King Fergus (Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson)
Merida’s father, King Fergus, is the appointed ruler of the DunBroch kingdom. “He is the Bear King — this big, boisterous monarch who’s full of life,” says Andrews. “He still has that kind of berserkness about him. He’ll rage, like all good passionate folks, but he cools quickly.” Fergus also sings a “party song” at one point in the movie. “The song’s about his trials and tribulations with the great demon bear Mordu,” says Andrews. “It’s the evil bear of the kingdom — the one that Fergus hasn’t been able to defeat yet and is responsible for taking his leg.”
In contrast to Fergus, Queen Elinor is focused and composed. “She actually runs the kingdom,” explains Andrews. “She’s the smart politico — diplomatic, refined, elegant. Elinor has big plans for Merida, since she’s the next in line. And Merida doesn’t want to do it. There’s this difference between mother and daughter, and it goes back a long ways. When we come into the movie, we show how they were [when Merida was a child] and what they’ve become at this turning point in Merida’s life.”
NEXT PAGE: Lords Macintosh, MacGuffin, and Dingwall
