15 Most Popular Winnie The Pooh Characters Ranked Worst To Best

Not to be confused with Winnie's frequent play pal Christopher Robin, Darby (Chloe Grace Moretz) was introduced in the 2007 – 2010 Disney Junior computer-animated television show "My Friends Tigger & Pooh." The head of the Super Sleuths, Darby takes great joy in solving mysteries around the Hundred Acre Wood with her stuffed friends. For those wondering where Christopher Robin was during this show, well, it was set at a time when he had grown up — and although never confirmed, some presumed that Darby was his younger sister (the Disney Fandom page says she is his "younger best friend").

Though she lacks the impact and occasional wisdom of Christopher Robin, Darby is a sweet addition to the world of Winnie the Pooh. Boating a warm personality and pet dog named Buster, she got the job done in making playtime possible. You'll never see Darby in a dress, as she's a bit of a tomboy. Sure, she was friendly and clever enough — but quite frankly, she's only interesting for viewers who are very, very young.

From the original Winnie the Pooh stories written by A.A. Milne to the Disney iterations, the narrator has always played a vital part in Pooh's stories. In the Disney films, particularly 1977's "The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh" (voiced by Sebastian Cabot) and 2011's "Winnie the Pooh," (John Cleese) the narrator was a character unto his own, regularly interacting with the characters in the story. It's a considerable departure from most classic Disney films, where a narrator would only read from a storybook at the beginning of a film to set the plot in motion, then recede into the background.

The narrator is so essential in 2011's "Winnie the Pooh," in fact, that the plot wouldn't be able to move forward without him. The characters, especially Pooh, regularly interact with words in the storybook during that film — and in one pivotal moment, use them to climb out of a pit to safety.

Gopher (originally Howard Morris, Michael Gough since 1988) stands out for an interesting reason — he's the only character to appear in "The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh" that wasn't part of the original book series written by A.A. Milne. Disney wanted a character that felt a bit more distinctly American, to give audiences a more relatable Wood resident. There's even a clever nod to this in the film; Gopher's very first line is "I'm not in the book, but I'm at your service."

Though he's a charming and funny presence in the 1977 film, he's a notable absence in the 2011 movie, perhaps because he wasn't quite the success that Disney was hoping for. That said, he's still a big presence in a number of Winnie the Pooh television shows, and has a great role in "The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh." Because Gopher is, well, a gopher, he spends a lot of time underground, and only the top half of him is typically visible. He's a hard worker and top-tier whistler, but he's mostly there out of necessity, and there isn't much depth to his personality.

Without Christopher Robin (voiced by Jack Boulter), it's fair to say that Winnie the Pooh wouldn't exist — after all, the origins of A.A. Milne's books come from his relationship with his own son, the real life Christopher Robin. Which, admittedly, wasn't always a good thing. 

In the Disney iterations, the character is largely defined by his relationships with the other characters, particularly the very special emotional bond he shares with Pooh. In the shows and films, he's often only present at the beginning and end, and many of the stories revolve around finding him. He often imparts some valuable wisdom to Pooh, telling him in 1997's "Pooh's Grand Adventure: The Search for Christopher Robin": "You're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think."

The character even got his own film in 2018's Ewan McGregor-starring "Christopher Robin," a live-action flick that depicted him as a grown up, reminding us that he's not a very interesting character on his own. 

The fact is, Christopher Robin has always been a blank slate, meant for kids to project themselves onto rather than being a fully fleshed-out character. In the "Christopher Robin" live-action movie, it's only when the gang from the Hundred Acre Wood appears that the film kicks into high gear. In short, he gets by with a little help from his friends.

Every friend group has one: the know-it-all. They're quick to correct, quick to drop a fact or two, and always thrilled to tell you about their (not so) thrilling academic exploits. 

In the Hundred Acre Wood, that character is absolutely Owl (originally Hal Smith, comedian Craig Ferguson in the 2011 film), the resident scholar who doesn't know nearly as much as he thinks he does. He's also no better at spelling than anyone else, even if he thinks he is, and so frequently leads the characters of Winnie the Pooh off on a wild goose chase. This is best exemplified in the 2011 movie, where he engineers the Backson expedition.

Sure, Owl has a well-earned reputation for being arrogant and overwhelmingly smug, but there's something quite lovely about him. That's likely because, when it comes down to it, Owl really isn't all that clever, and just wants to be considered very wise. If Owl was as smart as he thinks he is, he'd just come across as rude, but since he isn't in fact intellectually superior to anyone else, it lends a relatable element to the character.

When it comes down to it, Rabbit (originally Junius Matthes, Tom Kenny since 2011) just wants to be left alone. He has a lovely home in a large tree with an impressive garden, and he'd probably be in complete bliss 24/7 if not for being constantly exasperated by his friends. Rabbit's patience is regularly tested, and nobody is more responsible for his frustration than the charming Winnie the Pooh.

In 1977's "The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh," part of Rabbit's house is shown to be underground, with a small hole in a hill to enter. An impressive decorator, Rabbit has managed to make great use of his limited space, clearly enjoys being by himself, and is absolutely devastated when Pooh comes to visit. 

In one of Pooh's most beloved gags, he ends up eating so much Honey that he gets himself stuck in Rabbit's doorway. Despite the initial panic, Rabbit makes the best of a bad situation, decorating Pooh's bottom and turning it into a fashionable set-piece that really ties his house together. He even manages to get that "rustic, informal look" — but as it so often the case for Rabbit, things come crashing down around him when Pooh finally breaks free.

That moment is a microcosm of what makes Rabbit so much fun. Sure, we all love spending time with our friends, but sometimes it's preferable to be by yourself, unencumbered from the stresses of the world — and Winnie the Pooh's bottom.

The ultimate icon for the body positivity movement ("I am short, fat, and proud of that"), Winnie the Pooh (originally Sterling Holloway, now Jim Cummings) is nothing short of a pop culture icon. We'll try not too pontificate too much – long words bother Pooh, after all.

One of Pooh's most relatable aspects is his constant hunger, speaking to the snack lover in all of us. He's particularly enamored by "hunny," and will do anything for the next opportunity to stick his hand into an ooey gooey pot.

Once, he scaled a tree to get his favorite treat straight from the beehive source — which ended up exactly as you would expect. In "Winnie the Pooh," his hunger made him hallucinate a visually sumptuous world (featuring the wonderful song "Everything is Honey"), only to wake up and realize he'd been eating mud. 

It's not just Pooh's appetite that make him so relatable, however. This silly old bear has charm to spare, a knack for dropping pearls of wisdom when least expected, and although he's not the smartest or bravest bear around, he is the most lovable. Perhaps best summing up his adorable nature is one of Pooh's classic quotes: "People say nothing is impossible. But I do nothing every day."

"Oh, d-d-d-dear," Piglet (originally John Fielder, Travis Oates in the 2011 film) often says, as he cowers in fear at what seems like the drop of a hat. It's easy to see his nervous stature and small size and dismiss him entirely, but doing so would be a dreadful mistake. 

Time and time again, Piglet faces his fears and overcomes his miniature size to accomplish great things. He's also quite hilarious; in 2011's "Winnie the Pooh" Piglet has the opportunity to save his friends who have fallen into the trap they created, and in an effort to keep things fair for all, he cuts the rope into six pieces, claiming "now you can all get out!" His comical blunder forces him to brave the terrifying forest to find help, something that despite plenty of shuddering and shivering, he succeeds in.

Piglet is also gracious and a friend everybody should aspire to be like. When Owl's house gets blown away in "The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh," Piglet graciously offers Owl his own home. That's to say nothing of his fashion sense, as Piglet's magenta sweater is truly the stuff that dreams are made of; in a contest based purely on cuteness, he wins the gold hands down. 

But the real reason Piglet is the best "Winnie the Pooh" character is because he offers children an extraordinary message, that bravery can come from even the most unexpected source. Whether it is a dark forest, a ruined home, or rescuing Pooh from danger (as in "Piglet's Big Movie"), you can always count on this little pig to get the job done.