NEURODIVERSITY REPRESENTATION IN THE MEDIA THURSDAY: Eloise

If you grew up in the 2000s with Disney Channel, there's a small chance you know who Eloise is.  The live-action Eloise movies are near and dear to my heart.  I feel like I could relate to Eloise in so many ways.  
If you've never seen the movies, at least get yourself to see Eloise at Christmastime.  Dame Julie Andrews plays Eloise's Nanny and Eloise is played by Sofia Vassilieva.  Eloise is a 6-year-old girl who lives at the Plaza Hotel in New York City, New York with her Nanny while her mom is a traveling model.  Eloise's personality is one that neurodivergents alike might identify with.  There were two live-action films (both released in 2003).  They were based on the children's book written by Kay Thompson.
As I've said, Eloise shows a lot of neurodiverse qualities.  Below are some of the traits that Eloise has that are neurodiverse-coded:

🧩 Neurodiverse Traits Eloise Displays

Below are just some of the traits Eloise exhibits that are often associated with ADHD or broader neurodivergent experiences:


🎯 Trait How Eloise Shows It Example Scene
Highly Energetic / Restless Constantly exploring, rarely still Dashes through hallways and bounces on beds in both Plaza and Christmastime 
Messy / Disorganized Space Room left in disarray when she's deep in action Leaves a chaotic aftermath when searching for her mom’s package in the package room 
Impulsivity Acts before thinking, interrupts others Pushes into the check-in line to ask about her package; barges into staff conversations 
Attention-seeking Seeks audience and acknowledgment from adults Interrupts Mr. Salamone and guests to be heard and validated 
Rapid Topic-Switching Jumps between thoughts and missions Flits from spy missions to matchmaking plots with Rachel and Bill 
Passionate / Fixated Interests Zeroes in on causes she cares about, with full emotional investment Obsessed with reuniting Rachel and Bill, exposing Brooks Oliver for forgery, and, in Christmastime, obsessing over Christmas 🎄 
Repeated Clothing Wears the same outfit throughout, possibly by design or habit Seen in consistent wardrobe across scenes—could represent routine or comfort
Creative Imagination Designs elaborate schemes from simple premises Transforms hotel life into elaborate spy operations and matchmaker missions 
Boundary-Pushing Behavior Tests social limits with guests and staff Meddles in guest affairs, commandeers staff attention and hotel systems 
Emotional Intensity Expresses strong feelings—tearing up or cheering loudly Cries when package is missing, shouts joy when schemes succeed 
Assertive / Bold Speaks mind forcefully, even to authority figures Confidently confronts managers, interrupts adults, leads wedding investigations
Resilient / Quick to Bounce Back Transitions quickly from setbacks to new plans Gets reprimanded, then immediately retreats to her next caper without pause 
Mischievous / Playful Manipulation Schemes to help people in unconventional ways Engineers Rachel-Bill reunion and gets Brooks arrested for forgery 


🎀 Final Thoughts

Eloise may be seen by adults as “too much” such as being too loud, too energetic, too emotional. But through a neurodivergent lens, she’s not too much of anything. She’s a brilliant example of what it looks like to be unapologetically yourself, even when the world around you doesn’t understand you.

Whether you see yourself in her messy room, her fierce loyalty, or her imaginative missions, Eloise reminds us that being “a lot” can also mean being brave, creative, and full of heart.

If you've seen Eloise, what are your favorite Eloise moments? Comment below!




DISCLAIMER NOTE: ELOISE ISN'T DIAGNOSED WITH ANY DISABILITY.  THE TRAITS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED IN THIS POST ARE TRAITS THAT MATCH WHAT IT'S LIKE BEING NEURODIVERGENT!  I CANNOT DIAGNOSE ELOISE, BUT I CAN SAY HOW MANY SIMILAR TRAITS SHE HAS TO ME AS WELL AS MANY OTHER INDIVIDUALS IN THE NEUROSPICY COMMUNITY!!

 If you liked this blog post, PLEASE comment down below on what your favorite part was, and feel free to share it with your friends and family, etc.  Have any comments, questions, etc. about what you were reading? Reach out to me by messaging me on Instagram or TikTok @neurospicyblondie or email me  alyssa.onthespectrum@gmail.com. 

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