The toys are back in town with Pixar's latest sequel, Toy Story 5, and even 31 years into the franchise, it still has the power to surprise – including its voice cast. The films have always mined nostalgic and emotional territory, intertwined with childhood and growing up. New cast member Greta Lee, who plays tablet Lilypad, answered with an emphatic 'Yes!' when asked if the movie made her cry, despite being involved in its making.
A Devastating Scene
A particular scene left Lee and co-star Joan Cusack, back as newly minted sheriff Jessie, especially devastated. Bonnie, the toys' owner since Toy Story 3, is given Lilypad by her parents as she struggles to make friends – a mission taken seriously by the playroom. She takes her first steps online via Lilypad's connectivity through 'the Pond' to classmates' devices, but things don't go well. 'When those girls make fun of Bonnie, there's some cruelty in it, which I can't believe they captured so well,' Cusack told Metro. 'It took my breath away. I can't believe they captured that.'
Jessie Takes the Lead
The biggest change this time is that Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz (Tim Allen) take a backseat, with Jessie serving as the main character. She battles technology, represented by Lee's Lilypad. That change surprised Cusack, a two-time Oscar nominee who has voiced Jessie since 1999's Toy Story 2. This fifth outing ties back to her origin story with first owner Emily and the abandonment issues explored in the song 'When She Loved Me,' which also returns. 'There really weren't any discussions. It was just, I got a phone call saying, “It's gonna be Jessie's story”. I was like “Whaaat?!” and then so excited,' she recalls. 'But then you just do little parts, you don't know what everyone else is doing until you see the film, which is kind of wild.'
Tech Themes and Surprises
Cusack knew some of the story and that it was about tech. 'I was like, “Wow, how are they doing this?” That's a big thing to take on.' For Lee, enjoying a purple patch since her breakthrough in 2023's Past Lives, her central role was 'more of a slow reveal.' She calls it 'pretty dreamy. I mean, this franchise is incredible, and I love that each movie has a way of being this mirror of what is happening in our world, and so now to be here with the fifth one, and for it to realistically reflect what's happening with tech – it's so cool, it's so neat.'
Voicing Jessie for Three Decades
Cusack, who stepped back from films after Toy Story 4 in 2019 to prioritize family, has had Jessie as part of her life for nearly three decades. 'I think I learned it's kind of a real craft, getting your voice like that. At first I was just like [yells] “Yee-ha!”, and then slowly it was like whoa, you really have to concentrate, and it takes a lot to get your feeling in there. But that was kind of cool to play with and master.' She admits earlier recordings were more intuitive, but her input into the character has increased. 'I always have all these ideas and I write them on the side of the paper, and I just throw them out there, and say, if you don't like it, that's totally fine.' Many suggestions were appreciated, with Toy Story co-director Andrew Stanton acknowledging that many of her 'wonderful and chaotic' ideas made it into the final film.
Emotional Depth and Existential Questions
Toy Story 5 draws power from its emotion, with Jessie and Lilypad grappling with big questions about their purpose as toys. 'That's our tagline, actually, Toy Story 5: Existential crisis!' laughs Lee. 'She goes through it too, your character!' adds Cusack – although it's Jessie that may have you tearing up minutes into the film. The stars agree the parallels resonated. 'Yeah, just in life. I think you'd be living a pretty superficial life if you didn't ever think about those kinds of things at some point,' Cusack shares.
Future of the Franchise
Toy Story 5 follows seven years after Toy Story 4, which became the highest-grossing entry and won an Oscar. Given that, and Stanton saying 'there should just be the natural growth of Bonnie to another child' if the films continue, would they be up for Toy Story 6? 'Of course. With these people and that calibre? Yeah,' responds Cusack, while Lee laughs: 'We're in, sign us up!' Toy Story 5 is in cinemas from today.
