Writer-director Domee Shi also talks about the film skipping theaters, and her own mother forgoing important puberty discussions.
The 25th entry in the Pixar feature canon centers on 13-year-old overachiever Mei (voiced by Rosalie Chiang).
Why do you think this is a popular theme right now?
‘Turning Red’.Disney/Pixar
DOMEE SHI:The era of the nerdy girls is here, and I’m all here for it.
This has always been a topic I wanted to tackle in a film.
Making this film is me trying to unpack what was going on during that time.
‘Turning Red’.Disney/Pixar
I’ve read that in middle school, you made money drawing your friends with their school crushes.
One of the greatest scenes inTurning Redfinds Mei furtively sketching her crush.
Had you always known that was a specific experience that you wanted to put on screen?
I was like, “Are you kidding me?”
What was the most rewarding scene for you to write or direct?
It has to be that scene with her drawing under the bed.
It was there from the very first version of the script.
It was such a visceral memory for me that it was something that I just had to share.
I definitely had my own secret sketchbook that to this day my mom has never found.
Tell me about casting Sandra Oh, who voices Mei’s mother, Ming.
I love Sandra Oh.
I’ve loved her for such a long time.
I love how every role that she took on broke barriers and stereotypes.
She was at the top of our list.
Also, she’s Canadian, which is awesome.
Which would you say is greater?
Probably the pressure from being raised by Asian parents that trumps all.
They took a leap of faith; I better not disappoint them."
One of my favorite lines is when Ming asks if Mei’s “red peony bloomed.”
hey tell me that is not what your own mother said to you.
She didn’t even sayanythingto me, which is the issue!
My mom never even told me anything or gave me the talk.
What’s happening?"
And, finally, I asked her.
We can start normalizing it.
Or girls don’t have to think that they crapped themselves.
Was there ever discussion of including this specific Easter egg inTurning Red?
Oh my gosh, this is so fun.
I’m really happy we were able to put in that pink bakery box fromBao.
There’s a shout-out to a bunch of SparkShorts, shout-outs to Toronto and Canada.
Are there any Easter eggs that areLightyear-related?
SoLucahad a 4*Town Easter egg and then you could seeLightyearsomewhere in the movie.
“Somewhere”…
Well, it’s in the first third of the movie.
I think that’s everything.
