I don’t know about you, but I thought Toy Story 5 was one of the big surprises among 2026 movie releases (so far). Obviously, Pixar always puts out incredible (pun intended) animated films, but it’s not easy to make a movie as good as the sequel was on its fifth rodeo. From Jessie’s emotional arc to the great commentary about tech, there’s just so much to love. But, right now, we need to talk about Blaze, and what CinemaBlend learned about her role from the actress who voices her.
Blaze is a new little girl that is living in the house of Jessie's former owner, Emily. And, isn’t she a sweetie? The endearing kid ended up being one the highlights of Toy Story 5 for me, especially towards the end when she becomes friends with Bonnie. CinemaBlend had the chance to talk to the voice actress behind the character, Mykal-Michelle Harris, and she shared a wild fact about her role. In her words:
Personally, for me, when I was filming in the booth recording, I only got my scenes to film. I didn't read the entire script. I didn't know I had such an integral role in the movie. And so, when I actually watched it for the first time, I was like, 'Wow!' It was a really big surprise for me, and my entire family.
By the sound of it, the 14-year-old actor was just honored to join the Toy Story 5 cast as the horse-loving character who loves playing with toys. And, because Harris was just focused on her own lines when recording for the film, she was in for a big surprise when the movie ultimately hit theaters.
Can you imagine the shock when she realized how important Blaze is to Toy Story 5? Harris also said this of the experience:
One of my favorite things about stepping into this new role has just been the warmth of the Toy Story family. When I started recording, they just allowed me to kind of play with the character and make her up as I went along. Blaze and I are one and the same. We are almost the same person. So, I think that it was just so nice not only being able to play with the character, but also after the fact, being so warmly welcomed into this amazing franchise.
Throughout the movie, Bonnie is dealing with making friends. As a result, her parents buy her a tablet called Lilipad so that she can digitally connect with her neighbors. However, Bonnie soon finds out that they don’t really use tech to play with each other, and they subsequently tease her. Thankfully, Jessie and her other toys find Blaze and connect the pair, leading to a friendship that's as endearing as it is adorable.
Toy Story 5 Made Me Appreciate Jessie As A Character More Than I Ever Did Before
Also, interestingly enough, Blaze marked a first for Pixar, because the character's design led the animation studio to come up with breakthrough technology. Said tech was developed in order to accurately depict Blaze's tight curls.
In the same interview, we spoke to the movie’s other child actor, Scarlett Spears, who took over the role of Bonnie this time around. She shared an interest in seeing Bonnie and Blaze grow up together and eventually pass on their toys in a sixth film like Andy did. And, yes, I’m already grabbing tissues.
Let's hope this new friendship continues and that Bonnie and Blaze remain besties if there is another installment in the franchise. You can check out Bonnie’s latest journey in Toy Story 5, which is not only streamable with a Disney+ subscription, but also available for purchase on digital platforms, physical 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray and DVD.
