The Definitive List Of Every Emotion In Inside Out 2: New Characters, Voice Actors, And Their Role In Riley's Teenage Mind

The landscape of Riley’s mind has fundamentally changed. As of the monumental release of Inside Out 2 in June 2024, the Headquarters of her brain is no longer the cozy, five-person operation we knew. The transition into adolescence—specifically the turbulent years of puberty—has triggered a massive, messy renovation, introducing a whole new squad of sophisticated and often overwhelming emotions. This sequel, directed by Kelsey Mann, masterfully expands on the original premise, giving us a fresh, deep dive into the psychological complexities of a 13-year-old navigating high school, self-identity, and the terrifying concept of "fitting in."

This article provides the most up-to-date, comprehensive breakdown of every major emotion now vying for control inside Riley Andersen's head, detailing their essential function, their voice actors, and the psychological role they play in shaping her new, complex sense of self. The core conflict revolves around the original five emotions—Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust—being forced to confront and coexist with the new, more abstract emotions of the teenage brain, a struggle that defines the film's narrative arc.

The Original Core Five: Foundation of Riley's Personality

The original five emotions, established in the 2015 film, represent the fundamental, universal feelings that guided Riley through her childhood. While their roles remain the same, their dynamic is challenged by the arrival of the new crew, forcing them to re-evaluate their purpose.

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• Joy (Voiced by Amy Poehler): The de facto leader, Joy is the relentless optimist whose primary goal is to keep Riley happy. Her personality is bright, energetic, and focused on maintaining Riley’s core memories as joyful experiences. In Inside Out 2, her mission evolves from simple happiness to protecting Riley’s established sense of self from the chaotic influence of the new emotions.
• Sadness (Voiced by Phyllis Smith): Blue, quiet, and essential, Sadness is the emotion that allows Riley to process loss and seek comfort. Her presence, initially misunderstood by Joy, is now recognized as vital for emotional depth and connection, a crucial realization carried over from the first film.
• Anger (Voiced by Lewis Black): The hot-headed, short-tempered emotion, Anger ensures Riley is treated fairly and stands up for herself. His fiery outbursts are a defense mechanism, but in the sequel, his intensity is often overshadowed by the overwhelming force of Anxiety.
• Fear (Voiced by Tony Hale): Recast from Bill Hader, Fear is the jittery, nervous emotion responsible for keeping Riley safe from physical and social dangers. He constantly analyzes potential disasters and risks, a job that becomes exponentially harder when Anxiety arrives, effectively usurping his role as the primary worrywart.
• Disgust (Voiced by Liza Lapira): Recast from Mindy Kaling, Disgust prevents Riley from being poisoned—both literally by bad food and socially by bad taste and questionable choices. She is the arbiter of social standards and coolness, a role that is hyper-critical during the teenage years.

The recasting of Fear and Disgust became a significant talking point, with Tony Hale and Liza Lapira stepping in to voice the characters, maintaining the core personalities while adding a fresh nuance to the returning cast. Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, and Lewis Black all reprised their iconic roles.

The New Teen Emotions: Navigating Adolescence and Puberty

The central premise of Inside Out 2 is the demolition of the old Headquarters to make room for the new, more complex, and often overwhelming emotions associated with puberty and the search for identity. These four new characters are more "abstract" and directly tied to social consciousness and future planning, fundamentally changing Riley's emotional operating system.

1. Anxiety (Voiced by Maya Hawke)

Anxiety is the primary antagonist and the driving force of the sequel’s conflict. She is a frantic, orange, and highly organized emotion who believes that the only way for Riley to succeed is to plan for every worst-case scenario.

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• Core Function: Future-proofing Riley's life. Anxiety is obsessed with Riley's social standing and her future at high school, driving her to make choices that are "safe" and "acceptable" rather than authentic.
• Psychological Role: Represents the heightened self-consciousness and worry that defines adolescence. Anxiety's actions lead to the suppression of Riley’s established Core Memories, seeking to replace them with a new, "better" Sense of Self based on perceived external expectations.

2. Envy (Voiced by Ayo Edebiri)

Envy is a small, teal, and somewhat passive-aggressive emotion who constantly compares Riley to others. She is characterized by her longing for what others possess, whether it be talent, popularity, or possessions.

• Core Function: Highlighting Riley's perceived deficiencies. Envy’s job is to make Riley aware of what she lacks, often leading to feelings of inadequacy and a desire to emulate her peers.
• Psychological Role: A key component of social comparison theory during teenage years. Envy fuels the desire to fit in and the painful realization that others seem to have it easier, contributing to the pressure of forming a social identity.

3. Ennui (Voiced by Adèle Exarchopoulos)

Ennui, the French word for "boredom," is a purple, slouching, and permanently apathetic emotion. She uses her phone constantly and speaks in a monotone, disinterested voice, embodying the classic teenage trope of being "too cool to care."

• Core Function: Apathy and detachment. Ennui manages the feeling of being utterly bored and disconnected from the immediate environment, often using her controls to make Riley simply "tune out."
• Psychological Role: Represents the emotional distancing and cynicism common in adolescence. Ennui is a defense mechanism against emotional investment, a way for Riley to appear aloof and unbothered by the social pressures she faces.

4. Embarrassment (Voiced by Paul Walter Hauser)

Embarrassment is a large, pink, and deeply shy emotion who hides most of his body in a massive hoodie. He is gentle and non-confrontational but is constantly ready to be mortified by Riley’s actions.

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• Core Function: Protecting Riley from shame and social faux pas. Embarrassment’s presence is a direct result of Riley's heightened self-awareness; he is the physical manifestation of wishing the ground would swallow you whole.
• Psychological Role: Directly tied to the development of the "imaginary audience," a psychological concept where teenagers believe everyone is watching and judging them. Embarrassment’s power stems from Riley’s intense fear of social rejection.

The Cameo Emotion: A Glimpse of the Future

While the four new emotions dominate the screen time, Inside Out 2 also introduces a minor character who offers a fleeting, humorous glimpse into an emotion that will become more prominent later in life: Nostalgia.

• Nostalgia (Voiced by June Squibb): Portrayed as a kindly, elderly woman, Nostalgia appears briefly, clutching a photo frame and reminiscing about a past event that happened only moments ago. Her cameo highlights the fact that while teens can feel nostalgic, it’s often for things that just occurred, as they haven't built up decades of memories yet.

The inclusion of Nostalgia, along with the other four new emotions, solidifies the film’s commitment to exploring a wider, more nuanced spectrum of the human emotional experience. Director Kelsey Mann and the Pixar team worked to ensure the film felt psychologically authentic, capturing the storm of feelings that accompany the transition from childhood to the teenage years.

Topical Authority: The Psychology of Riley's New Sense of Self

The real genius of Inside Out 2 lies not just in the new characters but in how they interact with the foundational concepts of the first film, particularly the "Sense of Self." In the original, Riley's personality islands were built from her Core Memories. In the sequel, Anxiety attempts to hijack the control panel to build a new, "better" Sense of Self—one based on external validation and the avoidance of future failure.

This conflict perfectly mirrors the psychological journey of adolescence. Teenagers often struggle to reconcile their authentic self (represented by the original, joyful Core Memories) with their ideal self (the image Anxiety tries to project). The battle between Joy and Anxiety is, therefore, a metaphor for the struggle between living in the present and being consumed by future worries and social pressures. The film ultimately delivers a powerful message: a complete, healthy Sense of Self is not pure Joy, but a complex, messy tapestry woven from all emotions, including the uncomfortable ones like Anxiety and Embarrassment. This is the core of emotional maturity.