15 amazing tiny details in Encanto you might've missed

13 January 2022, 17:28

Watch Disney’s Encanto trailer

By Katie Louise Smith

From the Madrigal's outfits to the tiny moments you'll have only noticed if you were watching very closely.

Disney's latest masterpiece Encanto, which has already picked up Best Animated Film at the 2022 Golden Globes, has taken the internet by storm. Viewers have fallen in love with the characters, the soundtrack is blowing up in the charts, and people are already dying for a sequel.

Whether you've just had your first watch or you're on fourteenth, you're probably still discovering so many incredible, small and/or hidden details that you missed the first time around. The entire film is packed with them.

From the Madrigal's outfits and the Disney references to the tiny moments you'll have only noticed if you were watching very closely, here's all the amazing details that you might've missed in Encanto on your first viewing.

READ MORE: Encanto's 'We Don't Talk About Bruno' won't be nominated for an Oscar

1) Mirabel sings in 3/4 while the rest of her family sing in 4/4 to show she's not quite on the same rhythm as them.

'Waiting on a Miracle', which is sung by Mirabel, is written in a 3/4 time signature, while the rest are in 4/4. Lin-Manuel Miranda explained to The Washington Post that that was done to show that Mirabel is in a “different rhythmic universe than the rest of her family”. It was also inspired by local Colombian musicians during a research trip.

2) The Madrigal family's outfits all reference their powers.

One of the best things about Encanto is the attention to detail on everyone's outfits. While it's not necessarily hidden, the small details might have passed you by on your first watch. Each of the magical Madrigal family members have patterns that signify their gifts.

Abuela's design refers to the mountains, Julieta's dress features a mortar and pestle and Pepa's outfit includes sun symbols. Isabela, Luisa and Dolores' dresses all feature symbols of their powers too, with flowers, weights and sound waves featuring on the designs. The clothing of Camilo features chameleons while Antonio's is embroidered with animals. Even Bruno's Ruana has hourglass symbols on it.

3) In contrast, Mirabel's dress contains nods to each of her family members.

While Mirabel doesn't technically have a gift like her family members, her connection to them is shown in her own outfit.

The Madrigal family candle is embroidered on Mirabel's skirt, signalling a key connection between Abuela, the family and all their gifts. Small embroidered images of flowers (Isabela), a chameleon (Camilo), a hand lifting a weight (Luisa) and a sun, a rainbow and a cloud (Pepa) and a tiger and a toucan (Antonio) are all visible on Mirabel's outfit too.

The details were also shared on Instagram by Encanto's Lead Costume designer Neysa Bove.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Neysa Bove💕🌴🍕 (@neysabove)

4) Even Agustín's outfit honours his three daughters.

The small details on Agustín's outfit include a flower for Isabela, and then two mismatched socks with one pattern representing Luisa and the other representing Mirabel.

5) Each of the Madrigals have their own named patterned plate – including Bruno who carved his own into the table behind the family tree.

Each of the plates all include the family's personal gift symbols, as well as the candle on Abuela's plate. Mirabel, Agustín and Felix all have the same plate design, because they have no powers.

6) Speaking of the family tree, Bruno's image is faded on the tree for a sad reason.

The fading not only represents Bruno's (metaphorical) distance from the Madrigal family, it also hints that no one really bothered to retouch his image on the tree either. They literally just didn't repaint him, while each of the other members of the family are in bright and bold colours.

7) 'Bruno' can be seen creeping around the casita during 'We Don't Talk About Bruno'.

You've definitely already seen this one. During Dolores' iconic verse in the movie's best song, a shadowy figure is seen scurrying on the balcony in the casita and bopping its head along to the song. Fans are debating whether it's Bruno himself or simply just Camilo shapeshifting. Director Jared Bush has yet to confirm who it is because he liked "the debate too much to answer!"

8) Bruno is also hiding in the background of the poster too.

Did you manage to spot him at first?

9) Dolores covers her ears when everyone cheers and fireworks go off...

The small detail can be seen just after Antonio's gift is revealed.

10) And she also claps with her fingers because her hearing is sensitive.

You probably wouldn't have noticed this tiny, tiny detail either unless you were paying very close attention.

11) Abuela's bedroom in the casita is a replica of the one she shared with Pedro.

Responding to a fan on Twitter, director Jared Bush confirmed that "Abuela’s room is very emotionally specific though we only see it for a short time." In reply to another fan who pointed out that the rooms were the same, he said, "someone is paying attention."

The floor pattern, the bed and the window placement are all the same.

12) Agustín doesn't sit next to or opposite Julieta at the dinner table after he finds out about Mirabel's secret.

Earlier in the film, we can see the couple sitting near each other, but they're at completely opposite ends of the table after he discovers Mirabel's secret. Director Jared Bush addressed the details spotted by a fan: "Agustín hiding that big secret and he knows if he was sitting next to Julieta she’d get it out of him in one second."

13) Antonio's gift is hinted at a few times before he finally receives it at his door ceremony.

The Madrigal's gifts aren't actually random, they're born from their own personal personalities, traits and passions. There's a few small toucan and tiger details are scattered around before we find out Antonio's official gift, including the details on Mirabel's dress, Antonio's dinner plate and on the gift box that Mirabel gives him before his ceremony.

14) Bruno grows a plant in a boot just like Wall-E.

There's several obvious Disney references in the film, including Bruno's 'Let It Go' lyric, but it's the subtle reference to the plant growing in the boot that you might have missed.

15) There's a fun musical reference to Lin-Manuel Miranda's 'In The Heights'.

Fans of In The Heights will have no doubt recognised a moment in Encanto's 'Welcome To The Family Madrigal' that's pretty similar to a moment in 'It Won't Be Long Now'. As people around Mirabel are singing her name repeatedly, Abuela shouts 'Mirabel' and everything stops. A very similar moment happens with Vanessa in 'It Won't Be Long Now'. We love a Lin-Manuel Miranda musical reference!

Oh, and if you hadn't already realised... Olga Merediz, who played Abuela Claudia is In The Heights in both the stage and film versions, also provides the singing voice for Abuela Alma in Encanto.

Did you spot any more small but brilliant details in Encanto? Let us know in the comments!

Read more about Encanto here:

• What is Mirabel's gift in Encanto? All the family Madrigal's powers explained
• Encanto fans spot incredible Easter Eggs on Mirabel's dress
• 2-year-old boy reacting to 'twin' Encanto character proves why representation matters

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