Lori Alan, the voice of Bonnie’s mom, discusses returning to Toy Story 5, the emotional third act, and why the world needs real play.
WARNING: MINOR SPOILERS FOR TOY STORY 5 AHEAD.
Few cinematic franchises have mastered the art of growing up alongside their audience quite like Pixar’s Toy Story. Just when we thought there was truly no need for another one, Toy Story 5 arrives to prove that there are still profound, deeply resonant chapters left to be told.
The film gracefully tackles the complex realities of aging, bullying, and the friction between human connection and our increasingly digitized lives. It is an intergenerational experience that captures real families navigating real, modern struggles with the signature humor and heart that defines the Pixar legacy.
When I sat down over Zoom to speak with Lori Alan – the brilliant voice behind Bonnie’s mom (as well as the voice of Mom’s Sadness in Inside Out) – we instantly connected.
“Every time I talk about the movie, I just can’t… I’m serious. I can’t stop crying,” Lori admitted right off the bat. It became clear very quickly that her tears weren’t just about being part of a massive blockbuster franchise, but rather how deeply the film resonates with her and many others around the world.
“I think it’s the right movie at the right time that is just hitting everybody’s hearts in this way that is just unexplainable. The world right now just needs a lot of positivity and joy.”
As a parent of two girls, ages 13 and nearly 15, the film’s heavy focus on technology and isolation hit incredibly close to home for me. I mentioned to Lori how jarring it is to watch the polar opposites in my own house: my youngest still happily playing with her dolls, while my oldest is completely glued to her device, navigating a post-COVID world where friend groups exist almost entirely on apps.
Lori nodded in profound agreement, pointing to a specific, striking sequence in the film where the camera zooms out across a neighborhood, revealing a sea of children entirely absorbed in their screens.
“I said, ‘honey, we have to start putting our phones down at night.’ I mean, me included. I’m like, just scrolling my life away,” she confessed. We lamented how the very definition of the word “play” has warped over the years. Lori reminisced about calling up childhood friends just to ask if they could “play” after school – a concept that feels vastly different from today’s screen-time loops.
What makes Toy Story 5 uniquely special, however, is how it elevates the roles of the humans. While Andy’s mom was always around, Bonnie’s parents are central to the emotional landscape of this installment. Lori beautifully brings to life a mother who represents the grounding heart of the family. We talked at length about a pivotal scene where a discouraged, overwhelmed Bonnie completely shuts down, and her mother steps in with ultimate grace, telling her: “You can tell me anything and you’re not in trouble.”
“I can relate to that on both sides,” Lori shared, visibly moved just thinking about the scene. “Trying to bring somebody back to themselves… kids immediately assume somehow they’re in trouble. [Bonnie’s mom] doesn’t try to make excuses for her daughter’s behavior… you really get to see about parenting too, and how it’s hard for her to see her daughter so upset. But she’s like, ‘You know what? I’m not ever going to give up on my kid.'”
Of course, we couldn’t discuss the film without diving into that powerhouse of a third act. I confessed to Lori that I wept through the entire final movement of the movie – particularly when Jessie walks out the door, leading to the stunning revelation and closure that Jessie needed.
“I cried literally the whole third act,” Lori agreed, noting how incredible it was to see Jessie’s journey take center stage under the voice work of Joan Cusack. “I love that she is fighting for what’s right. She’s trying so hard and she has big emotions. And then that reveal is so beautiful. I was like, ‘Ooh, there we go for a Toy Story 6!'”
From her accidental beginnings getting cast out of a Pixar loop group alongside mentors like Lorraine Newman, to becoming a permanent fixture in our collective childhood psyches, Lori remains fiercely protective of the joy her work brings to the world.
Ultimately, our conversation mirrored the exact themes of the film itself: a reminder to put down the devices, embrace the messy vulnerability of human friendship, and hold tight to the pure, uncomplicated magic of play.
To hear more about Lori Alan’s journey, what it was like to see Taylor Swift perform at the premiere, and more, be sure to watch our full conversation.
About Toy Story 5
The toys are back in Disney and Pixar’s “Toy Story 5,” and this time it’s Toy meets Tech. Woody (voice of Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (voice of Tim Allen), Jessie (voice of Joan Cusack) and the rest of the gang’s jobs are challenged when they come face-to-face with Lilypad (voice of Greta Lee), a brand-new tablet device that arrives with her own disruptive ideas about what is best for their kid, Bonnie. Will playtime ever be the same?
Toy Story 5 comes to theaters everywhere on June 19th.
