The actor who provides the voice of Mirabel in Encanto is a renowned talent (who has played other iconic roles in both live-action projects and other animation). Encanto is one of Disney’s biggest animated hits in of both its critical reception and the response from audiences. As the story of a quirky teenager whose family has been gifted supernatural powers that she doesn’t possess, Encanto looks at transgenerational trauma through the lens of magical realism. Mirabel made a deep connection with viewers and quickly became a cultural icon - and that was thanks to them casting the perfect voice actor, who brought this character to life.
Mirabel is a sweet, sensitive 15-year-old girl and the only member of the Madrigal family with no magical power. Throughout the plot of Encanto, Mirabel takes on the task of saving the family’s magic when their powers start to fade and their miraculous gift is threatened. She proves that she doesn’t need magical abilities to be a hero. Everyone in the audience can see themselves in Mirabel because she’s a relatable figure. A big part of that relatability comes from the depth and humanity of the voice actor’s performance.
Stephanie Beatriz Voices Mirabel In Encanto
Mirabel is voiced by Stephanie Beatriz in Encanto. Noemi Josefina Flores voices the character at age five when she’s denied a magical gift, but Beatriz takes over the role from that point on. Being the only unexceptional member of her family makes Mirabel universally relatable. Usually, supernatural stories are about one character having a magical gift that no one else possesses. Encanto subverts this formula on its head: everyone has a superpower except for the hero. What makes Mirabel special is that her magic comes from within; instead of being born with a gift, she gives herself the gift of courage and heroism.
Beatriz’s vocal performance as Mirabel was widely praised by critics as one of the best parts of Encanto. She plays the part with such sincerity that the qualities that make Mirabel so identifiable – her awkwardness, her vulnerability, her self-doubt – ring true. Beatriz brings her signature wit to Mirabel’s self-deprecating put-downs and beautifully captures her transformation from her timid beginnings to becoming a more self-assured person. Making Mirabel likable was key to the success of Encanto, and Beatriz takes audiences along on that journey. As the underdog of the Madrigal family, Mirabel is easy to root for.
Beatriz Is Most Famous For Her Role On Brooklyn Nine-Nine
The most iconic role of Beatriz’s career, besides Mirabel in Encanto, is Rosa Diaz in Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Rosa is one of the most competent and intimidating detectives at the 99th NYPD Precinct in Brooklyn. Throughout all eight seasons of the series, Rosa was one of Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s funniest characters. During the show’s run, Beatriz won two Gracie Awards and one Imagen Award for her turn as Rosa. Rosa was the breakthrough role of Beatriz’s career; the performance that finally made her a star. The boost that Brooklyn Nine-Nine gave the actor led to a lot more offers and opportunities in show business, including the chance to play Mirabel in Encanto.
Unlike Mirabel in Encanto, Rosa is fiercely independent and doesn’t seek anyone else’s approval. Rosa doesn’t need magical powers; her brawn and quick wits are all she needs to be a great cop. Whereas Mirabel freely expresses her emotions, Rosa hides them. She only allows her inner feelings to show when she’s around deeply trusted friends like Terry and Amy – and even then, she does her best to mask them. Mirabel is a sharer, but Rosa values privacy above everything else. As far as Rosa is concerned, the less her co-workers know about her personal life, the better.
Beatriz Has Lots Of Experience In Voice Acting
Mirabel in Encanto is a well-known and high-profile animated role on Beatriz’s résumé, but it’s far from the only voice work the actor has done. Beatriz has become a staple of animated projects, because her moving, lifelike vocal performances can bring cartoon characters to life. Her voice can be heard in 2019's The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part as General Sweet Mayhem, a Lego mini-doll who is the commander of an intergalactic naval fleet headed by the Systar System Armed Forces. Beatriz also voiced Batwoman in DC’s 2022 direct-to-video animated feature Catwoman: Hunted and dromaeosaur Gertie, the daughter of Nick Offerman’s character Gavin in 2016's Ice Age: Collision Course.
She doesn’t always lend her voice to family-friendly fare like Encanto and Ice Age: Collision Course; Beatriz also played Gina Cazador in Netflix’s dark comedy series BoJack Horseman. BoJack’s Philbert co-star and later his love interest, Gina became a major character in season 5. As BoJack continued to struggle with substance misuse, Gina found herself on the receiving end of some of his most reprehensible behavior. In Beatriz’s hands, these scenes felt painfully real. Like Mirabel, Gina is a strong character who stands up for herself. Unlike the neurotic, self-effacing protagonist of Encanto, Gina is cool and laid-back, but she’s also jaded from spending years in the cutthroat entertainment industry.
Beatriz’s animated TV characters include recurring roles like Lady Kima in The Legend of Vox Machina, Sheriff Luke and Captain Banjo in Danger & Eggs, Gosalyn Waddlemeyer in DuckTales, Enrique in Central Park, Tiff in Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous, and the head demon in Devil May Care. She’s also played guest roles like Hasta Mia in Axe Cop, a hostess in Family Guy, Chardonnay in American Dad!, and Blanca Guzman in The Casagrandes. She also played various roles in Robot Chicken, Wizards: Tales of Arcadia, and Bob’s Burgers, including Regular Sized Rudy’s love interest Chloe Barbash, who also appeared in the show’s movie adaptation.
Beatriz Starred In Another Lin-Manuel Miranda Musical, In The Heights
In the same year that Beatriz starred in Encanto as Mirabel, she also appeared in the ing role of Carla in In the Heights. In both cases, she was tasked with singing the songs of Lin-Manuel Miranda. Miranda wrote original songs for Encanto, including the chart-topping “We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” and previously penned the Broadway musical that served as the basis for Jon M. Chu’s movie version of In the Heights. Just like in the musical, Carla is a scene-stealing ing player who works at a beauty salon with Daniela and Cuca.
Carla is much more outgoing than Mirabel, but the two characters have a lot in common. They’re both friendly, kind-hearted, and they both care deeply about their families. However, the In the Heights movie makes a slight change to Carla’s character. Whereas the musical implies that Carla and Daniela are just friends, the movie depicts them in a romantic relationship. This detail ties into the positive LGBTQ+ representation of many of Beatriz’s characters, like Rosa. Although Mirabel’s sexuality isn’t explicitly stated in Encanto, she has also become a LGBTQ+ icon, with Beatriz having observed how Mirabel's "desire to be [...] loved for who she is" could resonate with many individuals (via Vulture).
Source: Vulture
