In Tim Burton’s Planet of the Apes, the chimpanzee scientist who helps Leo Davidson is Ari.
Helena Bonham Carter plays Ari, an ape activist and member of the ruling chimpanzee society. She objects to the rigid treatment of humans and helps Leo, an astronaut from Earth, navigate the ape-controlled world.
Ari is inspired by the sympathetic chimpanzee character Zira from the original Planet of the Apes film series, but she is not the same character. Burton’s 2001 film is a separate adaptation of Pierre Boulle’s 1963 novel rather than a direct continuation of the earlier movies.
The name is short and can be confused with other characters in the franchise, especially Zira and Nova. Ari’s role is distinctive because she is both a scientist and an advocate for human rights.