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Pixar has introduced several new emotions for Inside Out 2. Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust, and Fear will have to share their home in headquarters with a whole new crew of feelings, each of which means important lessons for the group to cope with. As demonstrated in the first Inside Out film, certain emotions come with some growing pains, especially for those that come lumped together with the big, bad, and terrifying puberty.
Pixar's 2024 movie Inside Out 2 sees the dreaded "Puberty Alarm" inside Riley's head start to go off, and a team of construction cells comes in to tear everything in headquarters to pieces. When the dust settles, Joy and the rest of the gang are confronted by a brand new emotion, who promises that others are on the way. This new team of nuanced emotions quickly takes charge, forcing Joy and the others into the darkest vaults of Riley's mind. So, while the central crew works on getting back to headquarters, the new emotions of Inside Out 2 run the show.
5 Anxiety
Voiced By Maya Hawke
Riley's new storyline in Inside Out 2 begins after headquarters had been thoroughly demolished, and a wild-eyed and wild-haired orange emotion introduces themselves to the group as Anxiety. This is a fitting first new character following the start of puberty since this stage in an adolescent's life is typically full of the unknown, and worrying about the outcome of this is a staple of growing into an adult. Anxiety shared their desire to make a great first impression, foreshadowing the sorts of worries this new character will bring to Riley's story.
Anxiety shared their desire to make a great first impression, foreshadowing the sorts of worries this new character will bring to Riley's story.
Anxiety leads something of a mutiny against Joy and the other emotions in Inside Out 2. Determining that it's time to worry about Riley's future, Anxiety forces Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger, and Disgust into a jar, officially dubbing them "suppressed emotions." So, despite her adorable and frazzled appearance, Anxiety is something of an antagonist in Inside Out 2.
4 Envy
Voiced By Ayo Edebiri
The Bear's Ayo Edebiri has joined the voice cast of Inside Out 2 as Envy. The adorable teal character is a little different from what is typically pictured when considering this feeling. Rather than raging and burning envy, this new emotion covets things in a small, insecure sort of way. However, of all the new Inside Out 2 emotions, Envy does feel like the elast fleshed-out compared to the likes of Anxiety or Embarassment, as she's not as easily identifiable as her counterparts.
This is pretty fitting for puberty, and Inside Out 2 sees Riley wanting to be more like the cool teenagers at hockey camp. Envy is the root cause of this behavior in the Pixar sequel, motivating Anxiety to do all she can to secure a successful future for Riley. As an emotion, Envy works as the perfect partner for Anxiety as an antagonist, since jealousy is often a driver behind anxiety-based decision making.
3 Ennui
The name Ennui certainly throws the Inside Out emotions for a loop, but thankfully, the character is there to condescendingly tell them what it means. A fancy word for boredom, Ennui, voiced by French actor Adèle Exarchopoulos (Wingwoman), is responsible for the teenage apathy that is new to Riley's character in Inside Out 2.
Ennui adds the sarcasm and the general above-it-all behavior that Riley takes on to impress her older friends at hockey camp. Ennui may not be the most directly involved in the plot of Inside Out 2, but she is one of the funniest new emotions. She spends almost the entire movie lounging on a couch, and controls the dashboard that links the emotions to Riley through a phone app.
2 Embarrassment
Voiced By Paul Walter Hauser
A somewhat more lovable addition to Riley's head in Inside Out 2 is Embarrassment, voiced by Paul Walter Hauser (Orion and the Dark). This "Big Fella" prefers to hide behind his drawn-up hood in Inside Out 2. Once again, Embarrassment is the perfect addition to a puberty-addled brain, as Riley develops a great deal of shame as she fumbles through her interactions with her older and cooler hockey teammates.
Inside Out 2 (2024) has been nominated for the Golden Trailer Award for Best Animation/Family and the Astra Midseason Award for Best Supporting Actress for Maya Hawke
However, while Anxiety is eager to leave Riley's old friends behind, Embarrassment quietly recognizes that these changes aren't good for her. Embarassment is perhaps the most lovable of all Riley's new emotions in Inside Out 2. He's never comfortable in his own skin, even when he's just saved the day. What's more, Sadness shamelessly flirting with him throughout the movie definitely adds to the comedy of Inside Out 2.
1 Nostalgia
Voiced By June Squibb
Nostalgia, voiced by the iconic June Squibb, is an occasional visitor to Riley's mind in Inside Out 2. She first appears shortly after the other new emotions introduce themselves, and she fondly reminisces about the time everyone finally got to come up to headquarters (just a couple of moments before). Anxiety forces Nostalgia back into the other room, noting that Nostalgia was a little early and should return in about 10 years. Overall, this foreshadows the fact that, as Riley grows, even more new emotions will work their way up to headquarters as they are needed.
Overall, this foreshadows the fact that, as Riley grows, even more new emotions will work their way up to headquarters as they are needed.
In all, Inside Out 2's ending perfectly explores how all the new, confusing feelings of puberty affect the mind. The adorable and colorful personified emotions allow audiences, young and old, to see their own feelings in a different light, encouraging self-compassion and understanding in a fresh and fun way. Perhaps future installments in the Pixar movie franchise will see even more quirky emotion characters come into play. However, for now, Inside Out 2's five new characters create quite a crowded mind for 13-year-old Riley.
The New Emotions Were Crucial To The Success Of Inside Out 2
Inside Out 2 was a box-office win for Pixar and Disney, being the highest-grossing movie the partnership has put out in several years. The sequel to Inside Out grossed over $1.5 billion worldwide (via Box Office Mojo) making it the highest-grossing animated movie of all time. This may seem unsurprising given how beloved the original was, but even for Pixar and Disney, sequels and spinoffs do not guarantee success (as 2022's Lightyear proved).
The new emotions in Inside Out 2 were absolutely essential for the film's dominance of the box-office. Firstly, the news that the next Inside Out movie would have new emotions was enough to draw early intrigue. The way the first film personified Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust, and Fear was a huge reason for the success of Inside Out, and audiences were keen to see how Inside Out 2 would handle new additions to the roster.
The fact these emotions were also tied to Riley hitting puberty was, of course, a factor, as few times of life offer the potential comedic goldmine for Inside Out's concept as adolescence. However, the specific emotions Pixar opted for (especially Anxiety) were also an essential part of the appeal, as they drew no shortage of interest. The fact the new emotions in Inside Out 2 were just as endearing as viewers hoped sealed the proverbial deal as far as the box-office was concerned, as it took no time at all for word to spread on social media that it was a must-watch movie of 2024 thanks to the additional characters.
Inside Out 2 Is One Of Pixar's Best Sequels Because Of The New Emotions
While the promise of the new characters in Inside Out 2 helped ensure audiences would head out to theaters to watch it instead of waiting for it to arrive on Disney+, it was the role they played in the narrative that cemented the sequel to Inside Out as one of the best follow-ups to an original Pixar film since Toy Story 2. The plot of Inside Out 2 was never certain beyond that it would continue the popular idea of personifying the feelings of a teenage girl. There was every chance that, without a solid story, Inside Out 2 could have flopped. However, the new emotions ensured this wasn't the case.
Having Joy fighting to take back control of Riley from Anxiety was, in no uncertain terms, brilliant. It was also a scenario that anyone who suffers or has suffered from anxiety could relate to. The new emotions ensured that Inside Out 2 was a memorable story in its own right, rather than Disney and Pixar simply trying to extend a popular premise with a substandard narrative. Anxiety provided an antagonist, something Inside Out arguably lacked.
However, she was also perfect for the role because she was relatable. Even when she was doing bad it was for well-meaning reasons. The culmination of these events, which were Riley having a panic attack, were also incredibly relatable. The other new characters also had their place, providing comic relief and a more nuanced view of human emotions (especially after childhood). All in all, the new Inside Out feelings helped secure Inside Out 2 as a sequel that may even be remembered more fondly than the original.
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