Toy Story 5 is one of the most highly-anticipated upcoming 2026 movies. The franchise has been around for over three decades, and Joan Cusack has been voicing Jessie for more than two of those. At this point, she’s spent plenty of time with her fiery cowgirl counterpart—likely delivering some of Jessie’s most iconic lines more times than I could count. One of the most memorable, of course, is the rootin’est-tootin’est cowgirl in the west’s signature “Yeehaw!”—though, as it turns out, it wasn’t something Cusack immediately warmed up, which she told CinemaBlend about.
Cusack first started voicing Jessie in Toy Story 2, when the character was introduced alongside Woody’s Roundup gang. Since then, she has voiced Jessie in all of the franchise’s feature films, as well as numerous TV shorts, video games, specials and promotional appearances. The cowgirl has yodeled and “yeehawed” her way through a lot of material, and with what we know about Toy Story 5, Jessie is set to take on a more central role—likely meaning even more of those signature exclamations from our favorite cowgirl.
Ahead of Toy Story 5, I had the opportunity to speak with Cusack during a recent Walt Disney World event, and I couldn't resist asking about Jessie's signature catchphrase. The veteran actress admitted that her relationship with "Yeehaw!" has changed over the years:
I gotta say, at first I felt like I was saying 'Yeehaw' a lot, and then it just turned into something I loved. Like, I will finish an email with 'Yeehaw.' It's just a really fun thing to say, so I love saying it.
CinemaBlend was on hand at Walt Disney World for a preview of Disney’s Cool Kids' Summer celebration, where guests can also experience Jessie’s Roundup: A Rip-A-Roarin’ Revue at Magic Kingdom. It was there that Joan Cusack shared this juicy Jessie tidbit, and I have to admit: It’s really fun to say “yeehaw” out loud. Still, after saying it repeatedly for over 20 years, I can see how it might have started as a bit of a love-hate relationship before it just became part of the rhythm of the character.
Given that Cusack has fully embraced Jessie’s signature catchphrase, I can imagine her using it more than a few times in Toy Story 5. With Jessie taking Bullseye's reins and stepping into a larger role, she’s teaming up with some old friends—like Woody, complete with a new bald spot—to help save Bonnie’s toys from Lily Pad, voiced by Greta Lee, as technology threatens to take over playtime for good.
With this larger role, however, I do have one lingering worry: that Bonnie could become another Emily. The Toy Story 5 trailer seems to nod back to Jessie’s past, and fans can only hope she isn’t forgotten again. I doubt it’s a line Cusack would sign off with in an email, but it’s one that still sticks: “You never forget kids like Emily or Andy, but they forget you.” All we can hope is that Bonnie never lets Jessie end up gathering dust under a bed again.
Whether Cusack is tugging at our heartstrings or leading the charge in the franchise’s latest adventure, it sounds like she’s fully embraced one of Jessie’s most recognizable traits. And, with Toy Story 5 giving the cowgirl the spotlight she deserves, I’m sure we’ll hear a few “yodel-ay-hee-hoos” and plenty of “yeehaws” along the way. Toy Story 5 opens in theaters on June 19.
