Plus, an exclusive interview with Annie Potts about Disney+'s animated short.
Toy Story 4 marked the return of Bo Peep, the formerly porcelain damsel in distress who, in the 20 years since we last saw her, had transformed into a staff-wielding action heroine. Now, Pixar's latest short film, Lamp Life, will reveal exactly how Bo became a lost toy -- and ET can exclusively debut the trailer.
At the behest of Woody (Tom Hanks) and her new pal, Officer Giggles McDimples (Ally Maki), Bo recalls everything that's happened to her since Toy Story 2. "Overall, life on a baby lamp isn't that exciting -- or maybe too exciting," she teases. "Which took us on quite the unexpected journey."
Lamp Life sees Bo through electric fires and antique stores, frat parties and snow storms and all the wild adventures in between. Watch the trailer below, and scroll on to read an exclusive conversation with the voice of Bo Peep, Annie Potts, about the opportunity to share a bit more of Bo's story.
ET: First of all, congratulations on Toy Story 4 and the Oscar nomination. The Academy's hadn't yet introduced their Oscar for animation when you did Toy Story 2.
Annie Potts: That's pretty great, isn't it? It's true. I think they thought it was a grave injustice that nothing existed, because they're every bit as powerful as real people walking around.
It must be so rewarding for you to have a whole new generation connect with Bo. I know my niece got a Bo Peep doll for Christmas and was just over the moon about it.
Aww. I just love the idea of that, that a little one opens that up and is thrilled by it. Because she's a wonderful character. She's strong and she's feisty and she's just a great role model and little girls need those. I mean, these movies are so fine in every way, and it's such a privilege to be a part of them. It's astonishing, people go, 'Oh my god! You are so lucky you get to be a part of that!' And I totally get that.
When you signed on for Toy Story 4, did you know you'd be doing this short, too?
I did not! But I think a lot of people had questions about where Bo had been and what she'd been doing and what formed this new, wonderful, feisty, self-sufficient Bo who Woody can't resist anymore. And as always with Pixar, it's a delightful, touching, funny, sweet little [movie]. It's eight minutes of what Bo's been doing. I just love her. I'm hoping before long I have a little granddaughter so she can have her grandmother's company forever.
Have you started stockpiling the Bo Peep merch to pass on to her?
[Laughs] They sent me a big treasure trove of that, but I have a lot of people coming out so a lot of my stuff got pilfered, I have to say. Just so I get the first iteration of things, I may need to re-up by Bo gift closet.
Between Toy Story 4 and this, what was the biggest challenge of slipping back into voicing Bo after more than a decade?
Oh, you know! I am Bo, so it's not difficult. [Laughs]
Lamp Life is the first Toy Story project to be directed by a woman, Valerie LaPointe. [She joins Pixar's growing roster of female directors, which also includes Bao's Domee Shi and a number of Spark Shorts helmers.] To have Bo Peep front her own short film while making franchise history with a female director, what does that mean to you?
Well, I was thrilled by that. She'd been with us through the whole process of the big movie. Bo's a feminist heroine, so it's like, check. Female director? Check. That's all good.
We're blessed to get more Bo in this short. But have you heard anything about a Toy Story 5?
I haven't! But it's been very lucrative for them. [Laughs] I mean, how could they resist?
Pixar's Lamp Life will exclusively stream on Disney+ on Jan. 31.
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