The 'Toy Story' origin film is available on Digital and Disney+ on Aug. 3, and on 4K, Blu-ray and DVD on Sept. 13.
Keke Palmer truly went to infinity and beyond for her Lightyear role! In an ET exclusive behind-the-scenes clip from the recent Disney/Pixar release, the actress and the film's director, Angus MacLane, detail how Palmer embodied the character of Izzy Hawthorne, an idealistic young recruit who fights alongside Buzz Lightyear (Chris Evans) on the colonial defense forces.
"Keke Palmer is a force of nature," MacLane raves in the clip. "She's insightful, super empathetic, and very direct in a very charming way."
"She was able to do both the fast-delivery comedy, and also the delivering of the emotional message, and have that switch feel natural," the director adds.
For her part, Palmer also praises MacLane as "a great director, because he allows me to play, and go wherever I need to go to find the character."
In Lightyear, Palmer's character, Izzy, is the granddaughter of Buzz's late friend and commanding officer, Alisha Hawthorne (Uzo Aduba), and has an emotional journey as she strives to live up to her family legacy -- as well as save the universe from a powerful threat.
"Through this journey with Buzz, she is able to reach her full potential, and fill those shoes of her grandmother, that she thought she'd never be able to fill," the actress shares. Watch the full clip above.
When ET spoke with Palmer at the Lightyear premiere in June, she had nothing but excitement for her part in the Toy Story origin film.
"I mean, come on, I grew up on Toy Story!" she shared. "We finally get to know where Buzz came from, why that toy was created, and the world is just so magnificent... You're really gonna get some action, but also some meaningful messages, and just that classic entertainment that Disney and Pixar always give us."
As for how she's like Izzy, the actress and meme queen shared, "I’m most like Izzy because I talk a lot and I’m ready to make friends and I’m always down to be a team player. Izzy is a team player, and she jumps in before thinking, and you're gonna see that sometimes that works out... but it doesn't mean that it's not scary. So hopefully, the kids are able to take something from that and maybe even the adults, too."
Lightyear is available on Digital and Disney+ on Aug. 3, and on 4K, Blu-ray and DVD on Sept. 13.
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