Turning Red, PIXAR’s brand new animated feature, and the first to be helmed by an Asian American woman, centers on a dorky teenage girl who uncontrollably morphs into a giant red panda. Directed by Domee Shi, the movie picks up and develops the complicated first-generation-immigrant mother-child relationship we saw in her first animated effort, Bao.
We recently got the chance to speak to Turning Red production designer Rona Liu about what it’s like working at PIXAR, and how she and her team maintain their focus even after working on the same thing for years on end.
Disney and Pixar’s Turning Red introduces Mei Lee, a confident, dorky 13-year-old torn between staying her mother’s dutiful daughter and the chaos of adolescence. Her protective, if not slightly overbearing mother, Ming, is never far from her daughter – an unfortunate reality for the teenager. And as if changes to her interests, relationships, and body weren’t enough, whenever she gets too excited (which is practically ALWAYS), she “poofs” into a giant red panda!
Directed by Academy Award winner Domee Shi (Pixar short Bao) and produced by Lindsey Collins, Turning Red, features Rosalie Chiang as Mei, Sandra Oh as Ming, James Hong, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Ava Morse, Anne-Marie, Hyein Park, and Ho-Wai Ching.
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