Summary

• Mr. Big in Zootopia is a clever parody of powerful mob bosses, with his tiny Arctic shrew species symbolizing his vicious nature.
• The character's references to The Godfather and mafia movie cliches add humor and depth to his portrayal in the film.
• Fru Fru, Mr. Big's daughter, is a parody of The Real Housewives, adding another layer of pop culture humor to the story.

The shrew from Zootopia pulls from both Disney's own expansive catalog of movies and film history to parody without distracting from the main story.

When officer Judy Hopps volunteers to investigate the disappearance of Emmitt Otterton, she coerces Nick Wilde, a common crook, to take her to the place Emmitt was last seen: Mr. Big's car. After being captured by polar bears, Judy is surprised to discover that the sinister and powerful head of this major crime family is a tiny Arctic shrew. Despite almost being frozen in ice by the crime boss at first, Judy and Nick gain his confidence and the powerful mafia-like figure becomes an ally. While the characterization of Mr. Big is obvious, the choice of animal is less so.

The Zootopia Director Made Mr. Big A Shrew Because They're "The Most Vicious Predators On Earth"

Mr. Big's species, an Arctic shrew, is juxtaposed against his large polar bear bodyguards to great comedic effect, and even Judy is shocked when she figures out his real identity. Zootopia director Rich Moore explained to CinemaBlend why he and his staff went with an Arctic shrew to play Mr. Big,

"We chose the shrew because, through our research that we did about animals, we found out that the arctic shrew is the most vicious predator on earth. It’s true, that little tiny shrew needs to eat three times its body weight to stay alive. So that means, if you put four shrews in a bucket tonight, when you get home, if you cover that bucket, you come back in the morning, you’re going to find one fat shrew. So, find four shrews on your way home tonight, get a bucket, you’re going to love what you find in the morning."

As far as animal facts go, that is one of the more grizzly, but it perfectly explains why Mr. Big is a shrew. Only an animal so vicious it would eat its own kind in a pinch, would be capable of intimidating even polar bears into working for him.

This shrew-like viciousness gets put on display every other couple of lines by Mr. Big, who is fond of snarling "Ice 'em", whenever someone bothers him. With a trapdoor to a near-freezing pond in front of his desk, there's no doubt Mr. Big has gone through with his threat many times before. This mafia-like "sleeping with the fishes" idiom is just one way Mr. Big is a parody of mobsters, specifically those found in the Godfather movies. With his bushy eyebrows and whispy voice, Mr. Big is a clear reference to Don Corleone and even quotes him.

When Judy and Nick first meet Mr. Big, he is insulted that they would accuse him of harming Emmitt on his daughter's wedding day, which is how The Godfather starts, with Connie Corleone's wedding. References to respected matriarchs and lively Italian music make the mafia movie parody blatantly clear.

Mr. Big's Daughter Fru Fru Is Also A Parody — Of The Real Housewives

Mr. Big isn't the only pop culture parody in the family. His daughter, Fru Fru, is a reference to The Real Housewives reality TV franchise. Fru Fru is the one that saves Judy and Nick from being "iced" when she goes to ask her father to dance during her wedding and recognizes Judy as having saved her life earlier in the film. With her bouffant-style hair, demand for a lavish wedding, gaggle of doting friends, and love of shopping, Fru Fru is the perfect reality TV parody to go along with her father in Zootopia.

The Disney+ series Zootopia+ expands on The Real Housewives parody in episode 2, titled "The Real Rodents of Little Rodentia". Shot in documentary format, Fru Fru fights with her friends during wedding planning, just like in the reality show she's parodying, though Zootopia's Fru Fru makes up with everyone at the end, a rarity in The Real Housewives.

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