ComingSoon’s Jonathan Sim recently spoke with Tony Hale (Arrested Development, Veep, Toy Story 4) and Liza Lapira (Fast & Furious, Crazy, Stupid, Love), the respective voices of Fear and Disgust in Pixar’s new movie, Inside Out 2. The animated movie arrives in theaters on June 14, 2024.
“Disney and Pixar’s Inside Out 2 returns to the mind of newly minted teenager Riley just as headquarters is undergoing a sudden demolition to make room for something entirely unexpected: new Emotions!” reads the official synopsis. “Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust, who’ve long been running a successful operation by all accounts, aren’t sure how to feel when Anxiety shows up. And it looks like she’s not alone.”
Jonathan Sim: You’re both playing characters that were originally played by Bill Hader and Mindy Kaling. When you were interpreting these characters, how much did you want to impersonate them and how much did you want to build your own voice?
Tony Hale: Oh, wow. I personally did not want to match Bill ’cause like, I think he’s a genius. I just knew that I had a lot of layers of fear to bring to the table.
It was very personal then.
Hale: I could really tap into that.
Liza Lapira: Same, same. I didn’t wanna do an impersonation. I have so much respect. I think it was just very character-based, and, you know, I found a mannerism right away that, to me, represented like a disgusted teenager, and that really informed the way that I did it.
When you guys are in the booth, are you guys ever physically doing anything with your bodies that would match the character?
Hale: I don’t know about you, but I, it’s just like you do the same thing that in front of the microphone that you do at the front of the camera. Yeah. Because I wanna bring that same energy to it. Yeah. So I went crazy in front of the microphone.
Lapira: Yeah. I mean, to me, the truth is the truth. People ask me about this, about film stage TV all the time, and I would add voiceover. Yeah. The truth is the truth. Absolutely. So I’m gonna do it no matter what.
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One of my favorite things about the Inside Out movies is the fact that each person has their emotions, but they typically have one emotion that sort of takes the lead. So I wanted to ask in your mind, what emotion typically takes the lead in your head?
Hale: Oh, it depends on the day.
Lapira: It does depend on the day, it depends on the moment. It depends on the moment. I have like an idealistic answer, which is Joy. And that’s the one I will say in public.
You’ll say it on record.
Lapira: On record. Yeah. We’ll talk later, but I’m gonna say Joy.
Hale: But I’ll say if I wake up at three in the morning, Anxiety will kick in. Just like, yeah. Did I say that to that person? What’s happening tomorrow? What? Duh duh.
Since I’m talking to Fear and Disgust, what is one thing that you’re afraid of and one thing that you’re disgusted by?
Hale: I would say heights is a huge fear for me. Huge fear. Yeah. Disgust? Anytime someone treats a child poorly. That just makes me disgusted.
Lapira: I was gonna say rotten food, but I’m gonna go with what he said. Anytime. Anytime someone mistreats an animal, it’s disgusting to me. And I fear something happening to my loved ones.
Hale: I’m gonna say that too.
What do you think made being part of Inside Out 2 so special from your experience?
Hale: Inside Out 1 wasn’t just one of my favorite [animated films], it was like one of my favorite films. Right. So I felt so honored to be a part of it. And so it’s just, I’m still . When I heard my voice in the trailer of this movie, I had the same [reaction] when I did Toy Story, I was like, “oh, they didn’t fire me.” You know, the whole time, I’m like, “I just hope I get to be part of it.”
They didn’t replace you in post.
Hale: They didn’t replace me in post, yeah!
Lapira: I had a similar experience. This is my first time working with Pixar and Disney. So just to get into that family and then to be part of this particular movie, this movie changed the game for me and everyone. Yeah. The first one did. And I think this one’s gonna do the same. So it’s just an honor.