Enneagram 3 Fictional Characters Who Inspire Us

The Enneagram 3 personality type serves as inspiration for fictional Enneagram 3 characters. The Three’s multifaceted nature allows for Enneagram 3 fictional characters to be both villains and heroes, making it all the more interesting to explore how they are portrayed in literature, movies, art, and culture.

Enneagram 3 Fictional Characters

Enneagram 3 fictional characters are driven, energetic goal-getters determined to succeed, as they reflect the core values of the Enneagram Type Three personality type. For a Type Three, or Achiever, life is all about winning. Threes want to be the best at everything and take failures very personally. That’s because they believe that only if they perform perfectly at all times do they deserve love and respect.

Social status, recognition, and public image play important roles in Three’s life. They take pleasure in being the center of attention, whether as performers or as recipients of accolades for their accomplishments.

In general, Threes are passionate, creative, pragmatic, and efficient individuals with great leadership skills and a relentless drive for success. Now, let’s explore how Enneagram 3 fictional characters embody the strengths and weaknesses of the Enneagram 3 personality type.

Enneagram Type 3 Fictional Movie Characters

Enneagram Type 3 fictional characters can be found in all movie genres, from comedies to psychological dramas and SFs.

Let’s take a look at some of the most famous ones:

#1. Regina George (Mean Girls)

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Regina George is the most popular girl in the school, the “Queen Bee,” who relentlessly pursues social dominance in her environment. She carefully crafts her image and appearance to ensure she always remains in the limelight. Her friendships are shallow and artificial, as she needs only admiration from other people, not real connections.

Therefore, Regina, as the Enneagram 3 fictional character, is the epitome of the unhealthy Enneagram Three. She is only focused on maintaining her status and image, never hesitating to step on others to get what she wants. Competitive and manipulative, she resorts to unjust means like gossip and schemes to control others and climb the social ladder.

#2. Jordan Belfort (The Wolf of Wall Street)

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The Enneagram 3 fictional character of Jordan Belfort is a typical Three in every aspect. He is driven, energetic, and determined to succeed and acquire social status and wealth. Moreover, just like many Threes, Jordan shows amazing talent for sales and exceptional communication skills.

His charm and natural charisma are also his assets as he climbs the social ladder and thrives in the competitive world of finance. His hunger for recognition escalates as he succeeds, leading him to compromise his morals to ensure his status.

This tendency to resort to unjust means to ensure success or social image is also Three’s hallmark, and Jordan perfectly depicts it. Nevertheless, he also shows many traits of high-functioning Threes, as he is incredibly resilient and driven, always ready to reinvent himself.

#3. Patrick Bateman (American Psycho)

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Patrick Bateman is an extreme example of the kind of pathology that an Enneagram Type Three can develop if pushed to the limits. He is obsessed with public image, status, and wealth, paying too much attention to his and other people’s appearances while being incredibly self-indulgent.

However, beneath the image of a highly successful, sophisticated banker is a deeply troubled individual. He struggles with feelings of emptiness, inferiority, and insecurity typical of narcissistic personality disorder, coupled with a complete lack of empathy.

Obsessed with shallow success and deeply morally corrupt, the Enneagram 3 fictional character Patrick exemplifies the dark side of the Enneagram 3 personality.

#4. Holly Golightly (Breakfast at Tiffany’s)

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Holly Golightly is an Enneagram 3 fictional character that perfectly personifies a subtype of Enneagram Three with some Type Four traits. In other words, her personality cannot be designated as a clear-cut Three, but rather a Three with a wing.

In other words, she is a “Three with a Four Wing” (“3w4” for short), which means she is a more emotionally delicate and fragile version of Three.

However, though she is more sensitive, her main concerns remain typical of Three. She uses all her charm and charisma to earn her place in New York City’s high society, obsessed with a glamorous lifestyle, sacrificing her authentic emotional needs along the way.

Dependent on external validation, Holly struggles with self-worth and authenticity, feeling disconnected from her emotions and hungry for validation.

Enneagram Type 3 Fictional Book Characters

Enneagram Type 3 fictional characters in literature are colorful and exciting, and we can find them in many famous and acclaimed novels from all eras.

Here are some of the most interesting ones:

#1. Jay Gatsby (The Great Gatsby)

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Jay Gatsby is a perfect, romantic illustration of all the core Enneagram Three traits. He dedicated his entire life to building a facade of success, wealth, and prosperity to win the heart of his longtime love, Daisy Buchanan.

Ambitious, driven, and creative, he fabricates fantastic stories about his past and throws extravagant parties to impress his love interest and maintain his image. He recklessly bends the truth using deception and manipulation, desperate for acceptance, recognition, and admiration.

The novel is a beautiful story about what happens when the hunger for external validation clouds the need for genuine connection and authentic self-expression, an internal conflict typical of Three.

#2. Dorian Gray (The Picture of Dorian Gray)

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Enneagram 3 fictional character Dorian Gray is a quintessential example of the Enneagram Three’s path to their darkest side. Starting as a talented, handsome, and charming young man, Dorian enjoys all the things his attractive personality brings him, such as popularity, admiration, and all kinds of hedonistic pleasures.

However, he becomes increasingly obsessed with his image and external validation, and his vanity dominates his behavior. To maintain his careless, hedonistic, and glamorous lifestyle, he goes to extreme lengths, sacrificing his authenticity and morals without the slightest hesitation.

In the end, Dorian Gray tells a story about the shallowness of vanity and the moral decay that follows, which is a narrative that resonates with Enneagram Three dark side.

#3. Scarlet O’Hara (Gone With the Wind)

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The fiery, energetic, hard-headed Enneagram 3 fictional character Scarlet O’Hara is a great portrayal of the Enneagram Three nature. Passionate, competitive, and playful, she is her father’s favorite daughter, determined to always have her way.

Determined to win the heart of her love interest, Ashley Wilkes, she uses all her wit, charm, and charisma to impress him. However, life has other plans for her, and she experiences many trials and tribulations, showing incredible resilience, resourcefulness, and determination along the way.

Instead of fulfilling her romantic desires, Scarlet becomes a cutthroat businesswoman who manages to support her entire family and help her friends, thanks to her skills and competence. However, just like a typical Three, her lack of contact with her emotional nature leads her to many disappointments in her love life.

Enneagram Type 3 Fictional TV Show Characters

Enneagram 3 fictional characters in TV shows are very different, yet they all have something in common: their irresistible charm.

Let’s take a look at some of the most popular ones:

#1. Don Draper (Mad Men)

Photo Credit: Everett Collection

With his charisma, leadership skills, and relentless ambition, Don Draper is the epitome of the Enneagram 3 personality type. He paved the way for his success by using his creativity, resourcefulness, and persuasion skills, and he has advanced from being a talented copywriter to a powerful creative director.

However, while he is exceptionally successful professionally, his intimate life is very complicated, as the perfect social image he built hides deep emotional discontentment. His romantic relationships are shallow and lacking in substance.

His story offers a great exploration of a typical Three’s life path, with all its highs and lows where extraordinary achievement is coupled with inner turmoil.

#2. Lorelai Gilmore (Gilmore Girls)

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Lorelai Gilmore exemplifies the Enneagram Three character at its best. Outgoing, assertive, self-assured, and direct, she knows what she wants. She goes after her goals relentlessly yet never jeopardizes her sense of morals. She is a strong, independent woman determined to realize her dreams and create the life she desires for her daughter and herself.

As the manager of the Independence Inn, she shows great organizational skills, resourcefulness, and a strong work ethic. However, her entrepreneurial spirit, typical of Type Three, propels her to start her own business, which turns out to be an even bigger success.

Though a dedicated professional, she never allows her professional life to jeopardize her relationships with her daughter, showcasing mature and healthy Enneagram 3 traits.

#3. Rachel Green (Friends)

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Rachel Green’s character is a great example of a subtype of Enneagram Three that has some traits of Enneagram 2, the so-called Enneagram 3 wing 2 (3w2). She is just as driven and ambitious as a typical Three, but she also shows a lot of compassion and affection for her loved ones, which is more of a Type Two trait.

Therefore, she is not entirely consumed with her career as a typical Three, but she is determined to climb the corporate ladder. She is also very adaptable, charming, and charismatic, and her interest in fashion and image reflects Type Three’s key traits.

If you're curious about the Enneagram types of the Friends characters, don't miss our article on Enneagram types of “Friends” characters.

Other Enneagram Type 3 Fictional Characters

The Enneagram Three archetype is present in many cultures across the world.

Let’s explore some of the most popular ones.

#1. Apollo (Greek mythology)

Photo Credit: Britannica

Apollo is the Greek god of art, music, and prophecy. His character reflects many of the key Enneagram Type Three personality traits. Apollo is multitalented, ambitious, and highly image-conscious, and he is known as the most beautiful of all the gods.

In Greek myths, he is often depicted as a charming, seductive, and charismatic young man who uses his eloquence and persuasion skills to achieve his goals. Moreover, just like a typical Three, he excels in many fields, is a great entertainer, and is a warrior.

#2. Tiana (The Princess and The Frog)

Photo Credit: Disney

The Enneagram 3 fictional character, Tiana, isn’t a classical princess who waits for Prince Charming to change her life. She is fierce, energetic, hardworking, and determined to realize her dream of running her restaurant.

No matter what obstacle life throws at her, she finds her way to success. Resilient, adaptable, and resourceful, she embodies some of the most admirable traits of Type Three.

The main challenge she faces in the movie is a perfect metaphor for the typical challenge most Threes deal with in life: she is torn between her ambition and her love interest. However, as most healthy Threes do, she manages to resolve this conflict successfully.

#3. Prince Hans (Frozen)

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The seductive and manipulative Prince Hans personifies the low-functioning Type Three, who sees other people only as a means to achieving their goals. His attractive and charming facade hides a cruel and cold personality motivated solely by personal gain.

In his quest for power and status, he stops at nothing, readily deceiving Anna and manipulating her into loving him just to seize her power by marrying her. However, his downfall reveals his insecurities, and his fear of failure, typical of Type Three, takes the best of him.

Key Takeaways

Every Enneagram 3 fictional character we describe in this article is unique, yet they all share some traits typical of Type Three.

Therefore, exploring the variety of Enneagram 3 fictional characters is a great way to understand the essence of the Enneagram Three personality type. Moreover, one of the greatest values of the Enneagram test and theory is that it allows for so much variety within one personality type.

In addition, if you are interested in exploring the diversity of the Three’s characters, you’ll probably enjoy reading about Enneagram Three celebrities, too!

Be sure to explore these other articles to discover fictional characters from different Enneagram types:

• Enneagram 1 Fictional Characters
• Enneagram 2 Fictional Characters
• Enneagram 4 Fictional Characters
• Enneagram 5 Fictional Characters
• Enneagram 6 Fictional Characters
• Enneagram 7 Fictional Characters
• Enneagram 8 Fictional Characters
• Enneagram 9 Fictional Characters