Get ready for Toy Story 5! Woody and the gang are returning, and Jessie the cowgirl will be a key player as they deal with a new challenge: a high-tech kids’ tablet called Lilypad.
I recently heard from TopMob, and they interviewed Jessie and Lilypad – the amazing Joan Cusack and Greta Lee – about what fans can expect from the newest Pixar movie. They shared some exciting details about the story and characters, and I can’t wait to see it!
Toy Story 5 is very much Jessie’s story?
Joan Cusack believes the conflict between Jessie and the tech industry represents the defining issue of our time, and she finds it remarkable that this has become the central focus.
In Toy Story 2, we found out that Jessie was given away by her original owner, Emily, which really saddened her. Did you ever wonder if there was a deeper story behind that?
I thought there was definitely potential for a new direction, and I trust the people making Toy Story to do a great job. I was really surprised and excited to hear the next film would focus on Jessie’s story – it’s fantastic to see a strong female character take the lead.
In the movie, Jessie worries Bonnie will leave her, just like Emily did, and she calls herself worthless. It seems strange to me that Woody and Buzz wouldn’t ever say something like that.
As a film lover, I really connected with Joan’s point about the character’s self-doubt – it felt so authentically female. But even more powerfully, the movie brilliantly showed how incredibly cruel girls can be to one another, and that really resonated with me.
It absolutely breaks my heart watching Bonnie get teased by the other kids just because she still enjoys playing with toys. It’s such a sad moment, and I really feel for her.
JOAN I was so shocked by that, and it was so powerful.
Seeing Greta Lee’s friend group brought up some feelings for me. It reminded me of my own childhood experiences with friendships and all the challenges that come with them.
It was tough growing up, especially feeling excluded like the girl groups made me feel. But I do fondly remember having a couple of close friends with whom I shared a lot of laughter – that was the greatest feeling in the world.
What were your favourite toys growing up?
As a child, I loved taking toys apart and combining them to create new ones. I’d essentially build hybrid toys – for example, I once made a creature that was half Barbie and half Cabbage Patch Kid!
So you were essentially Sid from the first Toy Story with his mutant toys!
GRETA This is exposing of my character…
JOAN How were they stuck together?
GRETA Tape, I don’t know, string, whatever I had…
Do you still have them?
GRETA No, I don’t… I don’t sleep with them every night.
I remember a Barbie head designed for practicing makeup. The makeup didn’t really stay on, so you’d have to use a ton of blue, and it always ended up looking pretty bad, but we didn’t really care.
Keep up to date on what’s worth watching with your favourite entertainment news from TopMob – see more of our exclusive news and interviews featured prominently in Top Stories when using Google.
Toy Story 5 explores the idea that different people become important to us at various stages of life. Who has been a significant influence on you?
Greta: Joan, seriously, I’ve been a fan of your work for ages. When we first met, I even jokingly called you ‘Joan of Evanston’ – that’s where I went to Northwestern, and I’d been following your career for a long time before that.
JOAN I can’t believe you said me!
What about you, Joan?
I used to do theater games and improv when I was younger, and I have really fond memories of it. I especially remember feeling safe and having so much fun with the people involved. I miss having that kind of group now.
I believe it all comes down to finding people who share your interests and enjoy having fun together. Even as adults, we still crave companionship and imaginative play, just like Bonnie. It’s about finding the right friends to share those experiences with.
JOAN Yes, I totally agree! Acting affords that if you get the right group of people.
Toy Story 5 arrives in UK cinemas on June 19, 2026. You can currently stream the first four Toy Story movies on Disney+, with subscriptions starting at £4.99 per month.
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2026-06-07 10:35