15 Best Original Movie Characters Of 2016
9. Judy Hopps - Zootopia
In recent years, Disney has a tendency to shoot for bubbly female protagonists in their animated films. See Ana from Frozen, Rapunzel from Tangled, and another character who'll show up later in this list. When she first appears in Zootopia, Judy Hopps, a bunny eager to become a police officer, seems like she fits the trope a little too well.
However, to the credit of the film, Zootopia throws this shamelessly optimistic heroine into a cynical and morally gray world that forces her to realize that being a police officer is not as glamorous as it would seem. And while the plot itself turns out to be a little contrived toward the end, Judy is the anchor that keeps us from completely checking out toward the third act.
Every buddy cop film lives and dies on the chemistry of its leads, and Judy has an excellent partner in Nick Wilde. While she is the emotional core of the film, her chemistry with the fox con artist is one of the most legitimately enjoyable movie duos in years. It is hard not to smile while watching this character.