Bruno Madrigal From "Encanto" Is Highly Relatable To Millennials — Here Are 10 Reasons Why

We need to talk about how the quirky, mysterious Bruno Madrigal is the perfect cultural representation for the millennial generation.

"We Don't Talk About Bruno" may be number one on the Billboard charts, but nobody's talking about the elephant in Antonio's magical bedroom full of wildlife. The youngest of the second generation Madrigal siblings is the family's millennial black sheep.

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Anybody who grew up a latch-key kid, listening to angsty punk music, and watching reality television can relate to the prophetic former emo kid of Encanto.

Yes, I understand the family's story technically takes place in an ambiguous time before millennials existed, but it's a millennial move for me to make the situation about us anyway.

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Fight me.

Bruno Madrigal is a cultural icon for the millennial generation, and here's why:

1. Bruno is the black sheep.

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Millennials have a bad reputation of being the sensitive babies of the group. Some people call us snowflakes, and others call us entitled just because we were raised winning participation ribbons for showing up. Even though his sister's powers are solely based on emotions (stress storms and curative buñuelos), Bruno is still the weird one who is easy to break. His family shouldn't be so quick to judge and should understand he is a product of his environment, which is literally crumbling around him.

2. Bruno is entirely misunderstood by the older generation.

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Parents just don't understand. Millennials dread sitting at the dinner table with the family who "grew up in a different time" because an endless argument is bound to happen. Bruno's big sisters and his overbearing mother just don't understand his way of life. They're always pointing out how he overshares, brings down the mood with apathetic viewpoints, and doesn't fit in with the family's traditional modest way of life. Bruno's broken relationship with his mother is giving #okboomer vibes.

3. Bruno lives in a hole in the wall.

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It doesn't matter that millennials walk around with college degrees and the internet at their fingertips. It's hard to get by on our own. Rent is high, and Bruno struggles to make ends meet in between each prophetic vision. His options were a dusty, unfurnished tower or the literal cracks and crevices within the family's casita. The sacrifices we make to live in a thriving city like Los Angeles, New York, or Encanto.

4. Tío Bruno has to live with roommates.

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Millennials are flocking to the major metropolises to pursue their dreams, but the struggle is 100% real. Living in a shoe box in a big city is our new normal. Bruno's shoddy digs are nearly condemned, and he still can't survive in his third-rate accommodations without roommates. He definitely found them on Craigslist because they're messy pests running wild through the hallways, but it's a step up to living with cockroaches. Thanks to them, he can stream all his favorite shows without a subscription.

5. Bruno is about that holistic life.

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Past generations were too busy dealing with world wars, revamping misinterpreted sexist and racist constitutions, and establishing generational traumas to recognize the importance of working on your mental and physical health. Millennials are taking a new approach to get healthy. Bruno understands the fragility of his mind and takes every superstitious precaution to ensure he doesn't slip from reality. A couple knocks on wood, avoiding cracks, a hot yoga class, and an overpriced avocado toast will get you through the hard times. #selfcare

6. He has an unconventional career choice.

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Some millennials are working in sales, business, finance, education, and all the traditional roles like past generations. For the rest, we invented a few new avenues that sometimes involve explaining to the older generations. Nowadays, you can make six figures putting on makeup on a YouTube channel or dancing in 10-second video clips. Bruno always fancied himself an actor, and based on his infamous relationship with the townsfolk, he was a controversial influencer and local celebrity.

7. He's working multiple jobs just to get by.

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It takes a lot to live a life equal to that of the modern family of the 1950s. As a millennial, you need the main job, side hustle, and a generously wealthy family member to survive. Bruno, Hernando, and Jorge (all him, BTW) are a carpenter, mason, and painter. Yet, he still can only afford a single empanada on a hand-drawn dinner plate. Millennials are forced to wear many hats (or buckets). 

8. Bruno has a unique way of communicating.

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Give millennials a break. We went from phone calls to email to texting and video chats in a few years. The shock has stuck us in a complete communication breakdown and left us with a ridiculous aversion to communicating in a usual way. Nobody appreciates Bruno's special effect seances and beautiful crystal jade Instagram prophecies. It's easy to project your problems onto the soothsayer and not take responsibility. If you get past his delivery, Bruno is actually speaking nothing but facts.

9. He's most definitely queer (or queer adjacent).

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Millennials stepped out of the closet with a tad more confidence, thanks to all previous generations' hard work and activism. Whether we rock with the rainbow alphabet or are a passionate ally, there's mad love for the queer community that wasn't present in past generations. I'm making a case that Bruno is the only unmarried triplet because he's not looking for the typical cishet, traditional marriage. When the time is right, Bruno will let the fam-bam know who he decides to choose (or not choose) for his life partner.

10. In the end, he had to move back in with his mom.

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Life's rough. Working multiple jobs, living with roommates, and living a holistic life can only get you so far. At the end of the day, millennials live in a different time where the cost of living is too damn high. After moving out, we're back in our childhood home for a reset to get back on our feet. Bruno mended the love lost with his beloved mother and moved in with the family in a newly renovated casita because a family that lives together, struggles together.

Do you agree that Bruno is a bonafide millennial icon, or does he better represent another generation? Are there other Madrigal family members that speak to your age group?

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