INCREDIBLES 2 (2018) Production Notes

In "Incredibles 2," Helen is called on to lead a campaign to rebuild the Supers' reputation, while Bob navigates the day-to-day heroics of "normal" life at home with Violet, Dash and baby Jack-Jack-whose super powers are about to be discovered by his family.

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PRODUCTION NOTES

Villains. What's a Super to do?

As "The Incredibles" adventure came to an edge-of-your-seat finale, Syndrome was foiled-thanks to baby Jack-Jack and an ill-advised cape-and his jet exploded into a fiery ball, destroying the Parr family home. But the family was more bonded than ever; Violet showed off her newfound confidence, and Dash discovered that second place would do just fine. It seemed like a happily-ever-after ending until someone called the Underminer declared "war on peace and happiness."

Nearly a decade and a half later, fans will learn the fate of the Underminer when "Incredibles 2" opens in U.S. theaters on June 15. When "The Incredibles" first burst onto the big screen, Mr. Incredible's super strength and Elastigirl's stretchy flexibility wowed audiences around the globe-the film grossed more than $633 million worldwide, earning an Oscar for best animated film. But according to writer/director Brad Bird, it wasn't the characters' powers-or the villains-that fueled the film's success. "I realized that the super hero aspect of the story didn't interest me nearly as much as the whole family dynamic," he says. "I think that people see themselves in these characters and that's why they fell for them the way they did. 'The Incredibles' and now 'Incredibles 2' are really stories about a family."

Since "The Incredibles" debuted in 2004, the super hero genre has skyrocketed within the film and television industry with major franchises exploding and new heroes emerging every few months. "The landscape has certainly changed since our last movie," says Bird. "But the idea of our Supers worrying about getting jobs and paying the rent is still compelling. The challenge of juggling everything life throws at you-even if you have super powers-is still relatable."

In "Incredibles 2," Helen is called on to lead a campaign to rebuild the Supers' reputation, while Bob navigates the day-to-day heroics of "normal" life at home with Violet, Dash and baby Jack-Jack-whose super powers are about to be discovered by his family. Bird knew for a long time that Helen would step into the spotlight in "Incredibles 2." "I wanted this to be Helen's adventure," he says. "And I was intrigued by how Bob would handle that, along with the responsibilities at home."

"Bob isn't a bad dad," says producer Nicole Paradis Grindle. "He's a little overconfident at first. He thinks, 'I'm Mr. Incredible, I've got this.' But I think any parent can relate to the idea that kids can wear you down. Add to that a toddler-they want what they want and they don't like hearing 'no.' Jack-Jack is no different, except when he gets mad, he bursts into flames."

The film introduces a new villain with a brilliant and dangerous plot that threatens everything. "This villain is different," says producer John Walker. "Helen has her work cut out for her to stop a villain who can manipulate people from a distance. And if Helen fails, her mission to bring back Supers fails. A lot is at stake."

Story supervisor Ted Mathot finds a lot of yin and yang to Helen's story. "Supers are illegal," he says. "In order for her to change the law, she has to break it. In order for her to save her family, she has to leave them."

According to Bird, the story strives to strike a balance between the adventure and the more ordinary aspects of family life. "It's a dance between the mundane and the fantastic," he says. "We don't do one for very long without doing the other.

"Helen might take a call in the middle of battling the bad guys to help her kid find his shoes," continues Bird. "Or Violet might use her power of invisibility when she is feeling totally humiliated. Audiences see that and think, 'Yeah, I'd do that, too.'"

The film is even edited to reflect the duality of the Parrs' lives. "We are constantly intercutting between Helen's mission and what's going on at home," says film editor Stephen Schaffer. "It's that combination that makes it so entertaining."

Holly Hunter and Craig T. Nelson return as the voices of Helen and Bob Parr, who still struggle to juggle their duties as parents and Supers. Sarah Vowell once again provides the voice of the teen-queen of sarcasm Violet, while Huck Milner joins the cast as the voice of 10-year-old Dash, and Samuel L. Jackson reprises his role as the voice of Lucius Best - aka Frozone. "Incredibles 2" also features the voices of Brad Bird as fashion visionary Edna "E" Mode, Bob Odenkirk as savvy businessman and Super fan Winston Deavor, Catherine Keener as tech pro Evelyn Deavor, Jonathan Banks as Rick Dicker, Sophia Bush as "wannabe" hero Voyd, and Isabella Rossellini as an influential ambassador and advocate for Supers.

BEHIND THE MASK

Who's Who in "Incredibles 2"

Writer/director Brad Bird looked to his own life when he created the original characters of "The Incredibles." "Everyone's powers are inspired by their role in the family and where they are in their lives at that time," says Bird. "We played with traditional archetypes-the strong father figure and the multitasking mother-but in the end, we found that most of us can relate to all of the characters in some way. We've all been that impatient 10-year-old or the insecure teenager. We've all felt like we're shouldering an impossible load between home and work or school, and we've all felt like we're being pulled in too many directions."

The idea that the movie is a family film extends beyond the audience it attracts. "We could say that Helen is driving this story or Bob drove 'The Incredibles,'" says supervising animator Tony Fucile, who helped design the original characters. "But I think that the whole family-the Incredibles as a unit-is the protagonist in this story."

"The Incredibles" introduced Pixar's first wholly human cast of characters. But according to Bird, who established the overall style of the characters with Fucile, Teddy Newton and Lou Romano, they didn't want their humans to look too human. "We put a lot of energy into simplifying the characters and making them graphic," says Bird. "The farther you get from the center of a character's face, the less detail there is."

Though Bird was happy with the end result, the technology available at the time did present some limitations. Character art director Matt Nolte says that 14 years of advances have made the looks easier to achieve. "We went back to the original art and used the technology available to us now to create the looks that were always intended back then."

According to character modeling and articulation lead Mark Piretti, the "Incredibles 2" team went back to the clay maquettes Kent Melton created for "The Incredibles." "We mined those sculpts for any details that didn't make it into the character models the first time," says Piretti. "We also pulled old drawings from the archives to look for further inspiration wherever we could find it. In the end, we came up with some very cool designs that are fresh and familiar at the same time."

Adds supervising technical director Rick Sayre, "The eyes of the characters this time around are inspired by actual human eyes. It's a subtle technical advance that adds a little gleam to their eyes and a sense of life and realness that makes them that much more believable."

Of course, these characters are Supers with extraordinary abilities that literally defy physics on occasion. Their powers were carefully cultivated to shape and define each character both as Supers and as members of the family. But filmmakers didn't want them to feel indestructible. "We want the audience to feel their vulnerability," says Fucile. "We want people to worry about them-despite the fact they have super powers. We had to find the sweet spot between Super and mere mortal."

Production manager Sabine Koch O'Sullivan says she fell for the characters in "The Incredibles," but a lot has changed since then. "When I worked on the first film, I was a single young woman who worked all the time," she says. "The characters really spoke to me then. I saw my own mom in Helen. Now I'm married and a mother of two and I see myself in Helen. I think these characters represent us all. We achieved something really special-then and now."

"Incredibles 2" welcomes back to the big screen the family of Supers that charmed audiences in 2004, as well as old favorites like Lucius Best (aka Frozone) and Edna "E" Mode. The movie also introduces new characters to its super mix-from billionaire dogooders to wannabe Supers-creating a dynamic cast of characters brought to life by all-star voice talent.

HELEN PARR, known in the Super world as Elastigirl, hung up her supersuit to raise the family with husband Bob, leaving their crime-fighting days behind them. But when she's tapped to lead a campaign to bring the Supers back into the spotlight, she finds she can still bend, stretch and twist herself into any shape needed to solve the trickiest of mysteries. In short, she's still got it.

"We treat being a Super as a vocation," says writer/director Brad Bird. "The government shuts down the program that protects Supers and provides them with housing and jobs. So Helen and Bob are faced with a real-life dilemma. 'What's next? How will we pay the bills and provide for our family?' They're just like the rest of us."

Fortunately, opportunity knocks. Siblings Winston and Evelyn Deavor are huge fans of the Supers and are starting a campaign to improve their public image and ultimately bring them back. Says producer John Walker, "Evelyn does a cost-benefit analysis and finds that Helen tends to solve crimes with far less damage than Bob-so they choose Helen for the job."

Adds producer Nicole Paradis Grindle, "Helen has spent the last several years shouldering the household responsibilities while Bob worked office jobs. But she was really good at being a Super-even if she's forgotten that a little over the years. So she's pretty excited to be back out there making a difference."

In order to set Helen up for success, the Deavors surprise her with a brand-new Elasticycle. She had one back in the day, but this one is extra special. Designed exclusively for her, this state-of-the-art cycle can come apart to accommodate Elastigirl's ever-changing form. Filmmakers consulted a stuntman to ensure Helen's performance on the Elasticycle was as believable as possible. "We went through a lot of footage of what a motorcycle would do," says supervising animator Alan Barillaro. "We needed to understand how she should transfer her weight among other things."

Filmmakers also spent a lot of time mastering Helen's stretchy super power. Supervising animator Dave Mullins spearheaded Elastigirl for "The Incredibles" and returned for "Incredibles 2." "We're able to do things now that we couldn't do back then," he says. "When I animated Elastigirl before, I had my own set of rules. So now, we can apply them and improve upon them."

According to Mullins, Helen's regular rig can stretch, but filmmakers created a second rig with added bells and whistles, taking cues from the rig created for Hank in "Finding Dory" (which was also used for Dante's tongue in "Coco"). But Mullins wanted to ensure animators fully understood how to incorporate Elastigirl's stretch, so he delivered rubber bands to each of the animators' desks. "When she stretches, she's like a rubber band," he says, "taut, but the farther she stretches, the less strength she has."

As tempting as it was to stretch Elastigirl-just because you can-Mullins says she doesn't stretch unless she has to. And no matter how much she stretches, her head and face are always intact.

And so is her hair. "Helen's hair defies gravity," says simulation supervisor Tiffany Erickson Klohn. "It's graphic and super cool. But when she's on top of a train going 200 miles per hour and the wind is blowing through her hair, it is a real challenge to preserve her classic look." A new hair system and pipeline were introduced to address grooming and simulation needs.

Holly Hunter returns as the voice of Helen/Elastigirl. "I think she has total fearlessness when it comes to her role as a Super," says Hunter. "But when it comes to her children, she has a very strong protective instinct. She has this innate desire to save others, which is a beautiful thing-especially in the world today."

According to supervising animator Tony Fucile, Hunter brings important qualities to the character. "Holly has a very specific voice," he says. "She has a lot of energy, toughness and intelligence, which really impacts how Helen moves."

The character's personality-the toughness and intelligence-actually affected how filmmakers shot her action sequences. Says Mahyar Abousaeedi, director of photography-camera, "We wanted to convey that Helen is a strategist-she's a couple steps ahead of the game. She uses her environment to her advantage, which is different from Bob's approach. She's more proactive. I've always liked that about her."

Hunter says the recording process was nothing but fun. "Brad [Bird] plays the other characters when we record," she says. "I appreciate his sense of humor. He's so playful."

BOB PARR cherishes his days as Mr. Incredible-a popular Super with mega-strength and the power to singlehandedly take out the bad guys. Ever since Supers were outlawed, Bob's been mostly lying low, raising the family alongside his wife Helen. But when she's called on to stretch her super skills and hopefully change the public perception of Supers for the better, Bob must manage the household on his own, which calls for a completely different set of super powers.

The idea that Helen is chosen to lead the campaign to bring back Supers stings Bob at first. "Bob loves being the hero," says story supervisor Ted Mathot. "But he's a bull-in-achina-shop kind of super hero. So while Helen is the better choice in terms of improving the Supers' reputation, Bob is surprised and maybe a little disappointed he didn't get chosen. But he wholeheartedly supports Helen."

Always a champion of his family, Bob isn't afraid of taking on the duties at home either-but he's hit with a few surprises along the way. "Bob is perfectly capable of taking care of Violet, Dash and Jack-Jack on his own," says writer/director Brad Bird. "But he has to fail a lot before he can succeed-like we all do every single day as parents. Failure, however, isn't easy for this particular super hero to accept."

Adding to the challenge of taking on the household responsibilities solo is the fact that Jack-Jack's super powers are emerging. "Bob is really excited to discover that JackJack has powers," says producer John Walker. "But with those powers comes a real challenge. Toddlers are hard enough without lasers shooting from their eyes."

The character was designed to be extreme with a giant torso and short legs. "Bob putting on his socks is a very tricky scene with his tiny feet and big hands," says supervising animator Alan Barillaro. "He's all upper body, which informs how he moves. He's strong, but not necessarily elegant."

According to simulation supervisor Tiffany Erickson Klohn, Bob's massive muscles required extra attention from the simulation department. "Hopefully you'll feel it more than you'll see it," she says, "because we try to make it as physically real as possible."

Mahyar Abousaeedi, director of photography-camera, says many of Bob's scenes called for a toned-down approach to the camera movement. "Bob's experience in this film is the opposite of the first film," he says. "His scenes call for less camera movement and limited lens choices, a visual reminder that he's bound to the responsibilities of the family."

Craig T. Nelson provides the voice of Bob. "I think Bob would've preferred to be out there, saving the world, being Mr. Incredible," he says. "But he accepts his new role and in doing so, he finds out things about his family that I think are intrinsically interesting and important.

"There are so many things about Bob that are familiar to me," continues Nelson. "I'm a father. I have three kids and eight grandkids and three great-grandkids. And I'm in control of none of it."

"Craig is so great at being both powerful and a little bit clueless in a completely charming way," says producer Nicole Grindle. "Bob's a caricature of that old-school dad in some ways-yet he's committed to this new mission, and Craig really finds the perfect balance."

VIOLET PARR, the firstborn of the Parr clan, is an introverted and intelligent 14-yearold teen who doesn't quite fit in with the normal crowd. Socially awkward, outspoken and sarcastic, Violet plays her teenager role to perfection-all while secretly mastering her super powers of invisibility and creating force fields. A Super at heart, Violet can't help her urge to fight crime alongside her family.

"Violet turned a corner at the end of the first movie," says producer Nicole Paradis Grindle. "Thanks in part to her role in fighting crime with her family, she was beginning to believe in herself. She was confident enough to ask her longtime crush, Tony Rydinger, to go to the movies."

Filmmakers showcase Violet's confidence in her look. "For most of the first movie, her hair is in her face, as if she's hiding," says character art director Matt Nolte. "This time, we pulled her hair back. It symbolizes that she's not scared anymore."

Achieving Violet's hairstyle is challenging in CG. "Her hair is one of the hardest types of hair to do, which is why we don't often see characters with long straight hair like Violet's," says simulation supervisor Tiffany Erickson Klohn. "We want it to look silky and straight, but in action scenes, it should have some breakup, too. Technically, it's tough to get both of these qualities at once.

"Plus, Violet has a small frame and a larger head," Klohn continues. "So when she moves and turns, there's very little for her hair to rest on."

Pele, a proprietary new grooming tool, is named after the goddess of volcanoes. Debuting on "Incredibles 2," Pele allows artists to see their changes in real time as they're being developed. "Before, we couldn't see the overall silhouette we were creating until we rendered the shot," says character shading and groom lead Beth Albright. "With Pele, we can see complex hair patterns hairs in real time in Presto, our animation software."

American-history author Sarah Vowell lends her voice to Violet. "Violet, like any teenager, is trapped between childhood and maturity, between self-confidence and insecurity," says Vowell. "She just happens to have a secret after-school job as a Super. Her powers-the abilities to turn invisible and produce increasingly large-scale force fields-reflect a female teen's occasional desires to protect herself, block out the world and avoid scrutiny or surveillance."

Violet's enhanced force fields called for new effects. "We wanted to start with a similar look to the first film," says effects supervisor Bill Watral. "But she progresses quickly and is able to do more with her force fields, so we had to figure out how that changes the look of her force fields. There are several key components-noise or static and an interaction component. It has to be cool because Violet wouldn't use it otherwise."

"Violet can be hilarious, but her humor has some bite to it," says Vowell. "She has a tendency to comment a little too truthfully about any given scenario in the moment. As a smart aleck myself, I imagine wise guys of all stripes can also empathize with her sarcasm and her very human inability to edit uncomfortable thoughts. For better or worse, if she thinks it, she says it."

Grindle suspects Vowell understands her character for a very good reason. "Sarah genuinely thinks the way Brad [Bird] wants Violet to think," says Grindle. "Her deliveries are spot-on for that reason. And this isn't even what she does. She's an accomplished author. We're lucky to have her."

DASHIELL PARR is a 10-year-old boy-restless, relentless, curious-with the remarkable power of super speed. Dash sports a hearty sense of adventure and a boundless supply of energy. He'd love nothing more than to show off his special skills and fight a few bad guys along the way-and doesn't understand why he has to keep his powers a secret.

Says producer John Walker, "Dash got a taste of life as a crime fighter in the first film. Returning to regular life doesn't really interest him-he loved fighting crime with his family and, even better, showing off just how fast he can be."

The character got a makeover that took him closer to another Incredible. Says character supervisor Bill Wise, "We wanted him to look more like his dad-more like a mini Bob. So we spent a lot of time finessing his shape, giving him more of a sculpted, squared forehead, and making him a bit more muscular. And his hair was a big challenge."

Dash sports what filmmakers called a "hood ornament"-the swoosh of hair in the back of his head-which makes him look even faster when he's running. "When we're staging him in a shot, it might not be visible," says character shading and groom lead Beth Albright. "If an animator wants to see it, Pele [the new grooming software tool] provides the ability to interact with the hair curves and bend the swoosh to get the desired silhouette."

Showcasing Pixar's relentless attention to detail, because Dash's hair was so complex-it was difficult to render. "Light bounces around inside each strand of hair and passes into the next," says optimization and rendering supervisor Reid Sandros. "With blonde hair, the light bounces around a lot. And Dash's hair is not only blonde, it's big- especially his swoosh. All of those bounces make it hard for the renderer to resolve the final color, which ends up appearing as noise in the image. So we had to set up special rules to limit the way light could travel through the hair in order to get a clean image."

Since Spencer Fox, the 22-year-old original voice of Dash, no longer sounds like a 10- year-old, Huckleberry "Huck" Milner was brought in to voice the middle Parr. According to Walker, Fox embodied the character a little too well. "He was unpredictable-like Dash-but he'd give these completely original readings," says Walker. "Huck was the only kid we interviewed who had that same thing going on. We'd never get what we expected, but what we did get was brilliant."

Milner says he can relate to Dash in a lot of ways. "I have two sisters who I happily annoy. I'm also a 10-year-old boy who goes to school and plays sports."

What is it about Dash that's so likable? "Because speed is awesome," says Milner. "Dash is at an age where he doesn't think too deeply," says supervising animator Alan Barillaro. "He enjoys his life, watches his cartoons and eats his cereal. So he's mostly content.

"But we do give him some subtle behaviors that really shape his character," continues Barillaro. "He cues off his sister a lot to know how to react to a situation."

JACK-JACK PARR, the baby of the family, likes to sit back with a bottle and a good story. Well-versed in gibberish with a penchant for throwing food, Jack-Jack seems like a typical toddler, but he just might turn out to be the most powerful Parr in the household.

"The family has no idea he has powers," says producer John Walker. "At the end of the first film the audience gets the first glimpse of what Jack-Jack can do-like bursting into flames and turning into a demon baby-but the Parrs didn't see that all happening." He's still 100 percent toddler, too, with a host of needs, wants and ever-changing emotions that keep even the best parent guessing. "Anyone who's taken care of a regular baby day in and day out knows that it can be exhausting," says writer/director Brad Bird. "Toddlers have curiosity and mobility-but zero judgment. And Jack-Jack isn't just trying out one power-he has a multitude of powers going on."

Jack-Jack has a bigger role in "Incredibles 2," so filmmakers wanted to enhance his look. "We studied how babies move," says supervising animator Tony Fucile. "They have all kinds of quirks that only careful observation revealed-the way they walk on their toes or catch themselves when they fall. There is a blend of athleticism, when they can control themselves-and awkward wobbling, when they can't."

The toddler's makeover includes a chubbier face and body, with added articulation in his face since he's more expressive in the film.

LUCIUS BEST is not only Bob's best friend, he's a fellow-former Super who's so chill, he can make ice with the point of a finger. But even when he's not fighting crime as Frozone, Lucius is all about style. He has a quick wit and a cool, can-do attitude-and he wouldn't think twice about breaking out his supersuit if it could help bring Supers out of hiding.

"Lucius is the first Super to get approached about the new campaign," says story supervisor Ted Mathot. "He quickly lets Bob and Helen in on the plan, which he thinks sounds great. He's adjusted pretty well to civilian life, but-like Bob-he'd jump at any opportunity to be a Super again."

Samuel L. Jackson returns as the voice of Lucius in "Incredibles 2." "Lucius is easygoing," says Jackson. "He's hard to rattle. He seems to enjoy his powers and how they enhance his cool factor."

"Sam is a force of nature," says writer/director Brad Bird. "He's a strong personality when he enters the room. When he sits down, he's like a cool cat who is very comfortable, yet he exerts a kind of authority that animators love because it's specific."

Jackson intuitively understands the animation process. "When we use our voices, it allows animators to create something that's expressive in a very specific way," he says. "We've all been hired to bring a vocal dynamic to our characters that paints a picture for the people animating them. We have to put ourselves in the mind-set of what the world is and what the rules of the world are so that we can create real characters inside that world."

According to Jackson, the characters are easy to channel because they are typical, everyday people. "They could be anybody," he says. "They're out there trying to make ends meet. They just happen to have super powers."

EDNA "E" MODE possesses impeccable design sense, a keen understanding of cutting-edge technology and an unmatched skill set. A creative visionary, she longs for the return of Supers so she can once again create functional yet cutting-edge supersuits.

"E takes over every room she enters," says writer/director Brad Bird, who lends his voice to the fan favorite. "No matter how big and strong the people around her are-and she's often surrounded by Supers-her personality just dominates. I think we all summon our inner E during our most confident moments."

Since Edna shares several scenes with Bob aka Mr. Incredible, director of photography-camera Mahyar Abousaeedi had to figure out how to frame the duo. "Edna is so small compared to Bob, who's unusually big," he says. But instead of cheating the shots, filmmakers decided to lean into the size difference. Says Abousaeedi, "When framing Edna and Bob, we composed those moments in the spirit of 'The Incredibles.' Edna is commanding, and we sometimes frame her to dominate the composition, but still highlight their size difference by framing parts of Bob's body, which is a fun reminder of their scale difference."

WINSTON DEAVOR and EVELYN DEAVOR lead a world-class telecommunications company. "Winston and Evelyn's parents were big supporters of the Supers," says writer/director Brad Bird. "So when they inherited the company, they continued this support and have decided to take it to the next level, kicking off a campaign to help the Supers' cause."

Adds producer John Walker, "Since the government just shut down the program that helps Supers, the time is right for the Deavors to step in."

Ultra-wealthy, savvy and suave, Winston goes big in everything he does-including his plan to bring back the Supers. All he needs is a super hero (or three) to help him change public perception and eventually make them legal again.

The design of the billionaire businessman went through many iterations before filmmakers concluded that the character's determination and drive were reflective of a shark. "We incorporated a lot of sharp angles in his face, and his forehead slants back into his hairline like a fin," says character art director Matt Nolte. "He even wears a sharkskin suit."

Bob Odenkirk was called on to voice Winston. "He's very gung-ho-he's a real salesman," says Odenkirk. "He wants to convince the Supers to come out from the shadows and do what they were meant to do."

Walker says Odenkirk helped make the billionaire relatable. "Bob has a great comic style, yet it's understated," says Walker. "The role isn't necessarily comedic, but Bob is able to bring humor to his performance."

"I've spent my life writing comedy," Odenkirk says. "I really respect the hard work and talent that is evident in Pixar's storytelling. I'm always trying to be a better writer, so to get to see Pixar's process from the inside-that alone was a reason to do this."

Winston's brilliant but laid-back sister and business partner, Evelyn, knows her way around tech-she's never met a problem she can't solve. When Helen is recruited to help the Deavors bring back Supers, she and Evelyn become fast friends-exchanging ideas, creating strategies and sharing a lot of laughs along the way. "They form a sisterhood," says producer Nicole Paradis Grindle. "They find they have a lot in common-they're both strong and smart."

Filmmakers wanted the siblings to look like they were family-Evelyn has the same tilt to her eyes that Winston sports-while showing the contrast in their personalities. Bird compares Evelyn to a cat-laid-back, confident and comfortable wherever she goes. "She'll walk into a boardroom, plop down and sit cross-legged," he says.

Walker says that Catherine Keener, who provides the voice of Evelyn, embodies the character's bohemian personality. "She walks in to record, kicks off her shoes and flops down on the floor," says Walker. "She'll put her feet up-really she's doing exactly what we imagined the character doing, which is kind of fascinating."

"Evelyn's very brainy and nerdy, but really cool, too," says Keener of her character. "It's a dream come true to be in an Incredibles movie, because the first one is one of Pixar's best."

Keener was particularly drawn to the Parr family. "They're a mess-just like every other family," she says. "As a parent, you have to make hard choices, you have to advocate for your children's well-being today and in the future. It's messy and uncomfortable, but I think you become a better person as a result."

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