Bruno in 'Encanto' Is No Stranger to Superstitions — Why Does He Keep on Throwing Salt?

A magical tale about a family blessed with special powers? That's Disney's latest hit, Encanto, in a nutshell. The beautiful animated movie offers a glimpse into the eclectic everyday life of the Madrigals, a family which counts Isabela (Diane Guerrero), Luisa (Jessica Darrow), Mirabel (Stephanie Beatriz), Pepa (Carolina Gaitán), Bruno (John Leguizamo), and others, among its members.

In the movie, Bruno has a habit of throwing salt. Why does the quirky uncle, Bruno, keep throwing salt throughout the film?

The family outlier, Bruno, has long disquieted his relatives (close and extended) with tales detailing the misfortunes they have ahead of them. After Mirabel's failed gift ceremony, Bruno fled the family, spending around 10 years in self-imposed exile. But why does he keep on throwing salt in Encanto?

Frequently described as the black sheep, Bruno is the only character whose powers aren't purely good and beneficial. "My gift wasn't helping the family, but I love my family," Bruno tells Mirabel in a crucial scene.

In sharp contrast, Julieta possesses the rare ability to heal people with homemade food, Luisa has unmatched physical strength, and Dolores can hear gossip from miles away.

Bruno has a few unusual habits. Take, for instance, his appreciation of rats and insistence on not using his powers. While other family members have learned to make the most of their abilities, Bruno chose a life characterized by solitude and relative tranquility — one that doesn't hinge on the use of his talents.

Some believe he keeps on throwing salt for good luck because he wants to alter the nature and content of his visions.

"I'm rewatching Encanto, and I just noticed Bruno throws salt over his shoulder, touches wood, etc. Because they're all for good luck, and he probably used to do it hoping his visions for others would be something good," tweeted @Galena_Bismon.

Another person took it to Twitter to point out that throwing salt is the superstitious person's catnip.

"It’s so weird seeing people on TikTok lose their mind over Bruno from Encanto knocking on wood and throwing salt over his shoulder because they never knew that those are superstitious ways to ward off bad luck," tweeted @S_Arr_Uh.

"One thing I really liked about Encanto (and I don't know why, it’s so random), but how Bruno appeared very superstitious like tossing the salt and knocking on wood and doing the fall backward with his fingers crossed. Just a little superstitious baby who can see the future," tweeted @honey_euphoria_.

Arguably, Mirabel's real gift lies in her ability to listen and bond with her uncle, who has long struggled to fit in with his family. He agrees to share what he can see in his visions with Mirabel, hoping they might be able to help her on her quest to repair the complicated dynamics and get the magical candle back up and running.

Encanto is now available on Disney Plus.