Rosalie Chiang and Sandra Oh are thrilled Disney and Pixar fans will experience the fun world of Turning Red.
“I think for the both of us, it’s been such a great honor to become part of the Pixar legacy,” said Oh in an interview with Shadow and Act. “It’s just such an honor to be part of a Pixar film, specifically telling [our director] Domee Shi’s story and how personal a story this is. It’s great to be a part of.
Chiang, who is making her feature film debut, spoke about what it was like to work on the film that showcases the ups and downs of Meilin, a 13-year-old girl who realizes the hard way that the women in her family can turn into giant red pandas.
“It’s so surreal, it doesn’t feel like it’s real because when I got the audition, I didn’t really think much of it, but as the days went on, I realized, ‘Oh my gosh, this is a Pixar film and I’m the freaking lead!” she said. “For me, it did feel like it came out of nowhere because I thought my resume isn’t long enough to be in this, but for Domee Shi and the rest of Pixar to cast me, someone who isn’t as experienced as other actors in the business, it’s just a true honor and I’m very grateful.”
“She’s perfect for the role–she recorded this between the ages of 14 and 16,” added Oh. “Domee just picked her at exactly the right moment in her life, but I also think it’s Rosalie’s tremendous skill and her very unique voice.”
Oh also talked about what it’s like to play Ming, Meilin’s mother whose love for her daughter veers into relatable neuroticism.
“It was great to play Ming, I think Ming is hilarious,” she said, laughing. “She may not be so obviously hilarious, but she really is quite funny. We really did work on that really fine line between overprotective and actually having the nuance of the truth of what it is to be a loving parent, to be doing your best, and a parent who has high expectations.”
For Oh, Ming represents the unique bond children have with their mothers.
“I think all of us, to be honest, have a difficult time satisfying our mothers,” she said. “I think that’s just naturally the dynamic that happens. I think drawing not only from my personal experience but from my seeing my sister raise her children, you’re really just drawing on the loving relationship perhaps you yourself are not ready to change, but the child is ready to change.”
Watch the full interview below.
Turning Red is streaming now on Disney+.
