountain of support for his three daughters — this much is evident in every part of his character, down to his clothing. Bush broke down Agustín’s appearance on Twitter, pointing out the flower in his vest for Isabela, and the patterns on each of his socks that match Luisa and Mirabel’s respective symbols.

The First Encanto Teaser Hinted At Bruno’s Visions

Bush has revealed that one of his favorite Easter eggs in Encanto was actually in the very first animation. In the first Encanto teaser, fans can spot a green glow spilling from the window of Bruno’s tower — a little hint at the visions he was receiving inside.

The Madrigals Have Never Left Their Village

The gifts given to the Madrigal family have helped them to maintain both Casita and their surrounding village. However, when one fan asked whether or not their gifts would work outside their village, Bush admitted that the family doesn’t know — they’ve never tried to leave their village. Knowing Abuela’s protective grip on the family, this little detail isn’t much of a surprise at all.

Abuela’s Room In The Casita Is A Replica Of Her Lost Home

As each family member steps into their gift, Casita gifts them their own room that reflects their ability — Antonio’s jungle provides his animals a place to roam, Bruno’s room gives him space to receive his visions, and Isabela’s room is as prim and proper as she is. Abuela’s room, however, is the most heartwarming of all: it modeled itself after the home Alma & Pedro had to leave behind.

Camilo Doesn’t Take On His Family’s Gifts

When Camilo’s gift of shapeshifting was revealed, fans quickly began to theorize that his shifting allowed him to take on the gifts of his family members. Bush quickly stepped in to debunk this theory, declaring that Camilo’s shapeshifting doesn’t include their powers; however, he could benefit from things such as Luisa’s natural strength while taking on her form. There was even an early version of Camilo that took on another form 24/7, resulting in his family not recognizing him when the loss of their magic returned him to his default state.

The Madrigal Gifts Are Based On Their Personalities

The lore surrounding the family Madrigal’s gifts is fascinating, so it’s no surprise that many fan theories revolve around this central concept. Fans threw out many theories involving how gifts are chosen — if they’re random, if Abuela assigns them, or they’re assigned by some other means. Jared Bush revealed that these gifts aren’t random at all; they’re assigned to each member based on personality traits and innate abilities they already possess.

One Camilo Line Is A Wink To Moana’s Maui

In one of Encanto’s Easter eggs, Camilo gives a subtle nod to Maui from Moana. When Camilo attempted to shift into Dolores in order to take a second serving of food, he replies with a casual “worth a shot” once he’s caught. This line is a call back to Maui, who used the same line after attempting to toss her into the ocean. While Bush claimed they tried not to make too many references to other Disney movies, the line is a shout-out to the Kandell brothers, who wrote Maui’s original line.

“Waiting On A Miracle” Is Out Of Rhythm With Every Other Song

The Encanto song “Waiting on a Miracle” is an emotional song from Mirabel, who feels she has been separated from her family for her entire life. This is represented in more than just her words; even the song’s tempo is different than the rest of the album, highlighting how isolated and alienated Mirabel feels from her family. Director Byron Howard revealed in an interview (via Empire Magazine) that the song’s tempo — Colombian three-quarter style called “bambuco” — was designed to highlight this feeling of separation.

Mirabel Didn’t “Wipe-Off” Her Magic

Only popular Encanto theory surrounding Mirabel’s lack of a gift surrounded one small detail in her gift ceremony: after touching the miracle candle, Mirabel wiped her hand off on her skirt before touching the doorknob. Many fans began to wonder if this action “wiped off” the magic from the miracle candle, denying her of her gift — but Bush jumped in to deny this theory. The director explained the action as a simple character trait — a small nervous habit, not the cruel twist of fate that fans conjured up.

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