For decades, Pixar has been praised for pushing the boundaries of animation, and with Hoppers, two of its stars recently revealed how closely the studio studies performers during the voice-recording process. Their reaction to the finished animation highlights just how far Pixar goes to capture authentic human behavior.

During a promotional press junket for the film with DiscussingFilm, actors Bobby Moynihan and Piper Curda spoke about their experience. In the segment, the pair discussed how Pixar records video of actors while they perform their lines so animators can reference real facial expressions and movements.

“Sometimes you'll just be watching a character and they would just be walking like, wooah, it's just bizarre,” said Bobby Moynihan, reflecting on how seeing those small details appear in the finished movie made the experience feel uncanny for him.

The discussion also highlighted how the studio captures subtle gestures and reactions during voice sessions. According to the actors, cameras are often rolling during recordings, allowing animators to study the smallest details, micro-expressions, quirks, and spontaneous reactions that might later influence how the characters move and emote on screen. For performers, seeing those personal touches appear in the animation can make the final result feel unexpectedly personal.

Piper Curda echoed that sense of amazement. She explained that much of the performance is referenced from real footage of the actors. Once she realized that, it helped her understand why Pixar films feel so emotionally convincing. She added that this attention to detail is what makes the animation feel real despite being animated.

It is indeed this attention to detail that Hoppers has been a box-office phenomenon

Hoppers hops to the top: Box Office win and critics are loving it

Disney-Pixar’s Hoppers did not just arrive in theaters; it practically bounced its way to the top of the charts. The animated adventure delivered an impressive opening weekend, pulling in $88 million worldwide, including $46 million from domestic audiences. The strong debut quickly secured the film the No. 1 spot at the box office, signaling that families and animation fans were eager to see Pixar’s newest story unfold on the big screen.

The excitement is not limited to ticket sales either. Early critical reception has been just as enthusiastic, with the film currently holding a 92% critics’ approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Reviewers have praised the film’s humor, emotional storytelling, and vibrant animation, elements that have long defined Pixar’s biggest hits. With both audiences and critics responding positively, Hoppers appears to be hopping toward becoming one of the studio’s standout releases of the year.

What do you think about Pixar using actors’ real facial expressions to shape animated characters in Hoppers? Let us know in the comments!

Written by

Karishma Dasgupta

Edited by

Itti Mahajan