No compensation was received for this post. I attended a press junket, which facilitated the writing of this post. Accommodations were provided.
She’s practical, grounded (literally), and “says-it-like-it-is.” And interestingly enough, Teri Hatcher, who voices the role of Dottie in Disney’s soon-to-be-released animated film Planes, shares a lot of semblances to her character. The film, which takes its vantage point above the world of cars, tells the story of Dusty, a crop duster who dreams of competing as a high-flying air racer. During a recent interview with Hatcher, we talked about what it meant for her to voice a character in a Disney film, why the film’s message will resonate with young and old, and her connection to her character.
Hatcher is best known for her role as Susan Mayer on Desperate Housewives and I never missed a single episode of Lois and Clark. But what fans may not know is that Hatcher has voiced a handful of animated characters, including all three mothers in Coraline and Beatrice Le Beak, the sneaky pirate captain in Jake and the Never Land Pirates. “We’ve been a Disney family forever” and Hatcher’s motivation for joining the project in part, stemmed from knowing her child and grandchildren would love the film. “Kids fifty years from now, whatever the technology is, will still be entertained with their families by these movies” (Hatcher). When Hatcher agreed to the project, she couldn’t help but think about the reasons why she was there, knowing that being part of an animated film meant bringing joy to children and their families. “It is a really great way to be a little part of a movie that’s going to bring joy to a lot of families all over the world” (Hatcher).
As I watched the film, there was an immediate sense of familiarity, yet the story and it’s characters were new and exciting. As is characteristic of Disney’s films, there is a warm, poignant message about reaching for something higher. “This story is very relatable and incredibly charming,” mused Hatcher. “It’s an everyman’s story: you have a certain set of skills, but you dream of something bigger. Do you have the guts to go out and follow that dream or will you let your fears stand in your way?” It’s a message that will resonate with young and old and done in a way that is subtle yet reflective.
Visually, audiences will feel like they’ve stepped back into the world of Cars, yet there is a newness about Propwash Junction, the film’s setting, which was inspired by a handful of towns in the Midwest. Much of the film’s duration is spent viewing this world from “above,” which offers a unique vantage point for audiences not traditionally seen in animated films. “It’s just so beautiful and every time I look at scenes from it, I just can’t get over the craftsmanship of how they created this world that just draws you in” (Hatcher). When asked what her favorite scene was, Hatcher referenced that moment when Dottie first tells Dusty that he can’t fly. “She just sort of does this demonstration of what’s gonna happen to him if he doesn’t fly, and you know he’s going to go to the ground and smash all the kids in the orphanage” (Hatcher).
One of the things I personally appreciate about Pixar’s Cars and Disney’s Planes is the creativity and ingenuity that inspires the filmmakers to take something inanimate and breathe life into it in a way that is compelling and believable. And while that visual process is the brilliant work of people like Animator Ethan Hurd and Story Artist Art Hernandez, it is the voice cast that gives these characters depth, emotion, and relatability. “They’re not people, but suddenly you kind of let all that go and you are just in this story and it’s so beautiful and so magical” (Hatcher). To help her get “into” her character, Hatcher wore purple during her voice recording sessions and shoes that helped her feel grounded and “heavy” since Dottie is a truck. “I thought about how I feel really deep into the ground and connected, like no one is going to knock me over,” which is consistent with Dottie’s character who is “tough, smart, and capbable.”
Hatcher’s connection to her character helped enhance both Dottie’s believability and relatability. Dottie’s character watched Dusty go outside of his comfort zone to reach for something he really wanted and dreamed about. One of the points Hatcher felt was important to emphasize in the film was striking that balance between protecting and supporting Dusty and wanting him to be safe without being too discouraging or not having any voice at all. As the story progresses, Dottie grows and eventually accepts that holding back is not the best way to live life and encourages Dusty to pursue his dreams.
See Dottie inspire Dusty to overcome his fear of heights in Disney’s Planes, debuting in theaters this Friday, August 9th, 2013.
Images: Disney
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