Inside Out 2 director Kelsey Mann recalls auditioning Maya Hawke for Anxiety at Disney World

Just a few months before the release of Inside Out 2, the fans are already awaiting the all-new emotions—Anxiety, Ennui, Embarrassment, and Envy. The Academy Award-winning film Inside Out gets a sequel where teenage emotions are all set to stir chaos in Riley’s mind. Recently, director Kelsey Mann opened up about Stranger Things star Maya Hawke’s casting for the voice of Anxiety in the film.

Recalling a delightful memory of casting for Anxiety, director Kelsey Mann shared "Here’s a really cool thing about Maya, [she] was awesome, you know." He added, "It’s a really fun story. I auditioned Maya from Disney World, believe it or not. So, we went out to like to do an audition with Maya, and Mark [Nielsen] was like, 'Good news is she said, ‘'Yes.”' She would love to audition and meet with you. Bad news is it’s during your vacation.' So, me and my kids, we were all at Disney World. I’m like 'Ah, man, I’m at Disney World.' He’s like 'Don’t worry, we’ll figure something out.”

Speaking about his interaction with Maya Hawke, he added, "They did. It was awesome. I was with my family, I go, 'Alright, I’ll be right back,' and then they took me backstage, and I went back to some random office where they had a computer with Zoom on it. She absolutely crushed it. And my favorite part was, you know, at the end of it, I talked about what I wanted the movie to be about, and she just immediately connected with it. I think I even cried as she was talking. And I walked away and, you know, called you [Mark], and we’re like, 'Oh my God, she’s perfect.' And then I went back into the EPCOT and continued my vacation. It was hilarious."

Inside Out 2 is all set to open in Indian theatres on June 14.

Also Read: Inside Out 2: Anxiety makes a grand debut in new poster; Maya Hawke voices the character