Family trees and dynamics can be tricky for an outsider to learn, especially in large families. In Encanto, audience members are quickly introduced to the extended magical Madrigal family of Colombia. It can take a couple of viewings to get them, their powers, ages and roles in the family all straight — there are twelve main characters after all! Composer Lin-Manuel Miranda breaks it down in the opening number The Family Madrigal but, in his typical style, it goes by fast, so here is all you need to know about the family Madrigal.
The Family Madigral
The Patriarch Abuelo Pedro and The Matriarch Abuela Alma
Abuelo Pedro met Abuela Alma at the Day of the Little Candles holiday celebration and the rest, as they say, is history. They got married, had triplets named Julieta, Pepa, and Bruno, and were on the path to live happily ever after until conquerors came to their village forcing them to flee with their young children. Musical Director Jared Bush has revealed on Twitter that when Abuelo Pedro crossed the river and died, he was the same age as singer Sebastían Yatra who recorded the song Dos Oruguitas for the film. This means Abeulo Pedro was 26 years old when he passed away leaving Abuela Alma a young widow with three babies to take care of. Luckily, her candle would grant her family magical powers to see them through. If Abuelo Pedro and Abuela Alma were around the same age, this would make her around 75 years old during the main plot of the film. Abuela Alma does not have magical abilities of her own but oversees the family with a stern eye.
Julieta and Agustín
One of the triplets, Julieta, has the power to heal through food. She married Agustín and had three children of her own: Isabella, Luisa, and Mirabel. Bush has stated on Twitter that Julieta is the oldest of the triplets, which is why she takes on such a mothering role not only in her family but also in the village. Since it has been about 50 years since the miracle, it can be inferred that the triplets are also around that age. Her husband Agustín is a couple of years younger than her, which is seen in his clumsy nature. Since he married into the family he does not have any magical powers of his own.
Isabella
The eldest daughter of Julieta and Agustín is practically perfect in every way, which audiences discover is both a blessing and a heavy burden to carry. Her gift is her ability to grow beautiful plants and flowers. Luckily she learns in the film that perfection is not all it is cracked up to be. She is 21 years old, the same age as her cousin Dolores.
Luisa
The middle child of Julieta and Agustín puts enormous pressure on herself to be strong both physically and mentally for her family and her village. Her power is her super-strength, but it is lonely always having to be the strong one as audiences learn in her song Surface Pressure. Luisa is 19 years old.
Mirabel
The youngest child of Julieta and Agustín unintentionally caused controversy when she was not awarded a power. But never fear: as the protagonist in Encanto she plays a pivotal role in saving the family’s magic. According to Bush, she is 15 years old, just a couple of months younger than her cousin Camilo.
Pepa and Félix
The middle triplet is Pepa, and she is the most emotional of the three. Her emotional state can impact her power, which is controlling the weather. She married Félix and had three children: Dolores, Camilo, and Antonio. Like Julieta, she is around 50 years old.
Félix is a bit older than Pepa, most likely in his early to mid-50s which is why he is more mellow and balances out her more emotional attitude. Like Agustín, he does not have powers because he married into the family.
Dolores
Shhh. Don’t make a sound. Especially if you do not want anyone to know. The oldest child of Pepa and Félix, Dolores’ power is superhuman hearing. This makes her quiet, shy, and reserved. This is compounded by the fact that she is also 21 years old like her perfect cousin Isabella. Dolores is overshadowed by Isabella, but during the events of Encanto she learns to use her voice and pursue her own path.
Camilo
Camilo is 15 years old and can shapeshift, taking on other people’s identities and appearances. He is barely older than his cousin Mirabel which is why it was so strange that she was not awarded a power.
Antonio
The youngest member of the family is 5-year-old Antonio. He is next in line to receive his powers and the family is nervous because the last time with Mirabel did not go well. Luckily his power, being able to talk to animals, really comes in handy during the events of Encanto.
Bruno
We will talk about Bruno here. The youngest of the triplets, his power of clairvoyance causes many people to avoid him so he cannot predict anything bad will happen to them. This causes him to become the black sheep of the family and run away — sort of. Like the other triplets, he is around 50 years old.
As Mirabel sang, although “it sounds a bit fantastical and magical, now you know the Family Madrigal.”