Jacob Tremblay and Peyton Elizabeth Lee Talk Wildwood and Favorite LAIKA Movie Details!
From Coraline to ParaNorman, LAIKA Studios has been handcrafting stories for decades. Their new adventure Wildwood finds Prue McKeel on a journey with her classmate Curtis through an enchanted forest to find her missing baby brother. It’s taken 16 years to create this film, which almost feels like an act of rebellion now in the age of AI. Speaking with Pop Culture Planet’s Kristen Maldonado, actors Peyton Elizabeth Lee and Jacob Tremblay discuss growing up with LAIKA Studios, their favorite film details, and what hit them differently watching the finished project.
We’ve all grown up with LAIKA Studios and that cultural significance isn’t lost on the actors taking on the voices of Prue McKeel and Curtis Mehlberg in Wildwood. “LAIKA projects have had a huge impact on my childhood, so I feel like I'm giving back in a way,” said Tremblay. “It meant a lot to be a part of this, obviously, just learning about the artistry that goes into it. It's a privilege to be able to lend my voice to that.”
“I think when you're making anything for young people, it's a huge responsibility, because I think more so than adults, young people are so inspired by and shaped by the things that they watch,” Lee said. “Getting to be a part of that is really exciting because I think everyone has the things that they grew up watching that really stick with them. I think LAIKA movies are something that so many people would say they saw when they were little and it really stuck with them, like Coraline and their other films. Being a part of that is really, really exciting.”
LAIKA Studios is known for handcrafting these worlds that really feel tactile and lived in. There's so many incredible Easter eggs and little details, even in Wildwood. “You know what's really stood out to me? This goes back to any LAIKA project in general, but the food. I don't think people talk about the food enough. The food, especially Coraline, that huge dinner scene. Just like the food, it's always really satisfying for whatever reason,” explained Tremblay. “When [Septima’s] swimming in the bowl of soup. It's always just really satisfying to see how they do the food and the textures they bring to life for that specifically.”
Lee agreed, but had another feature that stuck with her. “I was really moved by the detail in the tears that the characters are able to shed,” she shared. “I have no idea how they do it, but it's so beautiful and emotionally evocative.”
It’s been several years since the actors recorded their vocal performances for these characters in Wildwood. That time away has given them new perspective watching the completed film. “I really appreciated Curtis because, when you first start watching the project, you expect his character to just be [this] comedic relief kind of side character,” said Tremblay about looking back at his character so many years later. “And I think watching the film now, I really appreciate that he really goes on his own story and his own arc. He's not two-dimensional in any way. I think all the character development in this film is really thought out.”
“For me, it's really been special being a part of this film because the timeline is so long and when we recorded these characters' voices, we were much closer in age to those characters. It is this coming of age story so we told the story of them growing up in a lot of ways and we ourselves grew up during the time that they've made this film,” explained Lee. “Now getting to revisit the film with a little bit of perspective on that period of growing up, I think you're able to appreciate the characters and what they go through a little bit more and understand it a little better.”
Explore the magic of Wildwood when it hits theaters on October 23. See Pop Culture Planet visit a portal to Wildwood hidden in the heart of New York City, below:
