7 Shocking Secrets Behind Envy: The New Emotion Changing Everything In Inside Out 2

The arrival of a new emotion is rewriting the rules of the mind. As of today, December 13, 2025, the conversation around Pixar's groundbreaking sequel, Inside Out 2, continues to be dominated by the tumultuous introduction of the teenage emotions, chief among them the small but mighty new character: Envy. This turquoise ball of desire, voiced by the critically acclaimed Ayo Edebiri, is not just a side character; she is a fundamental driver of Riley’s new adolescent identity, forcing the original core emotions—Joy, Sadness, Fear, Disgust, and Anger—into an existential crisis over their control of Headquarters. The film’s brilliant portrayal of Envy is a fresh, complex take on a feeling often dismissed as purely negative, revealing its surprising role in human motivation and the relentless social comparison that defines the teenage years.

The sequel, which premiered on June 14, 2024, dives deep into the intricate emotional landscape of a 13-year-old Riley as she navigates high school, hockey camp, and the overwhelming pressure to fit in. Envy, alongside Anxiety, Ennui, and Embarrassment, storms the control panel, representing the sophisticated new feelings that emerge during puberty. This deep dive into the character of Envy uncovers the shocking secrets behind her design, her voice actor, and her pivotal, plot-changing role in the film's narrative, proving that sometimes, the smallest emotion can have the biggest impact.

The Voice Behind the Desire: Ayo Edebiri's Full Biography

The character of Envy is brought to life by the voice of American actress, comedian, and writer, Ayo Edebiri, whose career has skyrocketed in recent years. Her casting was a deliberate choice, adding a layer of contemporary relevance and comedic timing to the complex emotion.

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• Full Name: Ayo Edebiri
• Born: October 3, 1995
• Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
• Education: Graduated from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts (2017)
• Career Highlights:
  • Breakthrough role as the earnest sous chef Sydney Adamu in the FX hit series The Bear.
  • Writer and voice actor on the Netflix animated adult comedy series Big Mouth (2020 to 2025).
  • Writer for the FX horror comedy series What We Do in the Shadows.
  • Voice of Envy in Pixar's Inside Out 2 (2024).
• Key Awards & Nominations (Selected):
  • Multiple nominations for Golden Globe Awards (including 2024 and 2025).
  • Multiple nominations for Primetime Emmy Awards (including 2023, 2024, and 2025).
  • Made Emmy history with dual nominations in a single year.
  • BAFTA Awards nominations (2024).

Edebiri's background in comedy and writing, coupled with her dramatic success in The Bear, gives Envy a nuanced voice that is both sharp and surprisingly endearing. Her portrayal captures the feeling of perpetually wanting what others have, delivering the emotion with a determined, yet slightly child-like, energy.

The Shocking Design and Color Psychology of Envy

Pixar's animators are masters of visual storytelling, and Envy's design is no exception. Her appearance is a meticulous representation of the emotion itself, utilizing color, size, and expression to convey her core function.

The Significance of Turquoise and Size

Unlike the original emotions, which were primary colors (Joy is yellow, Anger is red), the new emotions introduce more complex, blended hues. Envy is represented by a striking turquoise or greeny-blue color.

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• Turquoise Color Meaning: In color psychology, turquoise is a blend of blue (calmness, stability) and green (growth, jealousy). This blending perfectly captures Envy's dual nature: a calm, almost wistful desire for something, mixed with the classic "green-eyed monster" of jealousy.
• Small, Child-Like Stature: Envy is notably small, often described as child-like in appearance, with large, nearly "anime-looking" eyes. This small size visually communicates the idea that Envy often starts small—a fleeting wish—but can quickly grow and consume the mind if left unchecked.
• The Act of Pining: The official description from Pixar highlights that Envy "may be small, but she sure knows what she wants." She is "perpetually jealous of everything everyone else has – and is not afraid to pine over it". This 'pining' is a soft, yet determined, form of desire that drives Riley to compare herself to her peers.

The contrast between her small size and her outsized influence on Riley's decisions is one of the most brilliant visual metaphors in the film. She is a tiny spark that ignites massive shifts in the teenage psyche, focusing Riley's attention outward onto others rather than inward on herself.

Envy's Pivotal, Plot-Changing Role in Riley’s Teenage Life

The introduction of Envy is not merely for comedic relief; she is a critical mechanism in the film's exploration of adolescence. Her presence fundamentally alters Riley’s decision-making process, moving her away from the simple, core values established by Joy and the original crew.

The Engine of Social Comparison

In Inside Out 2, Envy is the direct catalyst for Riley's desire to fit in with the older, 'cooler' hockey players she meets at camp. The emotion appears when Riley begins to compare herself to these new peers and their seemingly perfect lives.

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• Driving Insecurity and Motivation: Envy brings a potent mix of insecurity and motivation to Riley's mind. The desire to have what others possess—whether it's their social status, their skills, or their confidence—pushes Riley to make choices she otherwise wouldn't.
• The "Fit In" Decision: It is Riley's Envy of the other girls that makes her want to change her behavior and personality to align with them. This is the core conflict of the film: the new emotions, led by Anxiety and supported by Envy, hijack Headquarters to ensure Riley achieves the "perfect" new self, sidelining the original emotions who represent her childhood self.
• A Sense of Self and Place: Envy plays a vital role in developing a teenager's "sense of self" and "sense of place" within social structures. By reflecting on the qualities and possessions of others, Envy helps Riley define who she is and, more importantly, who she wants to be. This is a complex, often painful, but ultimately necessary part of identity formation.

The Complexities of a 'Negative' Emotion

Pixar's brilliance lies in showing that no emotion is inherently "bad." While Envy often gets a bad rap, the film explores how this feeling can also be a powerful motivator. If channeled correctly, the desire to have what someone else has can inspire a person to work harder, improve their skills, or set higher goals.

However, the film also depicts the darker side: the trap of relentless comparison. The constant focus on external validation and the desire to possess what is not yours can lead to a loss of self and increased anxiety, which is precisely where the other new emotion, Anxiety, takes center stage. Envy and Anxiety form a powerful, destructive duo, constantly pushing Riley to overthink and over-adjust her behavior in social situations.

Topical Authority: Envy vs. Jealousy in Inside Out 2

It is crucial to understand that Envy and Jealousy are distinct concepts, and the film focuses specifically on Envy. While the terms are often used interchangeably, they have different emotional structures:

• Envy: A two-person emotion. You want something that another person has. The feeling is focused on the object or quality. Example: "I envy her new car." The core desire is acquisition.
• Jealousy: A three-person emotion. You fear losing something you already possess to a rival. The feeling is focused on the threat of loss. Example: "I am jealous of the person trying to take my partner." The core desire is retention.

By choosing Envy, the filmmakers zeroed in on the emotion most relevant to the teenage experience of social aspiration and comparison. Riley isn't worried about losing her parents or her old friends (though that fear exists); she is actively looking at the new, "cooler" girls and wishing she had their effortless confidence and social standing. This focus on acquisition and comparison is what makes the turquoise emotion such a perfect, modern addition to Riley's emotional console.

The introduction of Envy in Inside Out 2 is a bold, fresh, and deeply insightful exploration of the teenage mind. Ayo Edebiri's performance, coupled with the character's brilliant turquoise design, cements Envy as one of the most complex and important new emotions in the Pixar universe. Her story is a powerful reminder that all feelings, even the ones we try to suppress, are essential components of the evolving human experience.