Although most Disney characters only have one parent (if any), when a character does have a dad, it’s usually a pretty good one. Disney films are full of fathers who support their children, whether they’re princes and princesses, superheroes in the making, or lively wooden puppets.
While honorable mentions include Crush from Finding Nemo and Pacha from TheEmperor’s New Groove, Plenty of other Disney dads and figures make the cut who spend their films guiding, finding, and raising their children.
Mufasa – ‘The Lion King’ (1994)
The Lion King is not only a story about the circle of life, but a story of the circle of family and hierarchy of the wildlife in Africa.
Mufasa (James Earl Jones) isn’t just the King of The Pridelands but the beloved father of the prince Simba (Matthew Broderick). And even though Mufasa’s life is cut short due to his evil brother’s utter jealousy, he continues to mentor his growing son even in the afterlife.
Bob Parr – ‘The Incredibles’ (2004)
Many people think they have a super dad, but that expression is literal for the Parr kids. In The Incredibles, Bob Parr (Craig T. Nelson) doubles as superhero Mr. Incredible.
When Bob isn’t saving the world from supervillains like Syndrome and The Underminer, he spends his time in The Incredibles 2taking care of Violet, Dash, and baby Jack-Jack while Elastigirl is off on a mission to save the world.
Marlin – ‘Finding Nemo’ (2003)
Marlin (Albert Brooks) is the epitome of an overprotective dad to Nemo, but for a good reason. After mourning the loss of his wife and other children at the start of Finding Nemo, Marlin does everything he can to protect his only son.
Although Nemo often rebels against his father’s coddling, daring to touch the butt of a boat at the top of the ocean, Nemo quickly learns how much he needs his father throughout the film.
Carl Frederickson – ‘Up’ (2009)
Before it turns into a film about a house floating away with balloons and talking dogs, Up begins with the story of a young boy and girl and their love story from going on adventures to the child they never got to have.
But in the end, that did not stop the film’s star Carl Frederickson (Ed Asner), from acting on his fatherly instincts. After fate lands him stuck in his floating house with a Junior Wilderness Explorer named Russell (Jordan Nagai), Carl takes on a fatherly – or grandfatherly – role in the young boy’s life.
‘Maurice’ – ‘Beauty and the Beast’ (1991)
While Beauty and the Beast tell the story of a human girl (Paige O’Hara) who falls in love with a beastly prince (Robby Benson), her father plays a significant role in their journey to finding each other.
When Maurice (Rex Everhart) accidentally gets captured by Beast and thrown in his dungeon, Belle sacrifices herself for her father’s freedom, unknowingly starting a friendship that grows into a relationship between her and Beast by the end of the film.
Tony Stark – ‘Spiderman: Homecoming’ (2017)
While Tony Stark is the father of Morgan in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it’s Peter Parker (Tom Holland) who accepts Tony (Robert Downey Jr.) as a father figure in Spider-man: Homecoming.
After the death of his Uncle Ben, Tony takes on a parental role in Peter’s life during the good and the bad, from asking him to join the Avengers to confiscating his new Spider-man suit to teach Peter a lesson.
Massimo Marcovaldo – ‘Luca’ (2021)
Massimo Marcovaldo (Marco Barricelli) is not only the father of Giulia (Emma Berman) but acts as a father figure to Alberto (Jack Dylan Grazer) when the young sea monster gives up his life in the sea for a life on land in Portorosso in the summertime hit Luca.
Massimo acts as a loving and protective father to Giulia throughout the film, protecting her from Alberto and Luca when they transform into sea monsters until his daughter sets her father – and the rest of the town – straight about sea monsters.
Geppetto – ‘Pinocchio’ (1940)
Geppetto (Christian Rub) is one of the most beloved Disney father figures for how he longs for a real son and his utter joy when Blue Fairy (Evelyn Venable) grants his wish in Pinocchio.
After his wooden puppet Pinocchio (Dick Jones), turns into a real boy, Geppetto goes on an adventure to Pleasure Island to find his kidnapped son, and after mourning Pinocchio’s death, gets his wish granted one more time by the Blue Fairy.
Félix Madrigal – ‘Encanto’ (2021)
Although Félix Madrigal (Mauro Castillo) does not have a magical gift like the rest of his family, that does not stop him from being a loving father to his children, Dolores, Camilo, and Antonio in Encanto.
Félix also acts as a supportive uncle to his nieces and is very protective of all the children in the family. When the house collapsed, he saved Antonio from falling debris and examined Camilo for injuries.
Goofy – ‘A Goofy Movie’ (1995)
Goofy (Bill Farmer) has always been the ultimate Disney dad for the way he does everything he can to take care of his son Max (Jason Marsden), even if he often embarrasses him in the process.
In A Goofy Movie, when Max ends up in trouble at school, rather than punishing his son, he takes him on a cross-country fishing trip in order to try and bond with Max, inadvertently ruining his son’s plans to woo his crush, Roxanne.