Joan Cusack and Greta Lee on voicing for ‘Toy Story 5’ and navigating technology
Actors Joan Cusack and Greta Lee discuss their roles in the upcoming film Toy Story 5. The conversation highlights the evolution of the character Jessie and the actors' experiences with voice acting and technology.
Why it matters
The article provides insight into the creative process behind a major animation franchise and the cultural impact of long-running characters.
It was in 1999 that Pixar introduced the emotive, bubbly cowgirl Jessie, joining the memorable bunch of Woody, Buzz, and others in Toy Story 2. An emotional beat of the animated film centered around Jessie’s relationship with a kid named Emily, who abandoned the cowgirl toy as she grew up. The makers circle back to the feeling with greater maturity in Toy Story 5 , which sees Jessie evolve into an emblem of love and care as she looks after the drifting needs of an eight-year-old Bonnie. The character is voiced with a mix of quirk and concern by Joan Cussak, whose distinctive nasal twang and breathy shrills instantly humanise Jessie. The veteran actor has been comfortably bringing out Jessie s vulnerabilities since 1999 and calls it a “great experience” of voicing her over the years.
The content is a standard entertainment interview focusing on character development and actor experiences.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in