I had such a fun time when I was able to visit DisneyToon Studios in June and learn all about the upcoming animated film Planes. In addition to being able to meet a Disney animator, draw a character with a Disney story artist, chat with the director and producer of Planes and step into the sound booth and voice a scene under the guidance of casting director Jason Henkel, we also were able to interview Teri Hatcher, voice of Dottie!

Teri was home sick with a sinus infection, but she agreed to do an interview with us over the phone!

Interview With Teri Hatcher about Disney’s Planes

What did you love about voicing the character of Dottie?

I love that she was or is that sort of tough and smart and capable, and also friendly and caring. I felt like it was an important piece to the puzzle of the journey of watching someone that is going out of their comfort zone to reach something they really desire and dream for.

What’s the difference between voicing an animated character verses being an actress on TV or in a movie?

You kinda think you’re gonna end up doing some sort of cartoony, you know, squirrel voice or something, and which is really fun and would be fun to do.

For Dottie, you know, I’m being as authentic and trying to be as persuasive, and as empathetic, and listening, and just feeling from the emotions all the same sorts of traits in a character that I would have if you were filming my face and my body. The sort of divergence, I guess, is that I get to show up not in hair and makeup; not worrying about any, any physicality, and really just, you know, relaxing into my voice, and, and, and just trying to tell the story through my voice.

How do you balance being a mother and an actress?

I guess it’s not easy. There’s no other answer than moms- they just seem to give and give and give.  At the end of the day, you’ve just gotta find the joy in it because you don’t want your life to feel like you- it’s something you have to do.  You wanna try to find a way to frame things to feel like they’re something that you want to do.  And even if it’s driving an hour and a half in the morning to school, you know, I do tricks- like, I’ll listen to a book on tape or I’ll make it time that is just for me so that it feels like, oh my God, I’m not just a chauffeur, you know?

What’s your favorite part of Planes?

My favorite part- I mean, it’s hard to say because, clearly, the movie is so gorgeous.  It’s just so beautiful and every time I look at scenes from it, I just can’t get over the craftsmanship of how they- I was really trying to figure it out how- what is the trick?

It was the scene where Dottie is first telling him that he can’t fly, and then she just sort of does this demonstration of what’s gonna happen to him if he doesn’t fly, and he’s gonna go to the ground and, you know, smash all the kids in the orphanage.

Do you consider voicing animated movies because your daughter will think it’s cool?

One of the first thoughts that comes into your brain is my child’s gonna love this or my grandchild’s gonna love this or even my great-grandchild after I’m long gone is gonna love this and that’s the quality that Disney offers. Emerson and I are still watching Aristocats…it’s old and I feel like Cars and Planes and those movies, they’re gonna be the same.  I mean, kids fifty years from now, whatever the technology is will still be entertained with their families by those movies, and that’s, that’s pretty fun, you know?

Thank you so much to Teri Hatcher for talking to us about her upcoming film Planes!

Make sure to see Disney’s Planes, in theaters on August 9th!

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Disclosure: Disney provided an all expenses paid trip to Los Angeles including travel, accommodations and activities. All thoughts and opinions are my own.