Kristoff is a
fictional character
In fiction, a character is a person or being in a narrative (such as a novel, play, radio or television series, music, film, or video game). The character may be entirely fictional or based on a real-life person, in which case the distinction o ...
in
Walt Disney Animation Studios
Walt Disney Animation Studios (WDAS), sometimes shortened to Disney Animation, is an American animation studio that produces animated feature films and short films for the Walt Disney Company. The studio's current production logo features a s ...
'
''Frozen'' franchise. He appears in the animated features ''
Frozen'' (2013) and ''
Frozen II
''Frozen 2'', stylized as ''Frozen II'', is a 2019 American animated musical fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures as the sequel to '' Frozen'' (2013). The film was directed by Chris Buck ...
'' (2019), and the animated short films ''
Frozen Fever
''Frozen Fever'' is a 2015 American animated musical fantasy short film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. A follow-up to the 2013 feature film '' Frozen'', the short follows Elsa as she attempts to ...
'' (2015), ''
Olaf's Frozen Adventure
''Olaf's Frozen Adventure'' is a 2017 American animated featurette produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and directed by Kevin Deters and Stevie Wermers. The screenplay was written by Jac Schaeffer, with Josh Gad, Kristen Bell, Idina Menz ...
'' (2017) and ''
Once Upon a Snowman
''Once Upon a Snowman'' is a 2020 American animated fantasy short film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and written and directed by Trent Correy and Dan Abraham. Correy drew inspiration from a scene where Elsa created Olaf while working ...
'' (2020). Kristoff is one of two leading men in ''Frozen'' who take the role of Anna's love interest. His soft-hearted character was designed to contrast with the calculating personality of
Hans. Kristoff and Anna's relationship develops out of friendship and was intended to depict the reality of love, as opposed to the hasty, romantic nature of Anna's engagement to Hans.
Kristoff was created by co-directors
Chris Buck
Christopher James Buck (born February 24, 1958) is an American film director, animator, and screenwriter known for co-directing '' Tarzan'' (1999), '' Surf's Up'' (2007) (which was nominated for the 2007 Oscar for Best Animated Feature), '' F ...
and
Jennifer Lee and is voiced primarily by
Jonathan Groff
Jonathan Drew Groff (born March 26, 1985) is an American actor and singer. Known for his performances on stage and screen, he has received several awards including a Tony Award and a Grammy Award as well as a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Aw ...
. He is a rugged
iceman who lives in the mountains with his reindeer companion
Sven
Sven is a Scandinavian masculine first name.
In Old Norse the meaning was "young man" or "servant" and the original Old Norse spelling was ''sveinn''.
Variants such as '' Svend'' are found in Danish and Norwegian. Another variant, '' Svein'' ...
. His design takes inspiration from traditional
Sámi
Acronyms
* SAMI, ''Synchronized Accessible Media Interchange'', a closed-captioning format developed by Microsoft
* Saudi Arabian Military Industries, a government-owned defence company
* South African Malaria Initiative, a virtual expertise ...
culture. Quiet and reclusive, Kristoff prefers a solitary life, but after meeting
Princess Anna of Arendelle, he helps her on her journey to find her older sister
Elsa on the North Mountain after she freezes summer with her powers.
Kristoff has received a positive reception for his sensitive and supportive character and his healthy approach to relationships. Critics have praised him for subverting the role of the traditional
Disney
The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...
prince and for representing a shift in Disney's portrayal of masculinity and gender roles, making him a positive role model for children.
Development
Origins and conception
''Frozen'' is loosely based on "
The Snow Queen
"The Snow Queen" () is an 1844 original fairy tale by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. It was first published 21 December 1844 in ''New Fairy Tales. First Volume#New Fairy Tales. First Volume. Second Collection, New Fairy Tales. First Vo ...
", a fairy tale written by
Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen ( , ; 2 April 1805 – 4 August 1875) was a Danish author. Although a prolific writer of plays, travelogue (literature), travelogues, novels, and poems, he is best remembered for his literary fairy tales.
Andersen's fai ...
.
Walt Disney Animation Studios
Walt Disney Animation Studios (WDAS), sometimes shortened to Disney Animation, is an American animation studio that produces animated feature films and short films for the Walt Disney Company. The studio's current production logo features a s ...
made several attempts to adapt the original story to film. In 1943,
Walt Disney
Walter Elias Disney ( ; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer, voice actor, and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the Golden age of American animation, American animation industry, he introduced several develop ...
collaborated on a live-action
biopic
A biographical film or biopic () is a film that dramatizes the life of an actual person or group of people. Such films show the life of a historical person and the central character's real name is used. They differ from docudrama films and histo ...
of Hans Christian Andersen and some animated versions of his stories with
Samuel Goldwyn
Samuel Goldwyn (; born Szmuel Gelbfisz; ; July 1879 (most likely; claimed to be August 27, 1882) January 31, 1974), also known as Samuel Goldfish, was a Polish-born American film producer and pioneer in the American film industry, who produce ...
. After parting ways with
Disney
The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Di ...
, Goldwyn went on to produce the film ''
Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen ( , ; 2 April 1805 – 4 August 1875) was a Danish author. Although a prolific writer of plays, travelogue (literature), travelogues, novels, and poems, he is best remembered for his literary fairy tales.
Andersen's fai ...
'' (1952). As a result, various unfinished projects at Disney, including ''The Snow Queen'' and ''
The Little Mermaid
"The Little Mermaid" (), sometimes translated in English as "The Little Sea Maid", is a fairy tale written by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. Originally published in 1837 as part of a collection of fairy tales for children, the story foll ...
'', were abandoned. Disney returned to the story in the late 1990s.
Chris Buck
Christopher James Buck (born February 24, 1958) is an American film director, animator, and screenwriter known for co-directing '' Tarzan'' (1999), '' Surf's Up'' (2007) (which was nominated for the 2007 Oscar for Best Animated Feature), '' F ...
, who had previously co-directed ''
Tarzan
Tarzan (John Clayton, Viscount Greystoke) is a fictional character, a feral child raised in the African jungle by the Mangani great apes; he later experiences civilization, only to reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adventurer.
Creat ...
'', pitched one of the story concepts titled ''Anna And The Snow Queen,'' but it was not until after the release of ''
Tangled
''Tangled'' is a 2010 American animated musical film, musical Adventure film, adventure fantasy comedy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Loosely based on the German fairy tale "Rapunzel" in th ...
'' (2010) that the film was reimagined with a completely different story concept and with Buck as director. Buck said that his early inspiration for the story aimed to "do something different on the definition of true love. Disney had already done the 'kissed by a prince' thing, so thought it was time for something new".
Producer
Peter Del Vecho
Peter Del Vecho (born April 6, 1958) is an American film producer at Walt Disney Animation Studios, where he is also senior vice president of production. He is best known for producing '' Frozen'' ( accolades) and '' Frozen II'' together with di ...
said that The Snow Queen is "a pretty dark tale and it doesn't translate easily into a film", thus the final film departs heavily from the original. He joined the project in 2011, while it was in development.
Jennifer Lee was brought in as a writer but she had such passion for the project that she became co-director alongside Buck to save time by sharing duties. The story planning involved Del Vecho, Buck, Lee, the head of story and the songwriters working together.
The story of Frozen underwent numerous revisions and was initially much different from the final plot.
Anna
Anna may refer to:
People Surname and given name
* Anna (name)
Mononym
* Anna the Prophetess, in the Gospel of Luke
* Anna of East Anglia, King (died c.654)
* Anna (wife of Artabasdos) (fl. 715–773)
* Anna (daughter of Boris I) (9th–10th c ...
was originally intended to be a kind heroine, while
Elsa was supposed to be the antagonist, akin to the character in the Hans Christian Andersen tale. Elsa has assembled an army of snow monsters in the final act, resulting in Kristoff coming to Anna's rescue. Del Vecho said that the story concept had to be changed because it felt like it had been done before and the characters were not relatable. Buck helped to develop the moment when Anna's heart is frozen by questioning "Does it always need to be true love's kiss that solves that problem? Does it always have to be the man who comes in and rescues the female?" The team eventually realised that the solution was an act of selfless love by Anna. Lee produced a new script for the final act but they were having a hard time staging it until a story artist named John Ripa storyboarded the solution with Elsa's emotions producing a blizzard. By showing Kristoff in the blizzard just before Anna and Elsa arrive, this gave the plot twists the perfect amount of time to develop and give viewers the impression that he will offer the answer.
During development, the filmmakers conducted research on relationships between brothers and sisters. For Kristoff, the ''Frozen'' team surveyed men about what it is like to have relationships with strong women. Lee stated "we were trying to get at what it's like to be a guy, trying to understand women". Kristoff continually changed throughout development and, in an early draft, he was written as a
hoarder Hoarding is the gathering and storing of goods.
Hoarding may also refer to:
Animal and human behavior
* Hoarding (animal behaviour), an animal behaviour related to storing surplus goods for later use
* Hoarding (economics), the practice of ob ...
. Songwriters
Robert Lopez
Robert “Bobby” Lopez (born February 23, 1975) is an American songwriter for musicals and playwright, best known for co-creating '' The Book of Mormon'' and '' Avenue Q'', and for co-writing the songs featured in the Disney animated films '' ...
and
Kristen Anderson-Lopez
Kristen Anderson-Lopez (born March 21, 1972) is an American songwriter. She is known for co-writing the songs for the 2013 animated musical film '' Frozen'' and its 2019 sequel '' Frozen II'' with her husband Robert Lopez. The couple won the Aca ...
originally wrote a full song for him instead of the short lullaby that appears in the final film. In early drafts of the film, Anna flirted with Kristoff immediately upon their first meeting, but this was changed after Walt Disney Studios chairman
Alan Horn
Alan Frederick Horn (born February 28, 1943) is an American entertainment industry executive. Horn became president and COO of Warner Bros. from 1999 to 2012. Horn next served as the chairman of Walt Disney Studios from 2012 to 2020. During his ...
said that it would be confusing.
Voice

Kristoff is primarily voiced by
Jonathan Groff
Jonathan Drew Groff (born March 26, 1985) is an American actor and singer. Known for his performances on stage and screen, he has received several awards including a Tony Award and a Grammy Award as well as a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Aw ...
, while he is voiced as a child by Tyree Brown. Groff's casting was officially announced by Walt Disney Animation Studios in December 2012. Groff said that he was cast after
Idina Menzel
Idina Kim Menzel ( ; ; born May 30, 1971) is an American actress and singer. Particularly known for her work in Musical theatre, musicals on Broadway theatre, Broadway, she has been Honorific nicknames in popular music, nicknamed the "Queen of ...
and
Kristen Bell
Kristen Anne Bell (born July 18, 1980) is an American actress, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. List of Kristen Bell performances, Her work includes both film and television, and List of awards and nominations received by Kristen Bell, h ...
, with much of the casting process focusing on whether his voice was the right fit for Kristoff.
During his audition, he recorded a few scenes and sang a
Stephen Sondheim
Stephen Joshua Sondheim (; March22, 1930November26, 2021) was an American composer and lyricist. Regarded as one of the most important figures in 20th-century musical theater, he is credited with reinventing the American musical. He received Lis ...
song "Everybody Says Don't" from ''
Anyone Can Whistle
''Anyone Can Whistle'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents. Described as "a satire on conformity and the insanity of the so-called sane," the show tells a story of an economically depressed town ...
'', as Disney was searching for a voice that would work well with Bell's. Lee reacted to his voice, saying "everyone was swooning" because it was "like butter". Kristoff was Groff's first voice work in an animated feature and he was surprised to discover that the process involved recording the dialogue alone in a booth rather than working with the other actors. The role required him to record dialogue every six weeks for a year and a half. While recording his voice, the animators took video recordings of Groff and incorporated his facial expressions into the character's animation.
Characterisation
Kristoff is an
ice harvester with a tough, rugged and scruffy appearance. He has a quiet demeanour and few friends apart from his reindeer
Sven
Sven is a Scandinavian masculine first name.
In Old Norse the meaning was "young man" or "servant" and the original Old Norse spelling was ''sveinn''.
Variants such as '' Svend'' are found in Danish and Norwegian. Another variant, '' Svein'' ...
. Animator Tony Smeed said, "He doesn't relate to humans as much as he does animals." He worked on Kristoff to convey his thoughts and emotions using very few words and felt that his understated character meant that he would need to use just enough of his strength to complete the job.
Paul Briggs, head of story, said that he represents the "code of being a man" by having a tough exterior but being soft at heart. He explained that he wears a mask that hides his true self and that Anna helps him to lower it.
Lee confirmed that Kristoff is an orphan at the beginning of ''Frozen''. Due to his love of the outdoors, he comes across Sven and befriends him. Groff said that as a result of Kristoff being raised by trolls and living in the wilderness, he does not have social graces and finds it difficult to communicate with others. He commented, "He's sort of charming but he doesn't realise that he's charming" because he has spent a lot of time living alone. Kristoff's story arc begins with him being a loner and the events force him to integrate back into society, which changes him as a person.
When discussing the two leading males in ''Frozen'', Buck said that he and Lee wanted to create flawed characters. Lee said that their aim was to make Kristoff and the other characters "relatable and genuine". Del Vecho said that the characters respond differently in the same situations just like in real life, thus Kristoff is rugged, practical and lives "day to day", while
Hans lives a more privileged, calculated life.
Buck said that Kristoff represents "the messy part" of real love, in contrast to Hans, who represents romantic love: "He's not the hearts and roses kind of guy; he's like the real deal." Lee commented that this is best expressed in the trolls' song "
Fixer Upper", which shows that despite being far from perfect, Kristoff has been raised with solid values, is there for Anna when she needs him, and also calls her out when she makes mistakes: "I think you have to be able to do that in a relationship."
Groff commented that Kristoff and Anna's relationship is an "unexpected romance" that begins like a business transaction before developing into a friendship. He thought that this sends a positive message to children that the couple get to know each other before falling in love.
Sven is Kristoff's best friend and also acts as his conscience. Lee conceived the idea of Kristoff talking for Sven in a simulated voice due to talking for her cat at home. Buck agreed with the idea, saying that he also talks for his dog, and loved the idea that when Sven finally speaks, Kristoff pretends that he does not understand him.
Groff described Kristoff's habit of expressing his emotions through Sven's voice in the ''Frozen'' song "
Reindeer(s) Are Better Than People
"Reindeer(s) Are Better Than People" is a 50-second song from the 2013 Disney animated film '' Frozen'', originally performed by actor and singer Jonathan Groff in his vocal role as Kristoff. Groff returned with a shorter version in the 2019 film ...
" as a "weird personality quirk". This later inspired Kristoff's song "
Lost in the Woods", a 1980s-style
soft rock
Soft rock (also known as light rock or mellow rock) is a form of rock music that originated in the late 1960s in the United States and the United Kingdom which smoothed over the edges of singer-songwriter and pop rock, relying on simple, mel ...
song in ''Frozen II''.
Songwriter
Kristen Anderson-Lopez
Kristen Anderson-Lopez (born March 21, 1972) is an American songwriter. She is known for co-writing the songs for the 2013 animated musical film '' Frozen'' and its 2019 sequel '' Frozen II'' with her husband Robert Lopez. The couple won the Aca ...
decided that Groff should have more opportunity to sing in ''Frozen II'', but developing a song for Kristoff proved to be a challenge due to him being a gruff, reclusive character. Groff said that initially he could not imagine a mountain man like Kristoff breaking out into song. A comedy song titled "Get This Right" was previously written for Kristoff, which centred on him putting pressure on himself, but it was abandoned. Anderson-Lopez drew inspiration from "a lot of drunk dudes singing
Journey at karaoke" to convey a man expressing his feelings. "Lost in the Woods" uses Kristoff's relationship with Sven by incorporating a chorus of reindeers, which Groff also voiced. Anderson-Lopez said that Kristoff's solitary life in the woods parallels Anna's solitary life living in the castle, which results in two socially awkward people coming together and having the inability to express their feelings. Groff felt that the comedy in Kristoff's song would help young boys to better accept Kristoff's emotions and also help them to express their own feelings.
Lee said that to write the song, they had to get inside Kristoff's head and felt that a passionate '80s ballad expresses the depth of his emotions: "He does right by Anna. He is a hero to me, in that way." Groff said that for Kristoff's song he worked with the composers to find the right balance between humour and sincerity: "He's really going through it." He described Kristoff as a "Disney leading man with a sensitive side" and said that in ''Frozen II'' his role inverts the trope of the male character setting off on an adventure, while the female pines alone at home. In the film, Anna sets off on an adventure, while Kristoff sings about his love for her and offers her support. Groff noted that, although he appears at the end to protect Anna from the giants, Kristoff does not take control or steal the spotlight, but simply asks her what she needs. He commented that Kristoff is "an example for women of what they deserve and for men to take a page from Kristoff's book". When he finally proposes to Anna, it comes "from the heart". Groff said that he feels self-conscious due to the failure of his past three proposals to her, but it was just the "right moment". Although their marriage would technically make Kristoff a king, he has no personal ambitions.
Design
Kristoff diverges from previous Disney leading male characters by being characterised as a reclusive, working class mountain man: "He's not like your typical, skinny-legged jeans, Disney prince. He's a little thicker, he's got my thighs," Groff commented. He likened him to the Disney character
Aladdin
Aladdin ( ; , , ATU 561, 'Aladdin') is a Middle-Eastern folk tale. It is one of the best-known tales associated with '' One Thousand and One Nights'' (often known in English as ''The Arabian Nights''), despite not being part of the original ...
, saying that he preferred animated men to be "scrappy and adventurous". According to Groff, Kristoff originally had a beard but it was removed because it would have made him look too old for Anna. Groff explained, "Suddenly he felt like her father, as opposed to her potential love interest."
Kristoff was designed with a rough appearance to contrast with the elegance of Anna and Hans, but he still needed to fit within the visual style. The designers struggled to find a balance between his rustic design and the visuals of the other characters within the atmosphere of a live-action musical. Traditional clothing of the
Sámi peoples
Acronyms
* SAMI, ''Synchronized Accessible Media Interchange'', a closed-captioning format developed by Microsoft
* Saudi Arabian Military Industries, a government-owned defence company
* South African Malaria Initiative, a virtual expertise ...
were incorporated into his design with elements of folk art in his sash. His colour scheme was created to reflect Anna's colour palette. Head of animation
Lino DiSalvo
Lino DiSalvo (born June 5, 1974) is an American animator, film director, writer and voice actor.
Biography
Born in 1974 in Brooklyn, New York City, DiSalvo graduated from Vancouver Film School and joined Walt Disney Animation Studios. DiSalvo spe ...
said that after first viewing Kristoff's design, they decided that he could look too elegant, so they added touches of realism, such as a wear pattern on one of his knees, showing that he rests on that knee each time he secures Sven's reins. Supervising animator Randy Haycock created a test of Kristoff awkwardly attempting to talk to Anna. He incorporated his traits of fidgeting by taking his hat on and putting it back on. He commented that Kristoff wants to be the perfect guy but knows he is not, so he tries too hard.
Although Disney took inspiration from Scandinavia's indigenous Sámi culture for ''Frozen'', Kristoff's design drew some criticism. Anne Lajla Utsi, managing director of the
International Sámi Film Institute The International Sámi Film Institute (ISFI) (), is an organization dedicated to providing Sámi people, Sámi people with the skills and economic opportunities in developing, producing, and distributing Sámi films in the Sámi languages, Sámi la ...
, stated that it was, "not exactly how we would have done it". For ''Frozen II'', the Walt Disney Company made an agreement with the transnational Saami Council and the Sámi parliaments of Norway, Sweden, and Finland. By collaborating with the ''Verddet'' advisory group, a group of Sámi experts, the filmmakers were able to provide an accurate representation of Sámi culture on screen. For ''Frozen II'', Kristoff's clothing was designed with an autumn colour palette and features wheat and antler motifs. His final outfit was also designed to complement Anna's outfit.
Appearances
''Frozen''
Kristoff first appears during the opening song "
Frozen Heart
"Frozen Heart" is a song from the 2013 Disney animated film '' Frozen'', with music and lyrics by Kristen-Anderson Lopez and Robert Lopez and performed in the film's prologue by a group of icemen.
Production and writing
The Lopez songwriting du ...
" as an orphan boy with his baby reindeer, Sven. He grows up to become a seasoned ice harvester and arrives at Wandering Oaken's Trading Post and Sauna at the same time as Anna, who is searching for her sister Elsa. During a brief moment, he sings the short song "Reindeer(s) Are Better Than People" to Sven, revealing his negative thoughts towards other people. After being thrown out of the store for calling Oaken a crook, Anna buys all of his items and urges him to take her to the North Mountain. Despite being reluctant to help her, he eventually gives in.
As they head for the North Mountain, Kristoff is incredulous to learn about Anna's whirlwind engagement to Hans, whom she had met that day and questions her about what she knows about him. The conversation is cut short when their sled is attacked by hungry wolves. They escape by jumping from a cliff, though at the cost of Kristoff's sled. The next day they meet
Olaf
Olaf or Olav (, , or differences between General American and Received Pronunciation, British ; ) is a Dutch, Polish, Scandinavian and German given name. It is presumably of Proto-Norse origin, reconstructed as ''*Anu-laibaz'', from ''anu'' "ances ...
, an anthropomorphic snowman created by Elsa, who leads them to Elsa's ice castle. Kristoff waits outside while Anna tries to persuade Elsa to go back to Arendelle. She fails and accidentally gets hit in the heart, so Kristoff takes her to the trolls for help. The trolls assume Kristoff is introducing Anna to his family as his bride-to-be, but he corrects them. Pabbie says that Anna's frozen heart requires "an act of true love" to save her. Thinking a "true love's kiss" from Hans is needed, Kristoff takes Anna back to Arendelle.
On the way back into the mountains, Sven attempts to push Kristoff back to Arendelle but he refuses, thinking it selfish to pursue his love instead of letting Anna be saved by Hans. A giant snowstorm appears over Arendelle, prompting him to return out of concern for Anna's safety. There he eventually finds her in the blizzard, but she chooses to save Elsa from being attacked by Hans instead of running to Kristoff. Anna freezes solid, but Kristoff is overjoyed that Anna's sacrifice for her sister causes her to unfreeze. Elsa names him Royal Ice Master and Deliverer and he receives a new sled and a kiss from Anna.
''Frozen II''
In the 2019 movie, Kristoff, who is again voiced by Groff, plans to propose to Anna but his attempts to find the right moment repeatedly fail. When Elsa begins to hear a strange voice calling her and decides to follow, he accompanies Elsa, Anna, Sven and Olaf to the Enchanted Forest where they meet the Northuldra tribe and Arendellian guards. He and Sven accidentally become separated from Anna, Elsa, and Olaf, and he forlornly wonders whether he and Anna are growing apart in the power ballad "Lost In the Woods" In the final act, he finally overcomes his apprehension and asks Anna to marry him and she happily accepts.
Other appearances
Outside of ''Frozen'', Kristoff appears in animated short films, such as ''
Frozen Fever
''Frozen Fever'' is a 2015 American animated musical fantasy short film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. A follow-up to the 2013 feature film '' Frozen'', the short follows Elsa as she attempts to ...
'' (2015). He appears in the 21-minute holiday featurette ''
Olaf's Frozen Adventure
''Olaf's Frozen Adventure'' is a 2017 American animated featurette produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and directed by Kevin Deters and Stevie Wermers. The screenplay was written by Jac Schaeffer, with Josh Gad, Kristen Bell, Idina Menz ...
'' (2017) which debuted in theaters for a limited time engagement. He also appears alongside Anna in the 2020 Disney short film ''
Once Upon a Snowman
''Once Upon a Snowman'' is a 2020 American animated fantasy short film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and written and directed by Trent Correy and Dan Abraham. Correy drew inspiration from a scene where Elsa created Olaf while working ...
'', an animated retelling of the events of ''Frozen'' viewed from the perspective of Olaf. The film shows how Olaf gets a sausage nose and leads the wolves to Kristoff and Anna as they travel in the sled to the North Mountain. Groff again voices Kristoff in revisited scenes with Bell voicing Anna.
Kristoff also appears in video games. He is an unlockable character in ''Frozen Freefall: Snowball Fight'', a
match-three
A tile-matching video game is a type of puzzle video game where the player manipulates tiles in order to make them disappear according to a matching criterion. In many tile-matching games, that criterion is to place a given number of tiles of the ...
mobile game, which was released on
Xbox One
The Xbox One is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. Announced in May 2013, it is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third console in the Xbox#Consoles, Xbox series. It was first released in North America, parts of Europe, Austra ...
and
PlayStation 4
The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013, in ...
in September 2015. Kristoff appears alongside the other main ''Frozen'' characters in the mobile game ''Frozen Adventures'', a match-three puzzle game that launched in November 2019 to coincide with the release of ''Frozen II''. Kristoff appears in ''
Kingdom Hearts III
is a 2019 action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows, and Nintendo Switch. It is the third main installment in the '' Kingdom Hearts'' series and the twelfth game overall, and ser ...
'' (2019), with Jonathan Groff reprising the role. In the life simulation adventure game ''
Disney Dreamlight Valley
''Disney Dreamlight Valley'' is a 2023 life simulation game, life simulation adventure game developed by Gameloft Montreal and published by Gameloft. The game has players tend to a magical valley populated by various Walt Disney Animation Studi ...
'' (2023), Kristoff is voiced by Matt Lowe.
In ''Frozen: The Essential Guide'', published by
Dorling Kindersley
Dorling Kindersley Limited (branded as DK) is a British multinational publishing company specialising in illustrated reference books for adults and children in 63 languages.
It is part of Penguin Random House, a subsidiary of German media cong ...
, he is named "Kristoff Bjorgman".
Disney made a deal with
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is an American comic book, graphic novel, manga and Artist's book, art book publisher founded in Milwaukie, Oregon, by Mike Richardson in 1986. The company was created using funds earned from Richardson's chain of Portland, O ...
to bring ''Frozen'' and other animated films to comic book format. A comic series titled ''Disney Frozen: Breaking Boundaries'', written by Joe Caramagna, features Kristoff, Anna and Elsa as they tackle disruptions in the kingdom. American rock band
Weezer
Weezer is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1992. Since 2001, the band has consisted of Rivers Cuomo (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards), Patrick Wilson (drums, backing vocals), Brian Bell (guitar, keyboards, backing ...
released a cover of Kristoff's power ballad "Lost in the Woods" with a music video featuring Kristen Bell. The music video follows
Rivers Cuomo
Rivers Cuomo ( ; born June 13, 1970) is an American musician best known as the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter of the rock band Weezer. Cuomo was born in New York City and raised in several Buddhist communities in the northeaste ...
dressed as Kristoff as he wanders through the Enchanted Forest from ''Frozen II''.
Kristoff appears alongside the other main ''Frozen'' characters in official merchandise, including board games, toys and playsets. He has also been created in the form of a posable doll. To coincide with the release of ''Olaf's Frozen Adventure'', a "Festive Friends Collection", featuring dolls of Kristoff, Elsa, Anna and Olaf dressed in festive outfits was released in 2017.
Reception
Critical response
Kristoff has received mostly positive reviews from critics. Chris Carle writing for ''
IGN
''IGN'' is an American video gaming and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa district and is headed by its former e ...
'' enjoyed the "winsome charm" of both Kristoff and Sven and praised the comedic effect of Kristoff providing Sven's voice. ''
The Mercury News
''The Mercury News'' (formerly ''San Jose Mercury News'', often locally known as ''The Merc'') is a morning daily newspaper published in San Jose, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is published by the Bay Area News Group, a subsidia ...
'' also appreciated Kristoff's conversations with Sven. Soren Andersen of the ''
Seattle Times
''The Seattle Times'' is an American daily newspaper based in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1891, ''The Seattle Times'' has the largest circulation of any newspaper in the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region. The Seattle Time ...
'' described Kristoff as a "well-meaning doofus", highlighting the comedic impact of him repeatedly attempting to propose to Anna in ''Frozen II''. Courtney Enlow of ''
Syfy'' complained that Kristoff was not given a song in ''Frozen'', but was delighted that this was rectified in the sequel and described "Lost in the Woods" as an "epic '80s delight". Jackson McHenry writing for ''
Vulture
A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including condors). Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to Nort ...
'' thought that Kristoff only getting half a song in the first film was "rude" and praised his subsequent power ballad as a "gift of big emotional bro energy", which he described as "an act of cosmic justice".
Maressa Brown of ''
Yahoo!
Yahoo (, styled yahoo''!'' in its logo) is an American web portal that provides the search engine Yahoo Search and related services including My Yahoo, Yahoo Mail, Yahoo News, Yahoo Finance, Yahoo Sports, y!entertainment, yahoo!life, and its a ...
'' described Kristoff as "the Disney "prince" we've always dreamed of", stating that after decades of Disney princes rescuing princesses, Disney had "finally entered the new millenium" by creating a "revolutionary" male lead character. In support of this, she cited his power ballad in ''Frozen II'', describing it as "rare portrayal of a man expressing deep, romantic feelings" and commented that his relationship with Anna is an "egalitarian partnership we've never seen before in a Disney film". Discussing the evolution of the Disney prince, Guy Bigel of ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'' noted the shift in the depiction of the male love interests in ''Frozen'' and compared Kristoff to
Flynn Rider
Eugene Fitzherbert, born Horace and known by the alias Flynn Rider, is a fictional character who appears in Walt Disney Animation Studios' animated film ''Tangled'' (2010), its short 2012 film '' Tangled Ever After'', and the 2017 television se ...
from ''
Tangled
''Tangled'' is a 2010 American animated musical film, musical Adventure film, adventure fantasy comedy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Loosely based on the German fairy tale "Rapunzel" in th ...
'', being a modern variant on the traditional male lead. He commented that Kristoff's relationship with Anna is "inconsequential" because the film's true focus is on Elsa and Anna's relationship, while in ''Frozen II'' he is sidelined within his proposal side quest. Monika Bartyzel writing for ''
The Week
''The Week'' is a weekly news magazine with editions in the United Kingdom and United States. The British publication was founded in 1995 and the American edition in 2001. An Australian edition was published from 2008 to 2012. A children's edi ...
'' considered Kristoff to be the modern version of
Prince Charming
Prince Charming is a fairy tale stock character archetype who comes to the rescue of a damsel in distress and must engage in a quest to liberate her from an evil spell. This classification suits most heroes of a number of traditional folk tales ...
because he asks the viewer to question Hans's true character and the wisdom of marrying a stranger, but also adds his own humanity. She noted that, not only does he think it important to get to know a person before committing, he is also careful and cautious in his behaviour after falling in love. She further praised him for the final moments of ''Frozen'', in which he wants to kiss Anna out of happiness, but rather than grabbing her, asks for her consent.
Some journalists have also praised his romance with Anna. Jessica Mason writing for ''
The Mary Sue
Daniel Abrams (born May 20, 1966) is an American media entrepreneur, television host, and author. He is currently the host of '' On Patrol: Live'' on Reelz, and ''The Dan Abrams Show: Where Politics Meets The Law'' on SiriusXM's P.O.T.U.S. cha ...
'' praised Kristoff's sensitive nature and supportiveness to women, describing him as "a perfect example of non-
toxic masculinity
The concept of toxic masculinity is used in academic and media discussions to refer to those aspects of hegemonic masculinity that are socially destructive, such as misogyny, homophobia, and violent domination. These traits are considered "toxi ...
". She also considered Kristoff to be a positive role model for young boys in ''Frozen II''. Jen Pharo of ''
Grazia
''Grazia'' (; ; stylized in all caps) is a weekly women's magazine that originated in Italy with international editions printed in Albania, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Colombia, France, Germany, Greece, Indonesia, In ...
'' admired Kristoff's strengths as a romantic hero, describing him as a "rare healthy example for our children". She praised his respect and supportiveness for Anna, his passion for his work, and his physical and emotional bravery. Nora Dominick of ''
BuzzFeed
BuzzFeed, Inc. is an American Internet mass media, media, news and entertainment company with a focus on digital media. Based in New York City, BuzzFeed was founded in 2006 by Jonah Peretti and John Seward Johnson III, John S. Johnson III to ...
'' responded positively to his story arc in ''Frozen II'' for being a supportive character to Anna instead of trying to protect her and echoed fan reaction calling him the "best Disney prince". Becky Kleanthous of ''
Digital Spy
Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its initial launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television pro ...
'' considered Kristoff's characterisation to be a significant shift in Disney's representation of masculinity and gender roles, by subverting the Disney prince and creating a male character that supports the female protagonist and talks about his feelings rather than saving the day. Gabi Zietsman of ''
News24 News 24 may refer to:
* News 24 (Albania), a 24-hour news television channel in Albania
*News24 (website), a South Africa-based news website
* Rai News24, a 24-hour news television channel in Italy
*BBC News 24, now known as BBC News, a UK 24-hour n ...
'' praised Kristoff's healthy portrayal of love and highlighted that his line to Anna in ''Frozen II'' when he declares "my love is not fragile" had gone viral. She described it as "iconic" and one of the best moments in the movie. ''
ABC 36 News'' echoed this in their review, describing Kristoff as "probably the most evolved iceman this side of Arendelle or all of Scandinavia". Alexandra Ramos of ''
CinemaBlend
Future plc is a British publishing company. It was started in 1985 by Chris Anderson. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.
History
1985–2012
The company was founded by Chris Anderson as ...
'' expressed a desire to see Kristoff be given more of a backstory in ''Frozen 3'', stating that he had taken a backseat to Anna and Elsa in the previous films.
Kristoff's relationship with Sven has been well-received by critics. ''
Bustle
A bustle is a padded undergarment or wire frame used to add fullness, or support the drapery, at the back of women's dresses in the mid-to-late 19th century. Bustles are worn under the skirt in the back, just below the waist, to keep the skir ...
''s Caitlin Gallagher preferred Sven and Kristoff's bond to the relationship between the
reindeer Bae and the
robber girl from "
The Snow Queen
"The Snow Queen" () is an 1844 original fairy tale by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. It was first published 21 December 1844 in ''New Fairy Tales. First Volume#New Fairy Tales. First Volume. Second Collection, New Fairy Tales. First Vo ...
"
fairy tale
A fairy tale (alternative names include fairytale, fairy story, household tale, magic tale, or wonder tale) is a short story that belongs to the folklore genre. Such stories typically feature magic, enchantments, and mythical or fanciful bei ...
. The communication between Sven and Kristoff was applauded,
with reviewers saying that
"Kristoff voicing his impression of the reindeer's thoughts" provided humor,
and mentioning that their interactions were some of ''Frozen''s "funniest parts". Sven and Kristoff's bond was stated to be similar to the one between the characters
Chewbacca
Chewbacca ( ), nicknamed "Chewie", is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He is a Wookiee—a tall, hairy, highly intelligent species originating from the planet Kashyyyk. He is tall, and typically wears only a bandolier an ...
and
Han Solo
Han Solo () is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He was introduced in the 1977 film ''Star Wars (film), Star Wars'', and later appeared in ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980), ''Return of the Jedi'' (1983), ''Star Wars: The F ...
from ''
Star Wars
''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera media franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and Cultural impact of Star Wars, quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop cu ...
'' since Sven is both Kristoff's "best friend" and "conscience" despite not being able to talk.
Their relationship was also commented to resemble the one between the characters
Maximus
Maximus (Hellenised as Maximos) is the Latin term for "greatest" or "largest". In this connection it may refer to:
* Circus Maximus (disambiguation)
* Pontifex maximus, the highest priest of the College of Pontiffs in ancient Rome
People Roman hi ...
and Flynn Rider from ''Tangled''.
Kristoff was characterized as "strong, no-nonsense type",
[ and their bond was regarded as "unique".]
Reflecting on ''Frozen''s impact a decade after its release, Gaby Hinscliffe of ''The Guardian'' commented that Kristoff as a "not-so-alpha" character in contrast to Hans has provided a useful lesson to young boys about "who gets the girl". A 2023 study at the University of East Anglia
The University of East Anglia (UEA) is a Public university, public research university in Norwich, England. Established in 1963 on a campus university, campus west of the city centre, the university has four faculties and twenty-six schools of ...
by Dr Sarah Godfrey, associate professor of film and television studies, reported that several adult ''Frozen'' fans, who were children when the film was released a decade earlier, had been impacted by the depiction of Kristoff and Hans by being more skeptical and wiser about the meaning of true love.
Merchandise
Several pieces of merchandise based on Kristoff have been released, including action figure
An action figure is a poseable character model figure made most commonly of plastic, and often based upon characters from a film, comic book, military, video game, television program, or sport; fictional or historical. These figures are usually ...
s. Kristoff has also served as inspiration for the creation of a plush rocking horse
__NOTOC__
A rocking horse is a child's toy, usually shaped like a horse and mounted on rockers similar to a rocking chair. There are two sorts, the one where the horse part sits rigidly attached to a pair of curved rockers that are in contact wit ...
, puzzles, and a life-size toy. The company Funko
Funko Inc. is an American company that manufactures Brand licensing, licensed and limited popular culture, pop culture collectibles, known for its licensed Polyvinyl chloride, vinyl figurines and bobbleheads. In addition, the company produces li ...
has also manufactured figurines representing him, including Funko Pop!
Funko Inc. is an American company that manufactures licensed and limited pop culture collectibles, known for its licensed vinyl figurines and bobbleheads. In addition, the company produces licensed plush, action figures, apparel, accessories and ...
figures.
References
External links
Official character page
{{Disney animated characters
Animated characters introduced in 2013
Film characters introduced in 2013
Frozen (franchise) characters
Fictional Sámi people
Male characters in animated films
Male characters in film
Orphan characters in film