Enrique Rivera

**Enrique Rivera** is a supporting character from the 2017 film Coco.

## Background

### Personality

Enrique Rivera is a family man and so values his family and their traditions, but not to the same extent as his mother, Elena Rivera. Enrique values peace in the family, a peace that is consistently rocked by his son, Miguel and his love of music, which is banned by their family.

Although Enrique wants for his son to be happy, he still respects his family's ways and so agrees with his mother's ban against music on the basis of trying to keep the family together, which led him to agree with Elena's proposal of bringing Miguel into the family shoe-making business even though it was clearly not what Miguel wanted.

When Miguel made the claim that Ernesto de la Cruz was his great-great grandfather, Enrique was sceptical and finally put his foot down in outright banning Miguel's musical ambitions but protested when his mother destroyed Miguel's guitar, knowing it would set a bad example, and was proven right when it drove Miguel to run away in tears.

Spending the entire night looking for his son caused Enrique to reconsider his family values, especially when the next morning Miguel was found and opted to play a song for Mama Coco despite Elena almost stopping him, only for Enrique to hold back his mother and let Miguel play. Seeing Mama Coco regain some of her lucidity and even recognize her daughter brought a profound change in the Rivera's and they reconciled with Miguel by ending the family ban against music, for Miguel's love of music had ultimately brought them closer together as a family than ever before.

## Film Appearances

### Coco

Enrique first appears in the Rivera shoe shop making shoes to sell in the store. His mother Elena and brother Berto comes in with Miguel. Elena informs Enrique that Miguel was in Mariachi Plaza, to his disapproval. Miguel explains that he was just shining shoes but Enrique scolds him for disobeying Elena and forbids him from returning to the plaza. Later, he, his mother, and wife Luisa tell Miguel that they have decided to let Miguel into the shoemaking business. Miguel hesitantly asks what would happen if he isn't good at making shoes, although Enrique and Luisa dismiss the notion, as Enrique proclaims Miguel has his family to guide him. At sunset, Miguel appears claiming to the family that Ernesto de la Cruz is his great-great-grandfather and that he's going to become a musician. Enrique is doubtful that De la Cruz is a Rivera as they've never known anything about his great-grandfather. He and Elena then try to talk Miguel out of this idea, but Miguel persists. Elena ultimately destroys Miguel's guitar to prevent him from becoming like Imelda's husband, despite Enrique urging his mother not to do so, knowing this method will send a terrible message.

Enrique's notion is correct when a hurt Miguel runs off, so much so that he and Luisa follow Miguel to the cemetery to look for him, unaware that Miguel has transformed into a spirit and is thus unable to see Miguel when he rushes to them. The next morning, Enrique spots Miguel returning home to help Mamá Coco. At first, Enrique is upset with Miguel but quickly understands that Miguel is only trying to help that he comforts his son. When Miguel decides to play Mamá Coco a song, Enrique holds back his mother from interfering as he believes that Miguel can help Mamá Coco and is trying to cope. Enrique and the rest of the family are moved by the heartfelt moment, and from Coco and Miguel, he learns more about his maternal great-grandfather Héctor and what really happened to him.

In the events leading to the next Día de los Muertos a year later, celebrating having music back in the family, Enrique has become the father to the newest member of the Rivera clan, Socorro. He holds her in his arms as he and his wife watch Miguel play the guitar that once belonged to Héctor before he and his brother proudly lift him in the air.