Jungle Cruise: The 10 Best Characters In The Movie

Disney’s adventurous Jungle Cruise sails into theaters Friday, July 30th, 2021. Based on the popular theme park ride of the same name, the film has drawn middling reviews so far. However, one of the biggest plaudits of the film, so far, includes its stellar ensemble cast who plays a range of fun, lively characters.

While Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt lead the epic voyage to find the sacred Tree of Life Flower, the film also includes several memorable characters, some of which have even made Disney movie history.

10 Trader Sam

Fans of the Disney World theme park attraction are sure to recognize the name Trader Sam, the iconic figure who appears in several attractions including Jungle Cruise, Main Street Cinema, Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto, and more. In the film, Trader Sam is a fierce warrior chieftain who leads the tribe protecting the Tree of Life.

While the character has been portrayed as a man in the past, the film reimagines Trader Sam (played by Veronica Falcón) as a strong-willed woman in charge of her tribe. The character is extremely important in the way it’s reimagined and pokes fun of colonial stereotypes.

9 Sancho & Melchor

Alone, they aren’t much to speak of. Together, however, the minor characters Sancho (Dani Rovira) and Melchor (Quim Gutierrez) comprise one half-decent antagonist on a dogged quest to procure the Tears of the Moon in the Amazon, and they add a menacing dose of excitement to the mix.

While the two armed conquistadors mainly provide inept challenges for Frank and Lily to triumph over time and again, the ruthless baddies add thrilling chases through elaborate sets and help to clearly establish who to root for and who to cheer against.

8 Anna

As one of the few children in the film, Anna (Simone Lockhart) is a minor-key character who reminds the audience how perilous the jungle is for youngsters. The vulnerability Anna shows in the face of danger while searching for the Tree of Life helps ratchet up the tension and suspense and reinforce the terror of the natural environment.

While Anna helps foster more fear and draw appeal from the younger crowd, her character doesn’t enjoy all that much screen time. Still, her stone-faced rebuke of Frank’s “backside of water” joke remains a standout moment.

7 James Hobbs-Coddington

While he is a minor character who does not add much to the plot of the film, Sir James Hobbs-Coddington (Andy Nyman) lends a regal air of British aristocracy that underscores how valuable finding the Tree of Life is to even the most affluent people in the world.

Moreover, Hobbs-Coddington provides a characteristic counterpoint for Lily and McGregor, showing two vastly different sides of the British backgrounds from which each character hails. His character provides context for the other more important main characters in the film.

6 Prince Joachim

The award for the over-the-top scene-stealing goes to Jesse Plemons, who plays the wildly unhinged Prince Joachim, an unscrupulous German aristocrat who pays for and leads a military voyage into the Amazon to find the Tree of Life.

As the main villain in the film, Prince Joachim adds the requisite terror and unpredictable guile to become an apt foil for Frank and Lily. Plemons has a blast playing the thick-accented and mustachioed madman who wants to keep the Tears of the Moon all to himself. Without his violent opposition, the film would be less exciting.

5 Nilo Nemolato

Other than Plemons, no actor in Jungle Cruise appears to be having more fun than Paul Giamatti, playing the salty Italian harbormaster, Nilo Nemolato. Armed with a thick accent, a pet toucan on his shoulder, and far too fancy a wardrobe for the jungle, Nilo operates the harbor where Frank’s boat is docked.

Giamatti seems to have a blast in the film as the crabby Nilo, who threatens to monopolize tour guides in the area and put Frank out of business. He provides genuine humor and as well as a moral quandary that increases the dramatic stakes of the story.

4 Aguirre

Edgar Ramirez plays one of the scariest characters in Jungle Cruise as Aguirre, a cool but ruthless mercenary who agrees to lead a rival riverboat full of unsavory characters through the jungle in search of the Tree of Life.

As one of the chief bad guys in the film out to thwart Lily’s quest, Aguirre provides the necessary dramatic conflict to make Frank and Lily’s heroism truly resonate in the end. No stranger to playing frightening villains, Ramirez sells the role of a supernatural Spanish conquistador with a sinister scariness that goes a long way in gripping the audience.

3 McGregor Houghton

In Disney’s first coming out scene, McGregor Houghton’s (Jack Whitehall) importance as a character extends beyond the big screen. In the film, McGregor is Lily’s younger brother and high-maintenance assistant who wants no part of the journey through the jungle.

Aside from the importance of LGBTQ+ representation, McGregor provides several laughs in the film, mainly relating to his over-packed luggage and lack of preparation for the perils of the Amazon. Whitehall steals scenes throughout the film as one of the most colorful and sympathetic characters.

2 Lily Houghton

As the female lead of the film, Dr. Lily Houghton (Emily Blunt) is clearly one of the best characters in the movie. The British botanist is full of idiosyncratic quirks and an adventurous spirit that makes her an ideal companion for Frank, even if her brother McGregor isn’t always up to the task.

After a great heist scene that introduces Lily and demonstrates her capabilities, Lily continues to show her character by launching hilarious barbs at Frank while evading danger and searching for the Tree of Life. Blunt owns the role with seamless ease, fully immersing herself in the shoes of a scientist whose admirable virtues match her lovable eccentricities.

1 Frank Wolff

Dwayne Johnson brings his trademark machismo and charisma to the role of Frank Wolff, the jaded but wizened steamboat captain in charge of transporting the Houghton siblings through the heart of the jungle to find the Tree of Life. As the male protagonist, Wolff’s magnetic appeal comes from his status as a reluctant hero who is far more than capable than he lets on.

Moreover, the hilarious zingers and waggish interplay between Frank and Lily make the movie far more entertaining than a typical action-adventure film. Wolff’s surprise singing, guitar playing, and silly puns add dimension to the big lug with a heart of gold.