Pixar Celebrates All-Female Leadership Team of ‘Turning Red’: “The Most Efficient Film We’ve Ever Made”
On Tuesday night, Hollywood Boulevard played host to the red carpet premiere of Disney Pixar’s Turning Red — a coming-of-age tale centered on 13-year-old Mei Lee, a girl torn between being her mother’s obedient daughter and giving into the chaos of her youth. Not to mention, she turns into a big red panda when she gets excited.
The film comes from director Domee Shi, the Oscar-winning filmmaker behind the 2018 animated short film Bao. On Turning Red, Shi assembled an all-female creative leadership team — the first in Pixar history.
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“It happened very organically,” Pixar president Jim Morris told The Hollywood Reporter of bringing together the film’s head team. “It wasn’t like we decided, ‘Let’s make sure that that happened.'”
“People who work well together wanted to work with other people that they like,” added Pixar CCO and longtime filmmaker Pete Docter. “They were not only all-female, but it was probably the most efficient film we’ve ever made. They were really smart thinkers and risk-takers. I think we can all learn something from them.”
“One of the fastest films ever in terms of getting made at Pixar — which means it only took four years,” added Morris.
Shi is joined by co-writer Julia Cho and Pixar producer Lindsey Collins (who previously produced Wall-E and Finding Dory) for Turning Red.
“It’s basically my dream project,” said Cho. “If I could make my dream project, it would be Pixar, women and Asian-American. I think that it’s just incredible that we are actually here, standing here, celebrating this movie’s release because it was such a dream for a lot of us who always wanted a story like this.”
The film debuted at the El Capitan Theatre following a red carpet with stars Sandra Oh and Billie Eilish, who is featured on the film’s soundtrack alongside brother and musical collaborator Finneas.
“I am so honored,” said voice actor Topher Ngo, who plays Aaron T. in the film. “It’s insane that I’m able to kind of be part of this milestone project, and to see bits and essences of my culture. It’s Chinese-Canadian and I’m Vietnamese-American, but you see that there’s some overlap in the culture, and it’s so amazing to see that on screen and be a part of that process.”
“You just kind of gotta commend Pixar for doing this,” added the film’s star Rosalie Chiang, who voices the lead character Mei Lee. “I didn’t even realize it was an all female-led team until the wrap party when I actually watched the movie. I think that really speaks for how great this movie is.”
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Like so many Pixar films, Turning Red isn’t only made for young audiences — it’s meant for the adults, too.
“We’re adults making the movies, and we’re making them for ourselves, really, secretly,” said Docter. “Although we know kids are gonna see them too, right? We want it to be universal. We wanted to speak specifically about Domee’s experience growing up in Toronto as a girl and as a Chinese-Canadian, but also universally to everybody. Because I think everyone’s grown up. Everyone knows what that’s about. It’s not an easy time.”
“We’re treating girlhood as complex and as authentically as we treat so many stories of boyhood that are already in the culture,” added Cho. “For me, I think what I really love is seeing older men being like, ‘I love this movie because of my daughter.’ There’s something in there for all of us.”
Since the start of the pandemic, Pixar has released Soul and Luca, both of which went straight to streaming on Disney+. Turning Red will receive the same treatment, available on Disney+ starting March 11 without a domestic theatrical release.
“We make these films for the big screen and want to see them there,” said Morris. “The truth is that the family audiences, in particular, aren’t really going back to theaters yet. I think that’s gonna change with time. We saw the general audience go back on a huge scale for Spider-Man: No Way Home. So clearly if you make a movie people want to see, they’ll go see it. But I think the families have been a little more protective and reticent. We’re hoping mid-year that’ll change.”
Jesse Grant/Getty Images
Jesse Grant/Getty Image
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