One of the most popular Disney movies in decades, Frozen sparked a turning point in the franchise's storytelling style. Featuring the second plot where sisterhood was highlighted over a love story in a mainstream Disney film (Lilo & Stitch being the first,) Frozen became a sensation that received significant praise all around. The sequel, Frozen 2, had its own share of accolades, particularly for its handling of mature themes.
With the success of the franchise, Disney green-lit many other types of Frozen merchandise, including books, short films, plush toys, perfumes, and more. As the franchise expanded and its popularity continued to soar, more details emerged about the world and the Arendelle royal family.
10 Elsa Is Tall (5'7",) While Anna Is Average Height (5'5")
According to Frozen director, Jennifer Lee, Elsa stands at approximately 5'7", while Anna is a more average 5'5." Lee admits she may be off by a couple of inches as their heights are from her memory, but recalls these as the correct measurements for the sisters.
It can be difficult to tell within the movies which sister is taller, particularly as Elsa's hair tends to be in her signature braid and has quite a bit of volume. However, there are a few times where the height difference is more obvious, such as Elsa and Anna's chat while sporting their coronation hairstyles.
9 Elsa And Anna's Birthdays Are Significant (Elsa Was Born On The Winter Soltice And Anna On The Summer One)
According to Lee, Elsa was born on the Winter Solstice, while Anna was born on the Summer Solstice. This actually makes a lot of sense, as Elsa has an obvious connection with winter through her powers, but also takes longer to warm up to people and is more of an introvert. Anna, on the other hand, embodies summertime with her brightly colored outfits, and her warm, bubbly personality.
Being so different from each other also helps to balance the girls, with Anna's extroverted nature supporting Elsa's introverted one, and Elsa's level-headedness keeping Anna grounded.
8 Jennifer Lee Is Elsa And Anna's Mother
In the Frozen movie, Queen Iduna was not overly fleshed out, as the movie was focused on Elsa and Anna's stories. Iduna's character would not be developed in detail until the second movie. In fact, Iduna only has one line in the first Frozen film, and this line is delivered by Jennifer Lee, meaning the director literally became Elsa and Anna's mother for a time.
As the second movie went into development, it became clear that Iduna would need her own voice. With this in mind, auditions for her part began, and eventually Evan Rachel Wood stepped into Iduna's shoes. However, the first film will always have that special connection between the queen and her creator.
7 The Sisters Were Born At Opposite Times Of The Day
When asked what time of day each of the sisters was born, Lee replied that Elsa was born at 9:33 AM, while Anna was an afternoon baby at 1:16 PM. Given the personalities of the two sisters, these times feel appropriate.
Elsa, with her serious personality and dedication to completing her tasks, would naturally be a morning person, giving her ample time to take care of her duties during the day. Anna, on the other hand, has been shown in-universe to enjoy sleeping in and often needs someone to wake her up.
6 The Relationship Between Elsa And Anna Reflects The Directors Own Familial Dynamics
While fans theorize about the possibility of other siblings, Elsa and Anna's strongest relationship is with each other. Their special bond actually has real-world ties to Jennifer Lee and her sister. According to a New York Times interview with Lee, she is like Anna, and her older sister, Amy, is her Elsa. Lee describes her younger self as a "daydreaming mess and a Tasmanian devil," while her sister, Amy, was "the responsible one" and "a straight-A student."
During the production of Frozen, Lee's relationship with her sister influenced a lot of the dynamics between Elsa and Anna. Perhaps this is why the relationship between the two sisters feels authentic.
5 The Sisters Have Taken The Myers-Briggs Test
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® sorts an individual based on their unique traits, such as introversion versus extroversion, ultimately giving a four-letter result that represents a personality type. As part of the process of understanding the characters, the Frozen team took the test as both Anna and Elsa to find their personality types and used those results to guide their planning.
Elsa's official title is INFJ, called The Advocate, making her an altruistic and goal-oriented introvert, while Anna's official title is ENFP, The Campaigner, making her an energetic and charismatic extrovert. Both results feel very appropriate for the sisters who are opposites in terms of personality but hold the same core values.
4 Iduna Had A Sweet Tooth
Despite having a larger role in Frozen 2, not much is known about Anna and Elsa's parents. Of the few canon facts, the only facts known about Iduna are that she was Northuldran and that she has a special connection with the spirits as a result. However, other Frozen-related materials have started to change this. In the book Anna and Elsa's Winter's End Festival, Queen Iduna's birthday is revealed as being just before Winter turns to Spring, and her daughters are planning a Winter's End celebration to honor her memory.
Elsa reveals to Anna that Iduna's favorite part of the festival was always the sweet treats specially made for the day. Apparently, her daughters aren't the only ones with a sweet tooth!
3 Both Sisters Are Adults At The Start Of The First Movie
Elsa's age is an important plot point in the first Frozen movie, as she must be 21 before she can become queen. However, unlike the vast majority of Disney Princesses, her sister Anna is also an adult in the first movie, albeit a young one at 18.
The royal sisters break the Disney tradition of centering their stories on teenage girls such as Snow White, Jasmine, Mulan, and Aurora, among their many others. The second movie furthers this gap, as it takes place three years after Frozen, making Elsa and Anna's ages 24 and 21, respectively.
2 Anna's Journey Is About Overcoming Co-dependence
Praised by Kristen Bell and retweeted by Jennifer Lee, Courtney Enlow wrote an article on Anna's journey in Frozen 2 to overcome her co-dependence on her older sister, Elsa. Anna has always desired a relationship with her sister, and her entire life became shaped around Elsa's journey, Elsa's powers, and Elsa's happiness and safety. Anna's life effectively became Elsa's. For this reason, when Elsa is taken away and Anna finds herself alone, she struggles to move forward.
Her song, The Next Right Thing describes her thoughts and feelings beautifully. As she takes one step forward at a time and breaks the viewer's heart in the process, Anna embodies many people's struggles and gives them hope that they, too, will be able to move forward.
1 Elsa Promotes Mental Health Awareness
Like Anna, Elsa also represents a very important and too-often taboo topic: mental health. In the original Frozen movie, Elsa exhibits signs of being depressed, as well as many signs of anxiety. When asked directly whether Elsa suffers from anxiety and depression, Lee replied that those tendencies were included on purpose, from Elsa's choice of words to her body language.
As Elsa flees Arendelle and sings her massively popular hit, Let It Go, not only does her outfit change, but her body language changes and Elsa goes from timid to confident. The second movie further explores this theme as Elsa comes to terms with who she is and learns to accept herself. Elsa's determination in the face of adversity has made her a great role model for anyone who has ever struggled with their own mental health.