In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, I give you my favorite redheads in film and TV

When you think of St. Patrick’s Day, what pops into your head?

It may be leprechauns, beer, Irish dancing, more beer or wearing lots of green. However, when I think of this blessed day, I think of the color ginger – or anyone who considers themselves a redhead, to be exact.

For centuries, redheads have been associated with Ireland and, thus, Irish culture. This makes this time extremely special for those with a tinge of red in their hair. I mean, Miami University has a whole Ginger Run to celebrate them!

Their hair contains so much life and uniqueness that someone who, say, has brown hair (definitely not me) just doesn’t have.

So many great characters with this hair bring happiness to my life, and I think it is time to appreciate them appropriately.

Candace Flynn — ‘Phineas and Ferb’

Candace Flynn, the icon that you are. Candace is the older sister of Phineas and Ferb from the show, you guessed it, “Phineas and Ferb.” Her main goal was to “bust” her brothers while they built anything from roller coasters to backyard beaches to a disco miniature golf course. I totally expected teenage years to match hers to a T. While I didn’t have any younger brothers to pester or a boy I was obsessed with, she still informed a lot of my humor … and my habit of being over-dramatic.

So, a big thank you to Ashley Tisdale for playing a major role in my adolescent life.

Molly Weasley — ‘Harry Potter’

What can I say? I love Molly Weasley. She is the best mom in the “Harry Potter” universe, and arguably, the best in every universe. She consistently supports her children and their endeavors, and you can tell that every time she scolds or lectures her children, she does it from a place of love.

In addition, she takes care of Harry as if he were her own. Her warmth and compassion show not only how good a mom she is, but also how amazing she is as a person.

Fred and George Weasley — ‘Harry Potter’

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In the same vein as our previous character, we have the Weasley twins! I lumped them together because, you know, they have the exact same hair. Also, they come in a pair!

I just love these two. In fact, many of my favorite lines are taken from the twins. Their goofiness is showcased in the books and the movies, which brings a nice, light-hearted feel to the stories, especially in the latter half of the series, which is much needed.

Jessica Rabbit — ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit?’

Let’s be honest: is Jessica the greatest representation of women and femininity? No… no, she is not. She is the ultimate male fantasy, which is an actual quote from her creators. But, do I adore her? Why, yes, of course! She’s sassy, gorgeous and just all-around iconic.

That being said, I would hate to put her in a box as “all bad” just because her creator noted that she was created for the male gaze. Jessica contains many complexities — whether it is shown on screen or through further analysis by the audience. She is not just a fantasy for men to ogle. If she were real, she would have goals and dreams, and that’s why I had to include her in my list.

Sansa Stark — ‘Game of Thrones’

Throughout “Game of Thrones,” Sansa goes from being a spoiled teenager to a powerful ruler who, through a great deal of trauma, learns how to survive in a world that is not kind to women. While many show fans find her annoying and “bratty,” I think there is so much more to her than those qualities. She learned to play the game and came out on the other side, sitting on a throne.

Yes, she has some not-great qualities. But who doesn’t, especially at 14 years old?

Penelope Featherington — ‘Bridgerton’

Like Sansa, Penelope from Netflix’s “Bridgerton” doesn’t always make the greatest choices. She writes behind her friends’ backs and isn’t the best at apologizing. But, for some reason, I still love her. I don’t know if it’s Nicola Coughlan’s acting (I adore her, by the way) or the storytelling, but I am always enraptured when she is on the screen.

Of course, there is more to her character than those bad decisions. She cares deeply about Eloise, her best friend, and the other members of the Bridgerton family. On top of that, she was a successful writer and businesswoman in the early 1800s!

Her flaws make her feel like a real person that we can root for rather than a perfect, one-dimensional character.

The Lorax — ‘The Lorax’

Now, hear me out. I have had many arguments about whether or not he is ginger, and in my mind, he is! We need to think of him outside the realm of human anatomy and hair growth because he is literally a furry, ginger creature that does not exist.

I rest my case.

Besides, the Lorax speaks for the trees. He taught many children, including myself, the importance of the environment and saving the Earth. He had to go on the list for that alone.

Operetta — ‘Monster High’

Before I conclude this list, Operetta from “Monster High” has to be discussed.

Operetta is the daughter of the Phantom of the Opera (a shout out to Andrew Lloyd Webber for making this possible), and she will tell you about that whenever she appears in a webtoon or movie, whether through her powers through singing or by telling the audience directly. Along with Candace, Operetta and the rest of “Monster High” influenced far too much of my childhood.

Her character made a great addition to the series’ main characters. She is sassy and competitive while being a good friend and role model to young girls.

While there are good characters with all kinds of hair colors, there is always something special about characters who have red hair.

pedenae@miamioh.edu