The Full List Of Emotions In Inside Out 2: 9 Feelings That Define Riley's Teenage Mind

The landscape of Riley Andersen’s mind has undergone a massive, chaotic renovation. Since the theatrical release of Inside Out 2 in June 2024, the highly anticipated sequel has captivated audiences by introducing a new, complex crew of emotions to the Headquarters console, reflecting the turbulent journey of adolescence and puberty. The film masterfully explores how the core five emotions—Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust—must now contend with a sophisticated squad of new feelings that arrive with the onset of Riley's teenage years, fundamentally changing her "Sense of Self."

This latest Pixar masterpiece dives deep into the emotional storm of becoming a teenager, where the familiar, simple feelings of childhood are challenged by more abstract and nuanced emotions. The arrival of these new characters—Anxiety, Envy, Ennui, and Embarrassment—is the central conflict, forcing the original crew to confront the reality that a healthy, functioning mind needs a balance of all feelings, even the uncomfortable ones. The film’s success hinges on this expanded emotional palette, providing a fresh, unique, and deeply relatable look at the complexities of the human psyche.

The Complete Emotional Crew & Voice Cast of Inside Out 2

The sequel brings back most of the original cast while introducing a stellar lineup of new voice actors to embody the complexities of adolescence. The transition to Riley as a newly minted teenager (now voiced by Kensington Tallman) necessitated a profound shift in Headquarters, introducing new concepts like the "Belief System" and a more complex emotional console.

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• Riley Andersen: Kensington Tallman (The host whose mind is the setting)
• Joy: Amy Poehler (The radiant optimist, determined to maintain Riley's positive "Sense of Self")
• Anxiety: Maya Hawke (The jittery, dominant new emotion who takes charge of the console)
• Sadness: Phyllis Smith (The blue, essential emotion that helps Riley process loss and empathy)
• Anger: Lewis Black (The short-fused emotion, often seen in a fiery state)
• Fear: Tony Hale (The nervous, cautious emotion, replacing Bill Hader from the first film)
• Disgust: Liza Lapira (The sassy, protective emotion, replacing Mindy Kaling)
• Envy: Ayo Edebiri (The diminutive, green-eyed emotion who admires what others have)
• Ennui: Adèle Exarchopoulos (The French-accented personification of boredom and apathy)
• Embarrassment: Paul Walter Hauser (The large, shy, and gentle emotion representing self-consciousness)
• Nostalgia: June Squibb (A minor, elderly emotion who appears briefly, representing a longing for the past)

The Four New Emotions: Visual Design and Role in Riley's Puberty

The core of Inside Out 2’s freshness lies in the nuanced portrayal of the four new emotions, which are described by the filmmakers as more "abstract" compared to the primary feelings of the first film. Their arrival is a direct result of Riley entering the complex phase of puberty and adolescence, where social pressures and self-doubt begin to dominate her inner world.

1. Anxiety (Maya Hawke)

Anxiety is, by far, the most dominant and central new character, visually designed to embody tension and frantic energy. Her appearance features frayed, bright orange hair, a high-strung, wiry frame, and "almost bug-like eyes," which are constantly darting around.

Role and Function: Anxiety's primary function is to prepare Riley for "every imaginable disaster." She operates not on immediate reaction but on future-proofing, constantly running worst-case scenarios and attempting to control Riley’s actions to avoid potential social and academic pitfalls. This unchecked drivenness is the film’s main conflict, as Anxiety’s actions—like attempting to construct a new, "better" personality for Riley—ultimately threaten to destroy Riley's authentic "Sense of Self," a new concept in the film built from a curated "Belief System" of core memories.

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2. Ennui (Adèle Exarchopoulos)

Ennui, pronounced "ahn-wee," is the French word for "a feeling of listlessness and dissatisfaction arising from a lack of occupation or excitement." This emotion is the personification of teenage apathy and world-weariness. Visually, she is long, lanky, and often seen reclining or lying down, embodying a sense of profound, stylish boredom.

Role and Function: Ennui’s role is to make Riley appear "cool" and unimpressed, a common teenage defense mechanism. She is often seen using a tiny, glowing purple phone-like device to remotely control the main Headquarters console, allowing Riley to respond to the world with a dismissive shrug or a monotone "whatever." This remote control function is a brilliant visual metaphor for the detachment and lack of motivation that defines the emotion of boredom and apathy during adolescence.

3. Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser)

Embarrassment is the gentle giant of the new emotional crew. He is physically large, pink, and wears a hoodie that he constantly pulls up to cover his face, making him appear shy, awkward, and self-conscious. His size and quiet demeanor perfectly capture the feeling of wanting to disappear when a mortifying moment occurs.

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Role and Function: Embarrassment is a protective mechanism. He is a "more nuanced emotion" whose presence signifies Riley's growing awareness of how others perceive her. His main function is to shield Riley from the pain of social blunders, often by physically trying to block the console or the view of a memory, representing the overwhelming desire to hide when feeling exposed. The film suggests that while painful, this emotion is crucial for developing social intelligence and empathy.

4. Envy (Ayo Edebiri)

Envy is the smallest of the new emotions, a diminutive, teal figure with large, expressive eyes. Her small size is a powerful visual cue, suggesting that the feeling of wanting what others have—or feeling "less than"—can be a small, but incredibly potent force in a teenager's mind.

Role and Function: Envy’s role is to constantly compare Riley to her peers, a common source of insecurity in the high school environment. She is not necessarily malicious, but rather driven by an intense admiration and desire for the perceived qualities of others. Her presence drives Riley to measure herself against others, pushing her to adopt new behaviors or interests in an attempt to fit in or be "better," often under the guidance of Anxiety.

The Sense of Self and the Teenage Belief System

Beyond the new characters, Inside Out 2 introduces two crucial concepts that provide the movie with its profound topical authority: the Sense of Self and the Belief System.

The Belief System is visualized as a network of glowing, interconnected lines that form the foundation of Riley’s identity. It is a curated set of memories and life lessons that solidify into core beliefs about who she is. This system is what creates her Sense of Self, which, at the start of the film, Joy attempts to keep purely positive with the mantra, "I'm a good person."

The arrival of Anxiety challenges this simple, positive self-image. Anxiety, driven by the need for perfection and preparation, introduces negative core beliefs into the system, such as "I’m not good enough" or "I have to be perfect to be loved." The film’s emotional climax revolves around the battle to integrate these new, complex, and often painful feelings into a cohesive, authentic Sense of Self, acknowledging that identity is not a static, purely happy state, but a complex tapestry woven from both positive and negative experiences. This message—that every emotion, even anxiety and embarrassment, serves an essential function in our design—is the film's most timely and powerful lesson.