FILM `FELT LIKE HOME'
Sandra Oh was happy and proud to take part in director Domee Shi's personal tale
Turning Red Disney+
For an actress who has mostly played it serious as one of the stars of TV's Killing Eve, Sandra Oh found herself with a constant smile making Turning Red, the newest animated film from Pixar.
“It was an entire Pixar film that focused on the inner-life of a 13-year-old Chinese-Canadian girl going through puberty. I wanted to be part of that story,” Oh says in a video call. “But in addition to that, I was working with Oscar winner Domee Shi. That was a super bonus.”
Ottawa-born Oh was also thrilled to be a part of Pixar's first Canadian-set animated film, with Toronto taking centre stage.
“I cheered at every single moment where I recognized something,” the Golden Globe winner says. “I used to live near a Daisy Mart, and I don't even know if there are Daisy Marts outside of Toronto, but I lived near one on Harbord Street when I lived in Kensington Market.”
Before captivating TV audiences with her portrayal of Eve Polastri on Killing Eve (the latest season is airing on CTV Drama), Oh, who has been living in Los Angeles for the past 20 years, was best known for playing Cristina Yang for 10 seasons on Grey's Anatomy. But getting to participate in a Pixar film was “thrilling,” she says.
“It's a great canon of films and to be a part of one of them is an honour,” says Oh, 50. “Deep into my career getting to do something like this is just so satisfying.”
Before the film's Canadian debut, Oh spoke to Postmedia about her experience voicing the character of Ming, the mother to the main character in Turning
Red, as well as wrapping up her final season on Killing Eve.
Q We spoke to Domee Shi for her Pixar short Bao and that film went on to great success. What impressed you the most about working with her as a storyteller and filmmaker?
A Domee knows what she wants. That's an extremely important
thing for a filmmaker. She has a very unique and particular voice and she knows what that is. I always trusted her voice.
Q What is the most quintessentially Canadian thing about Turning Red?
A It's the authenticity of the diversity of Torontonians. That felt like home to me. Even though I have made Los Angeles my home for the past 20 years, an extremely formative time in my life was spent in Toronto and I think that's the thing I feel is most representative of the city — it's diversity.
Q We've seen how much representation matters. What does it mean to you to see that come to fruition after working in the film industry for so long ?
A I could caution you when you say fruition because that implies that it's done, and it's not. I'm so happy to be a part of the growth. We can point to many films people would be familiar with — Shang-Shi, Crazy Rich Asians, Minari — those are films from the past three years that have come to the forefront and I'm happy to be a part of that growth. But we still need to develop (more) storytellers, because that's what is going to last. It doesn't matter how many we have, it's what we're saying that matters and how we're saying it that matters.
Q What kind of teenager were you?
A A lot like Meilin (the main character in Turning Red, voiced by Rosalie Chiang). I had such a nice group of friends — people
I'm still friends with 40-plus years on. I was an extremely emotional girl, but I made a career out of it.
Q In this movie, Meilin desperately wants to see her favourite band — much to the disapproval of her parents. What was the most rebellious thing you did as a teenager?
A (Laughs) I became an artist.
Q So many people love Killing Eve. What is it like seeing that show come to an end this year?
A It's emotional and sad and challenging. But it's satisfying that it has come to an end. It was a great opportunity and challenge to play that character for four years, so I'm glad to have been a part of that.