Toy Story 5 isn’t just bringing back its vast collection of classic animated characters and their respective voice actors. Pixar’s film has also recruited two of the most famous musical artists in the world, Taylor Swift and Bad Bunny, to be part of the film.
To many, that seems somewhat random, with Swift singing a key song in the movie, a spot often occupied by Randy Newman previously, and Bad Bunny voicing an actual character. How did this come together? Why did this happen? Well, Toy Story Producer Jessica Choi has shared her side of how Taylor was recruited by posting a letter she wrote the singer, asking her if she wanted to be a part of the film. Here are some excerpts:
“The Toy Story franchise has always been about Woody and Buzz. This will be the first of five where the primary focus is Jessie, the yodeling cowgirl, and her journey embracing her beautifully eccentric style of leadership and character.”
“We are so inspired by your journey carving a path in a male dominated industry and advocating for it through music, and we believe if Jessie were not but a tiny toy, she would be equally inspired and would also have the whole world in the palm of her hand. I’d love the opportunity to connect. If not this time, hopefully soon! Congrats on your engagement!”
Well, that obviously panned out, and Taylor Swift’s song, I Knew It, I Knew You, is featured in the film, and currently #2 in the US top songs Spotify list with 12 million streams so far. Swift has also talked about the song, posting on Instagram that she saw Toy Story 5 at 11 AM, went home, and wrote I Knew, It Knew You, which will be the end credits song for the film, in eight hours. If you know Swift’s rather wild songwriting process, this is far from the first time this has happened, but it remains impressive.
As for Bad Bunny, it’s a little more straightforward. Speaking to Discussing Film, produce Lindsey Collins explained how he was recruited:
“He filmed these little videos of himself during covid, playing with Toy Story dolls. We just happened to see them… when we recorded with him, his part went from one line to a whole bunch!”
Bad Bunny, coming off performing the last Super Bowl halftime show, is one of the most popular artists in the world, but is not a stranger to acting either. He’s been in Caught Stealing, Happy Gilmore 2, and has wrestled in WWE, which as you might know, takes some amount of acting ability itself. In Toy Story 5 he will voice “Pizza with Sunglasses,” and it would seem this is his first time doing voicework in a film of any note.
Of course, the focus will be on the core cast, namely Jesse, voiced by Joan Cusack over all these years, while staples Tom Hanks and Tim Allen as Woody and Buzz return. Other new actors joining the cast are Greta Lee, Conan O’Brien, Craig Robinson and Jay Hernandez.
Back to Taylor, there is some theorizing that one reason Swift wanted to do the song, in addition to liking the movie, is a potential shot at an Oscar nomination or win for Best Original Song, which certainly seems at least possible, given her profile, the movie’s profile and the fact that the song is actually good. We’ll find out about that next year.
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