Back in March, we were invited to Pixar Animation Studios, where the team was hard at work on the final touches of Inside Out 2. Visiting the studio on my very first press trip, I was assigned to the “Anxiety” group (how fitting!), joining other journalists for an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at the making of the highly anticipated sequel.
Β© 2024 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
IfΒ Inside OutΒ sent you on an emotional rollercoaster,Β then the sequel is guaranteed toΒ throw you for a loop.
Leading up to the filmβs summer release, we visited Pixar Animation Studios to discuss Inside Out 2Β with director Kelsey Mann and producer Mark Nielsen, who also worked onΒ Inside Out.
The day before, weΒ were treatedΒ to an early sneak peek of the first thirty minutes of the sequel. As a longtime Pixar enthusiast, I was thrilledβthough perhaps not as excited as Mann was to push theΒ big red button.
Kelsey Mann, who sawΒ Inside OutΒ as an audience member in 2015 while working on PixarβsΒ The Good Dinosaur, described his reaction to the first filmβs ending as he pointed to Mark Nielsen. βYou guys set up [the puberty button] on the consoleΒ andΒ I’mΒ like,Β βI want that thing to go off. If youΒ don’tΒ set off,Β I’mΒ gonnaΒ be upset!β
He finally gets the chance to do just that as the director of Inside Out 2.Β He went on to explain that he also set out to cause more chaos than just a blaring puberty alarm.
β[The first movie] ends in a great way whereΒ sheβsΒ like,Β βweβveΒ got new friends, a great new house, after all,Β sheβsΒ 12, what could happen?ββΒ he says,Β βShe has such confidence in herselfΒ andΒ I wanted toΒ crush that.β
Mann also detailed how they explored challenging Joyβs traditional ideas of who Riley is in this new phase of her life. βThat’s where the new emotions come in,β he said, βbecause they’re like, βwe understand this teenage world and we know how to play this game better than you do. So you know what? We need you to step aside because we need to take over.β
Once again, filmgoers will see some push and pull at the controls in this new storyβjustΒ in a different way.Β βJoy, in the beginning of [Inside Out] learned that lesson that all emotions are valuable, she learned to let Sadness go to the console.β Mark Nielsen says, βAnd now in this film, sheβs like, βmaybe not ALL of them.ββ
Β© 2024 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
The new movie features new additions to the cast, including Maya Hawke (Anxiety), Ayo Edebiri (Envy), Paul Walter Hauser (Embarrassment), and AdΓ¨le Exarchopoulos (Ennui). During a press conference session earlier that day, Mark Nielsen had nothing but praise for what they brought to the film. βTheyβre all very funny,β he said, βSome of them are actual straight-up comedians.β
β[Envy] wasnβt as developed as some of the other emotions,β Mann jumped in to say, βAyo really helped flesh out who that character was in a positive way.β
Nielsen was also wowed by Maya Hawkeβs performance as Anxiety, describing her as the βfastest talker Iβve ever met.β
βShe brought an element of humanity to the character,βΒ Mann added.
During those first thirty minutes of the film, weΒ didnβtΒ get the chance to become well-acquainted with Embarrassment, but Mark Nielsen gave us an idea of what to expect from the character.
βPaul Walter Hauser as Embarrassment was amazingβwhat a gem of a human being,β he said, βWe met with him beforehand to talk about the role. On the script, it doesnβt look like much because heβs too scared to talk and barely has any lines, but heβs a really important character in the film. Itβs actually a really big role, which is a beautiful relationship he ends up having with Sadness.β
You can check out our interview with Kelsey Mann and Mark Nielsen at Pixar Animation Studios in the video below. “Inside Out 2” will be hitting theaters on June 14th, 2024!
“Julia Mazza?”Β
I was eating lunch in a room off of the main atrium when I heard my name called by a member of Disneyβs publicity team.
βOk not to be okβ βΒ ironically, the lyrics toΒ Demi Lovatoβs latest singleΒ and soundtrack behind the trailer ofΒ MTVβsΒ newest film, βPink Skies Aheadβ completely reflect the attitude of this coming of age movie that surrounds a young woman dealing with an anxiety disorder.
Based on an essay from her 2017 book, βWhen You Find Out The World Is Against: And Other Funny Memories About Awful Momentsβ, writer/director Kelly Oxford says the idea to transcribe her essay into a script βhit herβ after noticing how drawn her readers were to it.
βI was like wow, if I can help readers I should try to get this on screen and help more people and get this story out,β Oxford says of her directorial debut behind βPink Skies Aheadβ. βIt was really fun to do it, and I knew that I wanted to direct it myself because I had lived through it and it wouldβve felt really weird to pass it off to somebody else and watch their version of itβ¦. as the creator and writer, I was very excited to make it my first film.β
That excitement was shared with Greg Silverman, former president of Warner Bros. Pictures turned CEO and founder ofΒ Stampede Ventures. Silverman, whose resume includes films such as, βA Star Is Bornβ, βCrazy Rich Asiansβ, and βThe Dark Nightβ just to name a few, coins Oxford as a βforceβ.
βAs soon as we started [Stampede Ventures] it was like ok well, who can we get behind thatβs gonnaβ make a difference and gonnaβ make something incredible, and Kelly was the first person that popped into our minds,β Silverman says. βWe all are so proud that we were able to be a part of [Oxfordβs] first film.β
While the film is set in a 90βs-centric vibe, it deals with an all too common occurrence that everybody can relate to today β this was especially true for actress, and film lead, Jessica Barden.
βWinona was like myselfβ¦. I was very defiant, I have anxiety,β Barden says of her character. βI just hope that people watch [Pink Skies ahead], and I wanted this to contribute to people understanding that there isnβt a certain type of person that is going to get anxietyβ¦.[or] depression.β
βPink Skies Aheadβ follows 20-year-old Winona who struggles with accepting her anxiety disorder diagnosis while managing her life in adulthood as a recent college drop-out still living with her parents. The audience watches Winonaβs feeble attempt at ignoring both the physical signs and emotional manifestation of her anxiety, which often leads her into peculiar situations.
All too familiar with dealing with Winonaβs struggle within the film, Barden hopes her role can help those who may feel alone in their battle with anxiety and other issues with mental health. βIf you get to a place where you can be healthy and own [anxiety], you can do amazing things with it,β says Barden with a smile.
While Lewis Pullman who plays the role of βBenβ and Winonaβs love interest expressed not completely connecting to his character, he did get the sense that the audience might.
βI think everyone connects to some character [in Pink Skies Ahead],β Pullman says. βI think [Ben] is a good representation of a scape-goat of [having] this huge thing that needs to be dealt withβ¦ [but looking for] some other alleyways that I can postpone this thing thatβs haunting me.β
As a part ofΒ MTV Entertainment Studiosβ newest mental health initiativeΒ titled, βMental Health Is Healthβ; seriesβ and films shown on the station will display a diverse range of stories in hopes of de-stigmatizing mental health and promoting behavioral and cultural change.
According to MTVEβs president,Β Chris McCarthy, βthe power of storytellingβ¦.can frame the way we look at an issueβ, and films such Oxfordβs can create βa bigger conversation that leads to systematic change that becomes the norm.β
Tune in to MTV on Saturday, May 8th at 9:00 ET/PT on MTV for the premiere of βPink Skies Aheadβ!