Amayzine

15 x fictional characters that have played a big role in our lives

Throughout our lives, we encounter various people from whom we learn something or have beautiful (or terrible) memories. Nine times out of ten, these are not ‘real’ people at all, but just fictional characters that have made a deep impression. Below, I share my favorite characters that have played a significant role in my life. This may sound a bit exaggerated, and it is, but I am sure you will appreciate them.

1. Karbonkel
Let me start with everyone's biggest nightmare: Karbonkel. All Ik Mik Loreland viewers know immediately what I'm talking about. This character was so scary, right? I must say I found it a very fascinating figure as well. That's why I always looked forward to that one moment in the week at school. Unfortunately, too many parents complained about the ‘scariness’ of this program in my time, which meant I could never watch it. I still hold that against those parents.

2. Ronald McDonald
This fictional character still plays a big role in my life. Ronald himself has become a bit less important, but the place where Ronald is located is still somewhere I love to go. How happy were you back then with a balloon that you could take from the statue of Ronald? That was truly the highlight of your trip to McDonald's.

3. Rafiki
Actually, almost all Disney characters have played a significant role in our lives, but I must highlight Rafiki from The Lion King. Why? Because he is the best at giving life advice. My favorite quote from him: ‘The past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it, or learn from it.’ These words will stay with us all forever.

4. The Gingerbread Man
We must not forget Gingy from Shrek, the little talking cookie. With no less than five parts, the Shrek films have played a big role in our lives. Of all the characters, this little guy has stuck with me the most. For a cookie, he had pretty well-timed humor, and I love that. Spirit animal, if you ask me.

5. The Olsen Twins
I watched all the movies of the Olsen Twins with my older sister. It Takes Two, When in Rome, Our Lips Are Sealed, Passport to Paris, and so on. Suddenly, I really feel like having a marathon. I still think the Olsen Twins are amazing, not anymore for their acting talent, but because they have grown into two true style icons. When I walk around on a Monday looking like a homeless person, I always keep in mind that the Olsen Twins invented this look.

6. Bridget Jones
My biggest spirit animal: Bridget Jones. I can never get enough of this character. I recently had a marathon, and I just love this woman. The awkwardness she radiates, the amount of bad luck in love, and drowning in self-pity on the couch with a bottle of wine. Everyone feels like Bridget from time to time, right? How nice it is to sometimes see that you are not the only one. Okay, she doesn't really exist, but it's still a meager comfort.

7. Lizzie McGuire
Lizzie McGuire really made me want to go to high school. As a little girl, I watched Lizzie's daily teenage life, and it was just enviable. All her teenage problems came to light, which was of course very educational. A true highlight was when the big Lizzie McGuire Movie came out. After that, we heard very little from Hilary Duff, which is a shame.

8. Superman
Our greatest hero of all time, along with Spider-Man and Batman, of course. But Superman was just a concept. You had pajamas of him and always shouted that you were Superman while playing; that was just part of your childhood. Moreover, all girls had a phase where they thought their dad was Superman. In the end, that turned out to be quite manageable.

9. E.T.
I can already cry just thinking about E.T. This is absolutely one of my favorite movies. E.T. steals your heart, and after watching this film, didn't we all want to have an E.T. at home? When I ride through the city with Sjaan in my basket, I always imagine that she is E.T.; I find that just a bit more fun.

10. Willy Wonka
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, what a mega film that was, right? And Willy Wonka was such a fascinating character; he was scary and sweet at the same time. I mean the version with Gene Wilder as Mr. Wonka; I found the one with Johnny Depp scary. The golden ticket will always stay with me; I hoped for a long time to find one, but unfortunately, that tour of the chocolate factory is no longer in the cards for me.

11. James Bond
We really grew up with James Bond. As a little girl, I always thought it was amazing to watch the James Bond films with my parents on Veronica. I didn't find it scary enough, but just very exciting and cool. Even now, 007 is my great hero. After watching No Time To Die, I really needed to recover. Daniel Craig was in our lives for years, and suddenly this phase of Bond is definitively over. Still, I am already looking forward to the next one.

12. Diddl
For years, I collected papers from Diddl, that gigantic white cartoon mouse. Diddl notepads were incredibly trendy in high school. Often, you would trade sheets with your classmates to expand your collection as much as possible. Who remembers the special edition notepads with perfume on them? Then you were really a winner. Also, agendas, cover paper, and pencil cases with Diddl on them were a hit.

13. Romeo & Julia
Everyone grows up with this love tragedy by William Shakespeare. To the point of annoyance, you discussed every detail of this play in high school. Romeo & Julia changed your view of love, although you understand this better now than when you were twelve.

14. Peter Pan
I can still dream about Neverland. I often fully identify with Peter Pan, the boy who doesn't want to grow up and prefers to remain a child forever. By the way, I recently found out that the film is inspired by a book that is much darker than the film. In the book, Peter Pan actually murders children to prevent them from growing older. Well, I will quickly let that go because the idea that he takes you to another world is much nicer.

15. Mean Girls
Every year at Christmas, Mean Girls just goes on again, you know. Because of Mean Girls, we used to wear pink on Wednesdays and did dances in red Christmas dresses at the school party. And don't forget Karen's special talent: she could feel what the weather was going to be like with her breasts; I was always very impressed by that.