Orange and Beyond: A Look At Some of Our Favorite Redheads!

Jules
9 Min Read

We here at Orange and Beyond celebrate any and all variations on the color orange. That includes those sporting a lovely red/orange hair color! There are many iconic redheads in TV and film, and we thought it only natural to honor some of our favorites on this special day. Read on for just a few of the amazing redheaded characters we know and love!

The Weasleys, Harry Potter series

A selection of Weasleys. Image courtesy Warner Brothers.

As Draco Malfoy once said, “Red hair, and a hand me down robe. You must be a Weasley”. It is impossible to pick a favorite Weasley, so we’re not even going to try. Arthur, Molly, Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George, Ron, and Ginny make up the fun, loveable, and yes, red-headed family we all wanted to join when we first met them in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Bonus points for Fred and George: April 1 is their birthday!

General Armitage Hux, Star Wars saga

General Hux, looking pained as usual. Image courtesy Disney/Lucasfilm.

Domhnall Gleeson makes the list twice, first for his performance as Bill Weasley in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 and Part 2 and second for his role as General Armitage Hux in the Star Wars saga. His rivalry with Kylo Ren is passionate, and ultimately destructive. Hux is a man with a (terrifying) mission, and over the course of the saga his emotional journey is fascinating to watch.

Charlie Bradbury, Supernatural

Felicia Day courtesy of The CW.

No list of redheads is complete without the brilliant Charlie Bradbury of Supernatural. Played by Felicia Day, Charlie helps Sam and Dean Winchester hack into the computer of their season seven enemy Dick Roman. She saves them several more times as the seasons progress, appearing in 11 episodes total. Her bright and bubbly personality made her an instant fan favorite and her love for nerdy things like Harry Potter and LARPing solidifies her spot in our top favorite redheads!

Rowena McLeod, Supernatural

Rowena in action. Image courtesy The CW.

Supernatural brought us one of our favorite badass redheads of all time, Rowena McLeod. Rowena began her journey as a powerful witch and enemy of the Winchesters, but as her character grew she became an ally who ends up very fond of the brothers. She’s also had some of our favorite comebacks, her most recent as none other than The Queen of Hell. Her 33 episode run on the show was perfectly executed by actress Ruth Connell. We will miss seeing what Rowena is up to when the show comes to a close.

Amy Pond, Doctor Who

Image Courtesy BBC.

This list wouldn’t be complete without Amelia Pond, the girl who waited. As companion to the 11th Doctor, Amy and husband Rory travel through time and space as they end up saving whole species and planets from dangers throughout the universe. Amy first appears on the show at age 7 asking for help with the crack in her wall. The Doctor answers the call and returns to Amy 12 years later (accidentally)! Amy faces Weeping Angels, the end of time, a few deaths of husband Rory, The Silence and more in her time with The Doctor and is one of the most beloved companions of the series.

Mary Jane Watson, Spider-Man comics and films

Peter Parker impresses Mary Jane and finally kisses the girl of his dreams. Image courtesy Columbia Pictures.

One of the most popular characters in comics, Spider-Man has had many different portrayals onscreen. But one of the most well recognized is Sam Raimi’s series of films starring Tobey Maguire as the web-slinger alongside Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane Watson, his redheaded love interest. Mary Jane is smart, funny, and sexy, with Dunst and Maguire having real chemistry. MJ is also part of one of the most iconic movie scenes of all time: the upside-down kiss in the rain from Spider-Man.

Ariel, The Little Mermaid and Merida, Brave

Image courtesy Disney/Pixar.
Image courtesy Disney.

These two Disney princesses are well known for their red hair and independent spirits. Ariel’s longing to be human is instantly relatable, and Merida’s feisty attitude makes her a hilarious new kind of princess. Not to mention the fact that Merida easily has the best hair of anyone on this list. Both are beloved by Disney fans everywhere and deserve to make our list of favorite redheads.

Sansa Stark, Game of Thrones 

Sansa may have still been a little bird here, but she already had the fierceness of the Queen in the North. Image courtesy HBO.

Sansa Stark captured our hearts from her first appearance onscreen. Over the course of eight seasons, Sansa grew from a little bird to the Queen in the North,  a shrewd politician who learned how to use the game of thrones to her advantage. Her instantly quotable dialogue and ability to level anyone with her direct stare are just two more reasons to love the Lady of Winterfell.

Natasha Romanoff, The Avengers

Image Courtesy Disney.

It’s hard to watch a scene with Natasha Romanoff, aka The Black Widow, and not be impressed with her poise, intelligence, and very specific skill set. She can kick ass against any threat the Avengers face and we’ve watched her character develop over the years into a friend and confidant for many of her teammates. Now, Disney is giving Nat another chapter with Black Widow, a series on Disney + and we can’t wait to see more of the fiery redhead.

Clary Fray, Shadowhunters

Clary’s fighting spirit and protectiveness of her friends makes her a great character. Image courtesy Freeform.

Whether you love the books or the television series, there’s no doubt that you love Clary. Her journey from regular teenage artist to powerful Shadowhunter is the main arc of the series, and her wit and stubbornness make her a great character.

Nancy Drew, The CW series

Nancy Drew may be a thorn in the side of the Horseshoe Bay PD, but she’s one of our favorite redheads. Image courtesy The CW.

The newest version of teen super sleuth Nancy Drew is currently solving crimes and chasing ghosts on The CW. This Nancy is fearless, if a little reckless, and her emotional journey in the show’s first season grabs the viewer’s attention. With plenty of supernatural visitors to Horseshoe Bay, it’s safe to say our favorite private investigator will have her hands full for years to come.

We at Orange and Beyond think these gingers should be celebrated every day of the year! Who is your favorite redhead? Let us know in the comments below!

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By Jules
I am a nurse and dedicated nerd from Boston, MA. When I'm not at work, I'm rewatching old favorites like Supernatural or discovering my new obsessions (too many to count!). When not fangirling, I can be found reading, writing, or listening to a true crime podcast. You can find me on Twitter @juleswritesblog for more nerdy nonsense.
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