The Best New Characters In Pop Culture In 2019
Which 2019 characters defined this year? Thanks to some of the best new movies, TV shows, and cultural events, there are some exciting new characters in pop culture. Many of the best characters of the year are from some of 2019's trending topics, while some exist in a small world of their own, getting their 15 minutes of fame. The best personalities of 2019 in modern culture aren't always your typical movie or TV show character. Some, like the Instagram Egg, launched into the stratosphere because of strategic marketing. Others, like the Fiji Water Girl, seemed to come out of the blue.
Which characters of 2019 made the biggest impact? What personalities ignited larger conversations in 2019? And which characters from this year were just plain fun? Vote up the 2019 characters that you feel are the most memorable.
Properly referred to as "the Child," this breakout star of The Mandalorian on Disney+ captured the hearts (and memes) of the moment.
As the lead character in The Mandalorian, Mando intrigues Star Wars fans with his visually impenetrable costume and warmed their hearts with his stewardship over "the Child."
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Fat Thor
After losing his way in Avengers: Endgame, Thor gave us a glimpse of what The Dude would be like as a superhero.
Already a divisive figure, Joaquin Phoenix and Todd Phillips joined forces to push the Joker envelope even further.
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Forky
Forky is a spork-and-pipe-cleaner toy made by Bonnie in Toy Story 4. Voiced by Tony Hale, Forky goes through an identity crisis, as he is convinced he is not a toy.
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Detective Pikachu
The only thing that could be better than a movie revolving around the cutest Pokemon ever is to pair him with the sarcastic voice stylings of Ryan Reynolds.
Brie Larsen suited up as Captain Marvel and filled in a few questions about Nick Fury's past before reappearing in Avengers: Endgame.
Shazam cast a spell on audiences world-wide.
Playing as the titular Goose allows you to sow mischief in a sleepy English village and people can't get enough.
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Alita
Transitioning from the pages of her manga to the silver screen garnered Alita a fan-base that is as dedicated as her resolve in the film.
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BD-1
The latest personality laden droid to be introduced in the Star Wars universe via Jedi: Fallen Order.
- 12
Kombucha Girl
A cautionary tale of trying new things while on Tik Tok.
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Duke Caboom
Keanu Reeves voices the motorcycle daredevil action figure in Toy Story 4. "Let's Caboom!"
- 14
Billy Butcher
Quick witted and a literal anti-hero, there are few characters 2019 that can compete with Billy's rough-around-the-edges charm.
Is he creepy? Endearing? Just plain weird? No matter the sentiment, his arrival during a Super Bowl commercial had people talking.
Despite Birds of Prey not premiering until 2020, the latest iteration of Harley Quinn took over the internet with just her teaser trailer that appeared before It: Chapter 2.
- 17
Ugly Sonic
When the trailer for the Sonic the Hedgehog film dropped, fans were horrified by the titular character's design. The backlash was so severe that the studio pushed back the release date to redesign him.
Years after rumors raged that he was going to take over for Tobey Maguire as Spider-Man himself, Jake Gyllenhaal finally finds himself in a Spidey flick as the enigmatic Mysterio in the latest MCU entry.
- 19
Jimmy Hoffa
The Union Boss whose disappearance remains an unsolved mystery, got new life through Al Pacino's performance in The Irishman.
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The Instagram Egg
The Egg surpassed the Instagram record for most likes. It quickly became a milkshake duck after fans discovered it was all part of a marketing campaign.
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The Tethered
The creepy others from Jordan Peele's Us are sure to inspire lots of horrifying group costumes.
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Angela Abar (Sister Night)
Regina King's character has taken over as the new face of Watchmen, reinvigorating fans of the original Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons's masterpiece.
As portrayed by Ruby Rose in the Arrowverse, Batwoman has become an important addition to the Crisis on Infinite Earths saga.
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Hot Priest
You had us at "Kneel."
- 25
Nadia Vulvokov
Natasha Lyonne's semi-autobiographical series Russian Doll won over critics and audiences alike in February 2019. Her character Nadia got think pieces written about her hair and how she says "cockroach."
The Masked Singer (Fox, 2019) is an American reality competition series based on the South Korean show King of Mask Singer. Hosted by Nick Cannon, the show features celebrities singing in a head-to-toe costume and face mask which conceals their identity from other contestants, panelists, and audience.
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James Holzhauer
The sports gambler turned heads with his record-breaking streak on Jeopardy! He beat the Single-Game Winnings record by more than $30,000 on his fourth win, and by April 15, he became the second highest winnings earner (regular-season play) behind Ken Jennings.
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The Fiji Water Girl
Model Kelleth Cuthbert went viral quickly - as did her back-and-forth legal issues with Fiji Water.
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Dani
Almost no one refused when asked to go on a "trip" with Dani from Ari Aster's film Midsommar.
After HBO's March 2019 documentary The Inventor, people could not get over Holmes - or her bizarre pseudo-deep-voice. Impressions abounded.