EMERYVILLE, Calif. — The eagerly awaited “Toy Story 5” hit theaters this Friday, adding a new chapter to the cherished animated series and shining a spotlight on the fan-favorite character Jessie.
Karina Nova, anchor for ABC7 Eyewitness News, caught up with Pixar filmmaker and storyboard artist Kenna Harris. They delved into the film’s creative evolution and explained why Jessie takes center stage in this installment.
“From the first draft, Jessie was always meant to be the heart of the film,” Harris explained. “When Andrew Stanton was queried about directing a Toy Story movie, his first thought was to have Jessie as the sheriff of the room. Offering her perspective feels invigorating, and we believed there was more emotional depth to explore with her. He also saw an intriguing dynamic between gadgets and toys,” Harris added.
For Harris, this project holds a special significance. Recalling their first cinematic experience with “Toy Story 2,” Harris shared how it ignited a lifelong admiration for Jessie.
“Since childhood, I found myself constantly sketching her, many times envisioning her in the window. It’s always felt like a part of me, and now being involved in a film that highlights the character I adore most from the series is truly surreal,” Harris reflected.
Jessie’s evolution is also reflected in archival materials preserved by Pixar. Senior Manager of Pixar Living Archives Juliet Roth highlighted how the character has changed over time.
“She’s had quite an evolution, even her behavior, mannerisms; she tells her origin story,” Roth said.
Roth added, “Jessie has a badge now, and she has total confidence about her.”
The film introduces new elements alongside returning characters, including a potty-training toy named Smarty Pants. Roth described the development process behind the character’s design and personality.
“This one is a bunch of notes; there are words, there’s scribble scrabble while also being this very specific character we can identify, Conan O’Brien… that’s right, his swoop,” Roth said.
“Toy Story 5” also features a central conflict between traditional toys and modern technology, embodied by a smart tablet antagonist named Lillypad.
Harris said exploring that dynamic proved challenging during development.
“An early discovery we had in the film was that there’s no competition. Tech just wins automatically. There’s no choice for the toys but to lie down in defeat and have Lillypad walk all over them in their lives,” Harris said.
They added that the filmmakers ultimately reframed the conflict around a broader theme.
“And it started to unlock… well, maybe what we’re talking about here is connection. We’re talking about how toys and devices can lead to connection with children. Maybe one is more authentic than the other,” Harris said.
“Toy Story 5” is now playing in theaters.
Disney is the parent company of Pixar and this station.
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