By India McCarty
TOY STORY 5’s director had big shoes to fill when it came time to recast Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head.
The roles were previously voiced by Don Rickles and Estelle Harris, both of whom died in 2017 and 2022, respectively. Before recasting, director Andrew Stanton made sure to get the approval of the actors’ loved ones.
“We just made sure that their families were okay with it,” Stanton told Entertainment Weekly. “They understood that we have to keep the characters going, but we wanted their blessing because we wanted to honor the time that they had devoted to the characters. And, in a way, we are still honoring them by making sure they sound like that.”
He found sound-alikes in Jeff Bergman and Anna Vocino, saying, “They both just nailed it.”
Related: Original Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head Stars Passed. Who’ll Voice Them in TOY STORY 5?
In TOY STORY 5, Woody, Buzz, Jessie and their friends tackle a new problem: high-tech toys.
“I know every parent in the United States worries about their kids. When do you get them involved in tech? What does that do to their brains?” Joan Cusack, who voices Jessie, told EW in a separate interview. “And that’s what this movie’s about. It’s about humanity and playing and loyalty — and it makes me cry.”
In an interview with Empire, Stanton explained, “Honestly, it’s not even really about a battle so much as the realisation of an existential problem: that nobody’s really playing with toys anymore. Technology has changed everybody’s lives, but we’re asking what that means for us — and to our kids. We can’t just get away with making tech the villain.”
Greta Lee plays Lilypad, the kids’ tablet that becomes the toys’ rival. She told EW she saw the role as the chance to “channel a lot of our own fears and concerns” about tech dependency — for both children and adults.
“Playing her was extremely cathartic,” Lee said. “She’s this thing that has held so much power within my house and has been a very complicated source of consideration.”
Tim Allen, the voice of Buzz Lightyear, told Collider TOY STORY 5 has a “very, very clever story,” adding, “I don’t really believe it’s about the money. I’m sure they want it to be a success, but that’s not why they did it. Had they not come up with a brilliant script, they wouldn’t have done it and they wouldn’t have called me and Tom [Hanks, the voice of Woody]. It’s really clever.”
TOY STORY 5 premieres June 19.
Read Next: TOY STORY 5 Tackles Major Issue That Plagues Kids Today
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