Add Movieguide® as preferred on Google
By India McCarty
The stars of TOY STORY 5 shared their thoughts on the movie’s message, from friendship and growing up to stepping back from screens.
“These movies are really about deep, long-lasting friendships, and how adversity comes along, but everybody can get together and help everybody, help the other person out when they need a hand,” Tom Hanks (Woody) told Movieguide®. “You’re Woody to someone’s Buzz, and somebody’s Buzz to your Woody.”
The actor also spoke about the dangers of social media for young people, explaining, “Probably every kid has had their feelings hurt by something that has been typed about them on a screen that they have, either a phone or anything like that. The tools at our disposal are wonderful things, [but] they are responsible for some very cruel moments in people’s lives. Tools are great to use, without a doubt, but if you’re not having fun with toys, if you’re not playing with your friends and their toys, you’re missing out on life.”
Joan Cusack, who plays cowgirl Jessie, said she was “thrilled” and “honored” to come back for the fifth movie, adding, “There’s a lot of little girls that aren’t Cinderella…and so I think [Jessie] speaks to [that].”
Related: Box Office Predicts TOY STORY 5 Will Be the Biggest Movie of the Year
Pop superstar Taylor Swift, who wrote and performed new track “I Knew It, I Knew You” for the movie’s soundtrack, agreed.
“In TOY STORY 5, we see such a character development and lessons I could relate to as [Jessie’s] grown up and as she’s learned more,” she shared. “It means so much to me to actually be a part of this film in some small way.”
Swift’s song was kept under wraps until the very last minute — even the cast was unaware she would be writing a song for the movie.
“They said, ‘Tonight at 9 o’clock, Taylor Swift is going to be dropping the song that ends our movie,’ and I said, ‘Well I’ve seen the movie and there was no Taylor Swift song.’ They said, ‘We know,’ ” Hanks told E! News, joking, “It was all like this diabolical [plan]. They don’t trust us, and there is a brain trust that goes along that I am not a part of. So, I just do what I’m told.”
Newcomer Greta Lee, who plays the toys’ adversary Lilypad, also spoke about her character, explaining that the high-tech tablet isn’t exactly a villain.
“It [was] really fun to play her like a person who’s not always right, but has the best intentions,” she said. “I just think about how people are so flawed, and people can have all kinds of different personality traits…no one’s perfect.”
A synopsis of TOY STORY 5 reads, “The toys are back…and this time it’s Toy meets Tech. Buzz, Woody, Jessie and the rest of the gang’s jobs are challenged when they’re introduced to what kids are obsessed with today….electronics!”
TOY STORY 5 premieres June 19.
Read Next: Red Carpet Interviews with the Leading Cast of Toy Story 5!
Questions or comments? Please write to us here.
Add Movieguide® as preferred on GoogleShare:
- Content: +4
- Content: +3