If you were stranded on some foreign land somewhere, not only would you have to make friends with the locals, but you’d probably learn some things about yourself in the process. Grow, even. That’s what happens in “The Wild Robot,” and parents watching right now, you’re going to like this interview.
Maybe robots can have feelings.
Lupita Nyong’o (as Roz, voice): “Do you need … assistance?”
In “The Wild Robot,” Lupita Nyong’o plays Roz, a droid who’s been shipwrecked on a deserted island.
Lupita Nyong’o (as Roz, voice): “Aggression detected. I see your problem.”
…and it must learn to adapt to its new surroundings. So, it builds relationships with native animals. And for a machine, let’s just say that doesn’t come naturally, at least at first.
Lupita Nyong’o: “She has boundaries, and I think that is a really good lesson for parents. It’s like, give and give, but you also have to learn to preserve yourself in the process, and she is extremely selfless. But in the end, [SPOILERS].”
Oh, no! Is that Lupita giving me too much tea?
Lupita Nyong’o: “Why am I? I don’t mean to spoil the movie. My bad! I’m just saying Roz has her boundaries, and everybody should have them, too.”
Don’t worry. Your secret is safe with Deco, for now.
But back to the movie, Roz soon develops a parental bond with an orphaned gosling, and that changes everything.
Lupita Nyong’o: “I don’t have children of my own, but as I was doing this, I really just came to terms – or I saw the world through my mother’s eyes. The fact that they instill all this in you, and their work is to prepare you to be independent, but in order to do that, they have to let you go, and how painful that must be, to let go of the thing you love most.”
A life lesson Lupita has really taken to heart.
Lupita Nyong’o: “I had called my mom and thanked her very much for having that faith in her own skills as a mother to let me go.”
So, emotionally, she definitely connects with the character, but how about technologically?
Lupita Nyong’o: “I’m really suspicious of talking to robots, so I don’t like any devices that I have to talk to, but I was very inspired by Alexa and Siri and the AI voices of TikTok and Instagram in creating the voice of Roz, so I’m a work in progress. We’ll get there.”
Lupita has to protect her voice while doing voice work for the role, but she had Taylor Swift and Beyoncé exceptions.
Lupita Nyong’o: “I would say I am very partial to ‘Shake It Off’ by Taylor and ‘Grown Woman’ by Beyoncé. Those two songs definitely make me want to scream.”
“The Wild Robot” lands in theaters nationwide on Sept. 27.
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