ABC7 Eyewitness News anchor Karina Nova spoke with Pixar filmmaker and storyboard artist Kenna Harris, who discussed the creative direction behind the film and why Jessie became central to the story.
"Jesse was always the focal point of the movie since the first draft. Andrew Stanton was asked, 'If you direct a Toy Story movie, what would that entail?' And he was always interested in having Jesse be the sheriff of the room. It feels so refreshing to hear her point of view. We thought there was emotion still left to explore for her. He also felt there was a conflict between devices and toys," Harris said.
For Harris, the project carries a personal connection. They said "Toy Story 2" was the first movie they saw in theaters and sparked a lifelong admiration for the character.
"Since I was little, I would draw. I'd draw her over and over again. I'd draw her in the window. It's always been in my DNA, and it's so surreal now to be a part of the film that really focuses on the character I've loved most in the franchise," Harris said.
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.