Throughout the long and varied history of glass eyewear, one thing has remained constant. Those who wear glasses are often socially ostracized by their peers. Though this is more-so a trait of playground social hierarchies, it is unfortunately normal for people to make assumptions about others, see a peer wearing glasses. It is the sole article of clothing that turns any dress shirt and slacks into a "nerd" costume on Halloween. Needless to say, glasses seem to have a way about them to make the person wearing them stand out. In the film industry, glasses have many times been a simple tool of characterization.
We recognize them as the scientists, doctors, teachers, nerds, elders, inventors, or any other archetype that can typically be found bespectacled. In film, as in real life, those with glasses are often labeled as such, "the one with glasses." For the best characters in frames, their impaired vision is doing no more for their character than simply completing their aesthetic design. For others, it can be a main source of adversity within their story. Whatever the case may be, make sure you wipe down your lenses before scrolling any further, these are the 10 most iconic movie characters who wear glasses.
10 Carl Fredricksen - Up
Motion Pictures
In 2009 the world was introduced to Up, a Disney Pixar film with perhaps the most heartfelt and emotional first 10 minutes of any movie ever. Through those 10 minutes, the audience is swiftly taken through the life story of lead protagonist Carl Fredricksen, up to present. He is seen as having worn glasses his entire life, not just old aged as his primary design for the majority of the film and promotional material.
Voiced by Ed Asner, Carl's character has a gruff way about him. Designed by Pixar's Pete Doctor and the production designer on Up, Ricky Nierva, his literal shape is meaningful to his character. Carl's large square head and accentuated square framed glasses outwardly display how he is literally and figuratively an old square. To many, he is the quintessential visage of a cute old man, glasses and all.
9 Ralphie - A Christmas Story
From the all-time holiday classic, A Christmas Story, Ralphie is a bespectacled little boy who wants one dangerous thing for Christmas. The Red Ryder BB Gun of his wildest dreams is on his Christmas list, it should be just a December away. Despite all his efforts, asking Mom and Dad, his school teacher, even Santa Claus himself, Ralphie does not expect to see that BB Gun come Christmas morning. Every adult in his life has shared with him the same sentiment, "You'll shoot your eye out, kid".
In an ironic twist of fate, Ralphie is surprised to receive his Red Ryder BB Gun on Christmas morning. When he first fires it off, the BB ricocheted off of a tree and hit Ralphie right in his glasses! What seemed like a prop for the young boy's cute costume design proved to be an essential story element as the lone shield which saved him from his ill-fated eye shooting.
8 Waymond Wang - Everything Everywhere All At Once
Everything Everywhere All At Once took the world by storm in 2022 with its fun and surrealist take on the multiverse. An unforgettable movie that intimately explores the theme of crossroads and the important choices of life. Winning a Golden Globe for Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role, Ke Huy Quan's portrayal of Waymond Wang was highly emotional as well as funny. The multiverse plot of the film provides many different iterations of Waymond throughout all possible realities, so naturally, the character's appeals varied throughout.
The once child actor, of Indiana Jones fame wears glasses in real life. Despite that, this was Quan's first role seen wearing them. Though there were an infinite number of realities of Waymond Wang available, a majority of them seemed to need glasses. However, during the long fight from the tax office to egress, badass Waymond directs most of the battle without any glasses. It he verse-jumped to a version of himself with perfect vision, it was unclear, but surely possible.
7 Cyclops - X-Men
A member of the subspecies of humans known as mutants, Cyclops is one of the most notable glasses wearing superheroes of all time. Considered the first of the X-Men, Cyclops has the ability to emit powerful beams of energy from his eyes. He can only control the energy with the help of special eyewear that he must keep on his face at all times. Though the glasses have taken on different designs over the years of movies in the X-Men franchise, their presence and purpose has remained constant. This is perhaps one of the most interesting characters with glasses since, if he takes them off, he uncontrollably fires out laser beams from his retinas. Don't call him four-eyes!
6 Mirabel Madrigal - Encanto
Another eyeglass wearing character from Disney Pixar, Mirabel Madrigal from Encanto has recently become a favorite among Pixar fans. The animated film centers around the Madrigal family who all share in common magical powers, or gifts, that have been passed down through the family for generations. Everyone in the family Madrigal has a gift. Well, everyone except for Mirabel.
Mirabel is somewhat embarrassed as the only member of the family without a special power, and oddly enough is the only family member with glasses. Mirabel wearing glasses may be a conscious choice by character designers to set her apart. In a subtle way, Mirabel's glasses visibly distinguish her from the other members of the Madrigal family. In this way, her glasses become a visual representation of the differentiation she embodies as the only family member without powers.
5 Clark Kent - Superman
Superlative for the simplest superhero civilian alter-ego disguise goes to Clark Kent's glasses. Superman is one of Hollywood's oldest and most successful superheroes. Throughout the years many different actors have played the Herculean Kryptonian on screen. The unifying quality of all these actors is wildly handsome good looks. While these supermen aren't any less strapping in the glasses, it does have an effect on Clark Kent's character.
Being the strongest man on earth, Clark Kent should have a hard time fitting in with the other journalists at The Daily Planet. Because of this, Superman does what he can to mask his strength as Clark Kent. Though the glasses don't really do much to hide his face, they are a tool for Superman to channel a character he needs to play. Clark Kent is weak and lacking confidence, but it's merely a farce he puts off about himself to further conceal his true identity as Superman. Though an iconic character in glasses, the best parts of the movie always come after he takes them off.
4 Austin Powers - Austin Powers
The quintessential spoof of 60s spy films, Austin Powers is a British caricature blown out of proportion. The entire aesthetic of Austin Powers is entrenched in the flower power and psychedelia that permeated through culture in the 60s. With the shaggy mop and glasses, he may be meant to somewhat resemble John Lennon. In this way, his glasses are utilized in his character design to accentuate his Britishness. A task that is also comically accomplished by prosthetic teeth worn by actor Mike Myers. Groovy, baby!
3 Velma Dinkley - Scooby-Doo
Pictured above without her glasses, Velma from Scooby-Doo is normally recognizable for large square frames. However, in Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed, Velma is seen wearing her usual attire for most of the film, but in the third act she undergoes a change. There is a romantic sub-plot in which Velma allows Daphne to give her a makeover in effort to capture the attention of her love interest.
The Taming of the Shrew style transformation is complete once Velma is seen in a skin tight jumpsuit and her glasses have been removed. In this iteration of Scooby-Doo, Velma losing her glasses is so much more than a cheap plot device to add commotion to a cartoon monster battle. It is a device of change that alters Velma's self perception and gives her the confidence to approach the man of her choosing.
2 Morpheus - The Matrix
Perhaps one of the coolest characters in film history, Morpheus famously wears his pince nez sunglasses to cover his eyes. In The Matrix, agents and renegades are always wearing sunglasses to cover their own eyes and reflect back those who are looked upon. Such a shot is frequently had with Morpheus in the film, when Neo is refelcted in his glasses. Now that The Matrix is a vogue word, Laurence Fishburn's portrayal of sunglassed Morpheus is only going to continue increasing in relevancy.
1 Harry Potter - Harry Potter
Maybe the most celebrated character with glasses around the world, Harry Potter has been wearing his little round frames since the very start of the film series in 2001. Actor Daniel Radcliffe grew up in the role and has had plenty of interesting movies since. Though, in an effort to get away from Harry Potter, he may never be seen again in the little round frames.
Though Potter's glasses were not ever used as a plot device, them along with his lightning bolt scar are integral to his character design. Iconic to say the least, the scar and glasses are instantly recognizable anywhere.