The Big Picture

Inside Out 2
introduces new emotions like Anxiety, Envy, Ennui, and Embarrassment.
Director Kelsey Mann and producer Mark Nielsen discuss Anxiety’s transition from villain to antagonist out of love for Riley, showcasing the complexities of emotions.
Mann explains the absence of more “positive” emotions due to seeing all “complicated” emotions as positive.

When the first Inside Out came out, we were introduced to a whole new world inside of our own brains. Emotions became personified and controlled us through a console while there were different corners of our consciousness for things like imagination and imaginary friends. But with a new movie comes a new era of life. Inside Out 2 takes a look at Riley (Kensington Tallman) right when she hits puberty, ushering in things like body odor, pimples, and a hurricane of new emotions.

While the first film was directed by Pete Docter, the sequel stands as director Kelsey Mann’s feature directorial debut. While the first Inside Out focused on the five core emotions Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Anger (Lewis Black), Fear (Tony Hale), and Disgust (Liza Lapira). Inside Out 2 brings in four new emotions: Anxiety (Maya Hawke), Envy (Ayo Edibiri), Ennui (Adèle Exarchopoulos), and Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser). And when the emotions arrive, it’s very much out with the old and in with the new, forcing the original core emotions to fight back for control of Riley during a vital weekend in her life.

We spoke director Kelsey Mann and producer Mark Nielsen about the film. We discussed the nuanes and inspiration for Anxiety, especially during one of the tensest scenes of the movie, and Mann explained the transition that Anxiety took from villain to more of an antagonist. The two also discussed the decision to choose an emotion like Ennui. Mann also explained why there aren’t more positive emotions, calling the emotions besides Joy more “complicated” than negative. Watch the video interview with Mann and Nielsen above or read the full transcript of the interview below.

Inside Out 2 Follow Riley, in her teenage years, encountering new emotions.Release Date June 14, 2024 Director Kelsey Mann Writers Meg LeFauve Studio(s) Pixar Animation Studios Distributor(s) Disney Expand

Director Kelsey Mann Reveals How Anxiety Changed From Being a Villain
COLLIDER: I feel like understanding what anxiety is and how it can affect somebody and manifest in sort of the worst ways is so important to this movie. Obviously, Anxiety, the character, has good intentions. She’s not trying to sabotage Riley’s life, so to speak, but can you break down the nuances of the scene when you’re trying to portray anxiety in a way that’s both positive and also trying to show how negative it can be?

KELSEY MANN: I always had the idea from early on that I wanted new emotions to show up, and I made a list. I was immediately drawn to Anxiety because I can really relate to her, and I’m like, “I think other people can too,” especially at the age that Riley is. I had pitched the idea of this being a takeover movie, kind of like, are you familiar with the film All About Eve?

Yes!

MANN: I’m like, “It’s like that!” Because it kind of can feel like that. In the earlier versions of her, she was always intended to be the antagonist, and at the beginning, she was really antagonistic. She was really kind of a villain, and it didn’t feel right. We’re like, “She’s not fun to watch. I don’t get why she’s doing what she’s doing.” It wasn’t until we really leaned into the research of, like, “Why do we have anxiety?” We brought on a lot of the experts who worked on the first film, like Dacher Keltner, who is a professor over at Berkeley, and Dr. Lisa Damour. We spoke to her about, “Why do we have it?” And they’re like, “Well, it’s really there to help try and protect us and keep us safe.” So I’m like, “Oh, we should really switch this so that she’s really coming from a place of love for Riley.” It’s almost like she loves Riley just as much as Joy does, but they’re arguing over how to best take care of their daughter.

I really feel that, especially with Joy suppressing these negative things and trying to just only lean into joy as opposed to Anxiety’s, “What are the worst-case scenarios?” Which I think we all play out in our heads.

What Exactly Does Ennui Mean?
Image via Pixar

I love the decision to add new emotions to the second film. I think it’s just amazing. A lot of the emotion makes sense to me, but where did Ennui come into this story? I was sitting with some people who were like, “What does “ennui” even mean?”

MANN: [Laughs] You know what? That question is exactly what we wanted because we wanted new emotions to show up in the story, and especially in Riley’s life because she’s getting into a more complex time. So I was like, “Oh, more complex emotions should show up.” And I love how Joy is kind of confused as to like, “Wait, wait, who are you? What is your name? How do I even pronounce it?” And we love the idea that she even speaks two languages, that she’s literally more sophisticated than Joy. We wanted them to feel like they understand what Riley is going through more so than they do, the original emotions, especially Joy.

MARK NIELSEN: We’re also both fathers of teenage daughters and this is an emotion that we can see from time to time in our kids.

MANN: Yeah, I’d say if you ever asked your kid how their day was and gotten the response of, “Fine,” then you already know ennui.

[Laughs] I was gonna say, I don’t think you need a dictionary definition of ennui to understand what’s going on when you see that emotion interacting. It’s like, “Oh, this is very much a teenager thing.”

Related ‘Inside Out 2’ Ending Explained: Does Anxiety Get the Best of Riley? Much like the last film, ‘Inside Out 2’ ends on an emotional note.

Mann Explains Why There Are Not More “Positive” Emotions
Image via Pixar

When I watch this movie, it’s kind of curious to me how Joy is the only sort of positive emotion in the bunch. I was wondering if there was a decision, like, “Should we include some others, like ecstasy or something,” or is it more interesting for you to lean more towards these more conflicting emotions?

MANN: It’s probably more conflicting because I see them as positive now. We’ve done a lot of research, and, like I say, even Anxiety, she has the potential to do harm, but really, she’s trying to help. All of them are there to love and take care of us, which is why we have the emotions that we have, even Envy. She started off as a negative one, too. But now, I guess because I’ve done the research, I see them as all positive emotions. It’s just learning how to manage them properly and how to lean into the help that they’re trying to give us.

‘Inside Out 2’ Director Compares Scenes From the Film to His Own Life

Just wrapping up, again, I love this film. I feel like there were scenes in this movie where I was like, “This is literally my teenage years.” Was there anything for you where you were creating this film where you’re like, “Oh, yeah, this is my childhood,” or, “This is something I directly experienced?”

MANN: The character of Valentina means a lot to me because there were people that I looked up to when I was Riley’s age that I wished I was like. There was one particular guy, he was amazing at soccer, played the saxophone, he was really funny and he was really kind. There was nothing wrong with him! He was amazing, and I wished I was like him. So, the character Valentina is somebody who’s near and dear to my heart because I had people like Valentina in my life.

Inside Out 2 comes to theaters Friday, June 14, 2024.

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