Joan Cusack on Jessie Leading the Charge in 'Toy Story 5'

Toy Story 5 is set to release in theaters this weekend, and the filmmakers chose to continue the saga by putting Jessie at the center. Once a supporting character, the Cowgirl doll ended Toy Story 4 entrusted with Bonnie when Woody left, making it natural to tell the next chapter from her point of view.

Joan Cusack says giving Jessie a more prominent role brings deeper emotional moments, and that this time around the toy's relationship to Bonnie is much more parental than anything else. "They did such a good job of showing that Jessie pays attention to (Bonnie).

That's a big part of parenting — paying attention. Sometimes it's hard as a parent to pay attention. You see your kid struggling, or you don't know what to do, but sometimes you know what to do, which in this case is: find a friend. At the end of the day, there's nothing more fun than laughing with a friend who gets you, and you get them.

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