There is a recurring cast of characters, all of whom are in some way entangled in Paddington's misadventures.
Characters[]
- Paddington Bear: A friendly and polite bear from Darkest Peru. Paddington was taken in by Aunt Lucy and Uncle Pastuzo. Paddington moves in with the Browns after Aunt Lucy moves to the Home for Retired Bears. Paddington is usually in some sort of trouble. Paddington's given bear-name is hard to pronounce. Mrs Brown names him after Paddington Station, when they're picking Judy up from boarding school.
- Mr Henry Brown: A hapless but well-meaning City of London Risk Analyst. In the film, Mr Brown refuses to let Paddington move in with his family. He eventually warms up to Paddington and builds him a bedroom in their attic.
- Mrs Mary Brown: Mr. Brown's more serious-minded yet exceptionally friendly wife. In the 1989 animated series Mrs. Brown and her husband have a 12 year old American nephew named David Russell.
- Jonathan and Judy Brown: The energetic and friendly Brown children. It is never established if one is older than the other, leading to the possibility that they might be twins. It is when they are meeting Judy off the train from boarding school that the Browns meet Paddington. In the 1975 series and films, Judy is older. In the 1989 animated series and the 1997 animated series Jonathan is the elder. In the movie, Judy and Jonathan are with their parents when they first meet him at Paddington Station, giving him his iconic name.
- Mrs Bird: The Browns' strict but kindly housekeeper. She is often annoyed by Paddington's antics and mishaps, but is protective of him. Her first name has never been mentioned.
- Mr Samuel Gruber: Paddington's best friend. The friendly owner of an antique shop on the Portobello Road, with whom Paddington has his elevenses every day. He regularly takes Paddington and the Brown children on outings. He is a Hungarian immigrant. He addresses Paddington as "Mr Brown". He informs us about the kindertransports before World War II.
- Mr. Reginald Curry: The Browns' mean and bad-tempered next-door neighbour, who serves as a contrast to Mr Gruber. He addresses Paddington simply as "Bear!" Penny-pinching by nature, Mr Curry always wants something for nothing and often persuades Paddington to run errands for him. He tends to invite himself to many of the Browns' special occasions just to sample the snacks. In most of the stories, he gets his comeuppance as a frequent victim of Paddington's misadventures; however, he does sometimes benefit from Paddington's mistakes and has even rewarded him for them on occasion.
- Aunt Lucy: Paddington's aunt from Deepest Darkest Peru. She was his legal guardian until she had to move into the Home for Retired Bears in Lima, Peru. Why she had to do this was never made clear, until the movie when she informs Paddington that she's too old to travel to London with him.
- Uncle Pastuzo: Paddington's wealthy globe-trotting uncle. In the movie Uncle Pastuzo dies from his injuries in an earthquake.