“Inside Out 2” will be released in June, introducing new emotions, including Anxiety. Maya Hawke, who voices the character, believes the movie will show how anxiety can be a healthy part of someone’s mind.
In the sequel, Joy and the other characters return, but now Riley’s 13, so they have to make room for new emotions like Anxiety and Embarrassment. The director stated that Shame could have been a new emotion, but it was cut for being too heavy and not enjoyable to watch., but was cut for being “too heavy” and “not fun to watch.”
At the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo, Hawke explained how she made Anxiety entertaining to watch, even though the character's personality is challenging in real life.
Hawke compared Joy's dominance in the first movie to Anxiety's complex character in the sequel.
Hawke emphasized that anxiety can take on different forms, such as nervous energy and excitement, leading to new storytelling possibilities.
She mentioned how there are various types of anxiety, from excitement to self-doubt, and how it can have both positive and negative effects.
Hawke further explained that 'Inside Out 2' explores the role of anxiety in people's lives: “What healthy place can anxiety hold in your life?”
“Because it’s not going anywhere. And you can’t tamp it down, but maybe you can, you know, use it for your own good,” Hawke elaborated.
In 'Inside Out 2', the movie addresses the question of how to utilize anxiety for personal benefit, recognizing that it's a permanent part of life.
Like most animated features, Hawke didn’t record with her costars, but she used resources like the book “The Positive Power of Negative Thinking” by Julie K. Norem to develop Anxiety's character.
According to Hawke, the book “The Positive Power of Negative Thinking” inspired her and provided perspective on utilizing negative thoughts in a positive way, which she considered extensively during the making of “Inside Out 2.”
Despite acknowledging that portraying Anxiety was exhausting, Hawke attributed the fatigue to the physical demands of voiceover work.
“I have generally found that creating animation is tiring because it's very expressive, loud, and requires injecting humanity into the character,” she said.
“My neck and shoulders ache after doing it,” she continued, shifting to Anxiety’s voice. “And I’ve been — I’m like, super tense. And ahh! But it’s so enjoyable, it doesn’t matter.”
“Inside Out 2” will be released in theaters on June 14, 2024.
