Posted at 7:00 a.m.
Updated at 7:13 a.m.
One role at a time, Sandra Oh overcame the odds. She gradually made her ascent in an industry that was not very open to diversity, until she played the surgeon Cristina Yang, for 10 years, in the television series Grey’s Anatomy. She made her mark and now performs the main roles in the series Killing Eve (Eve Polastri) and The Chair (Director Ji-Yoon). Be part of the animated film Turning Redwith the sensibilities addressed and carried by a studio of the caliber of Pixar, appealed to him from the start.
IMAGE PROVIDED BY PIXAR
In the animated film Turning Red from Pixar, Sandra Oh lends her voice to Ming, who constantly watches over her daughter Mei, in an excess of goodwill.
“The fact that the subject of the film was the inside life of a 13-year-old Chinese-Canadian girl was very important to me,” she said in excellent, but slightly rusty French. , she admitted with a laugh. She does not have as much opportunity to speak the language of Molière, as she did during the three years she studied at the National Theater School of Canada, in Montreal, where she obtained her diploma in 1993. The videoconference interview given to The Press took place half in French and half in English.
PHOTO MARIO ANZUONI, REUTERS
Sandra Oh at the premiere of the film in Los Angeles, 1er March
“The Asian perspective is a dimension that I always bring to my work,” she said. I believe that Turning Red shows a point of view that is important to present. I love the relationship between Ming and his daughter Mei. For many of us of Asian descent, the balance between being loyal to our parents and to ourselves is very delicate. To express it in such an accessible way, through a Pixar film, is a real celebration. I’m glad it’s finally happening. »
Turning Red (Red alert in French version) features Mei Lee, a playful and confident 13-year-old Chinese-Canadian teenager. Overnight, she no longer understands the contradictory and intense emotions that take hold of her and lead her to transform into a giant red panda. The problems that trigger her sudden metamorphosis are numerous at first, until she learns to better manage her emotions, with the help of her three inseparable friends. Her mother, Ming, who watches over her with an excess of goodwill, exacerbates the situation without realizing it. They finally manage to find common ground.
Women’s gaze
Turning Red stands out in various ways in the rich history of Pixar. The work is the first to be set in an Asian context and takes place in Toronto’s Chinatown, the story taking place for the first time in Canada. It is also the first time that a director has been alone at the helm of a feature film from the renowned animation studio. Domee Shi has already distinguished herself in 2018 by becoming the first director of a short film at Pixar, Bao, which won an Oscar. Domee Shi, who grew up in Toronto, co-wrote the screenplay for Turning Red with Julia Cho, and the duo worked closely with producer Lindsey Collins.
IMAGE PROVIDED BY PIXAR
Turning Red features a teenage girl who transforms into a giant red panda when her emotions overwhelm her.
We quickly notice that women occupy key positions in each of the series which gave Sandra Oh the opportunity to express her specificity. “Shonda Rhimes for Grey’s AnatomyPhoebe Waller-Bridge for Killing EveAmanda Peet for The Chair, she lists. I chose each of my roles because of the quality of what was offered to me, not necessarily because women were behind it. I think they had a character in mind and they chose me because I matched it. »
“It’s still significant, because they are all female characters of great depth, who say something special,” she points out. Killing Eve, for example, is centered on the female psyche. My roles were all written by women who were trying to explore something through the eyes of female characters. That’s probably what interested me. »
Make your place
The extent of his contribution is evident in the documentary television series Dear… (Letter to…), broadcast on AppleTV+, which devotes an episode to it in its second season, online since March 4. The series presents the journey of exceptional women and men who, each in their own way, have had a significant influence on the lives of others. Like Gloria Steinem, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Oprah Winfrey and Malala Youzafzai, among others, Sandra Oh received moving letters of thanks. In the twenty minutes devoted to him, the difficulties encountered in carving out a place for himself at the start of his career, and the repercussions of his statement “ It’s an honor just to be Asian “, during the Emmys ceremony in 2018, are particularly highlighted.
“I was a little nervous when I was approached,” she admits. I didn’t know what to say, but I turned 50 last summer, and it’s a good time to reflect. These letters are so beautiful and sincere. As an artist, you do your job, thinking it doesn’t matter too much. It’s nice to see that it has. »
For now, it is far too early to predict the influence of the animated film Turning Red on young moviegoers, she believes. “Ask me the question in 10 or 20 years, because the effect will not necessarily be immediate. But I hope he makes it normal for my nieces and nephews to see themselves on screen. The scope is also wider. As seen in the film, there is great cultural diversity in Toronto. It is the mosaic of the city and that of the film. As an adult, it’s exciting to see you finally being represented. For children, I hope it won’t be out of the ordinary anymore. »
Turning Red (Red alert) will premiere on Disney+ starting March 11.