All 5 New Emotions In Inside Out 2 Explained (2024)

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 Out2 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-hairedorange 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 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. 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.

3 Ennui

Voiced By Adèle Exarchopoulos

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.

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. However, while Anxiety is eager to leave Riley's old friends behind, Embarrassment quietly recognizes that these changes aren't good for her.

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.

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.

Inside Out 2

Adventure

Comedy

Animation

Inside Out 2 is the sequel to the 2015 original film, which starred a young girl named Riley with a head full of emotions. - literally. With Amy Pohler as Joy, Bill Hader as fear, Mindy Kaling as Disgust, Phyllis Smith as Sadness, and Lewis Black as Anger, the all-star cast brought to life the emotions that adolescents face as they grow, change, and adapt to new situations. This sequel, currently in development, will bring Amy Pohler back as Joy, with Riley, now a teenager.

Director

Kelsey Mann

Release Date

June 14, 2024

Studio(s)

Disney

Distributor(s)

Disney

Writers

Meg LeFauve

Cast

Amy Poehler , Tony Hale , Maya Hawke , Liza Lapira , Lewis Black , Phyllis Smith , Diane Lane

Franchise(s)

Disney

prequel(s)

Inside Out