Disney and PIxar’s newest animated film, Hoppers, is a unique blend of humor, heart and adventure. Starring Piper Curda as the voice of Mabel, an animal lover who transfers her consciousness into a robot beaver in order to save the environment, the original story is the kind of inspiring tale that we all need right now.
Senior Writer Elijah Isaiah Johnson recently had the opportunity to speak with Curda, as well as director Daniel Chong and producer Nicole Grindle about their epic new animated adventure.
Hoppers Star Piper Curda on Asian Representation
Curda, whose father is Korean American, touched on the subtle, yet meaningful elements of the film that reflect Asian American culture. In particular, there’s one brief scene where Curda’s Mabel is snacking on dry ramen noodles right out of the pack, something that is quite common in Asian communities.
“That scene doesn’t really have any dialogue, so I didn’t even know it was in the movie until I saw the finished film. When it happened I literally looked around like, ‘Did everybody else see that? She just ate ramen straight out of the pack.’ I used to do that. I still do that,” Curda said. “It’s such a small detail and it happens so quickly that you could look away and miss it. But that’s almost what makes it special. Asian people aren’t walking around saying, ‘Look at me, I’m Asian.’ They’re just living their lives. I love that there’s a movie with an Asian character who isn’t saying, ‘Look at me, my story is so Asian.’ She’s just here, living her life, and also she happens to be Asian. That’s my experience. Getting to represent that for people who look like me is something I’ll never get over. It feels wildly special and like such a privilege.”
Hoppers tells a story of a human who makes a daring attempt to connect with animals and nature in order to save the city. Curda’s Mabel literally sacrifices herself to be able to connect with others (in this case, other animals). It’s no surprise then that Curda emphasized the theme of empathy in the film.
“I want people to walk away thinking empathy is cool and caring is cool. So much of culture today says it’s cool to not care, to be cynical, apathetic, detached. I fall into that sometimes too. But the world would be a better place if everyone cared a little more and had empathy for others. Honestly, I hope empathy becomes trendy,” Curda said.
Director Daniel Chong on the Personal Inspiration Behind Hoppers
For director Daniel Chong, there are some very personal elements infused into the film. In particular, he pointed to the heartwarming relationship between Mabel and her grandmother, which forms the emotional center of the story.
“I would say my mom is probably the closest person to someone like Grandma Tanaka in my life. I had a very close relationship with her. When I lost her a couple years ago, I really connected with that feeling of loss and disconnection; trying to figure out who you are in the world without that close relationship. Mabel is going through something very similar, and we definitely drew from that,” Chong said.
Producer Nicole Grindle on the Massive Challenge of Making an Original Film
Nicole Grindle, who is an experienced producer, having worked on films like Toy Story 3 and The Incredibles 2, recognized the substantial challenge that comes with not only making a Pixar film, but an original story with large ambitions.
“This film was gigantic. And because it’s an original story, that made it even more challenging. We had to build a huge number of characters and create a fully organic environment with crowds that actually perform; they’re not just background elements. Then you add all the effects: fire, water, animals, complex environments,” Grindle said. “When you’re making an original film, the studio naturally wants to keep the budget tight and the schedule short. But as the process moved forward and people saw how special the film was becoming, we were able to get a little more room. My job was often to clear the path and advocate for the film. Honestly, everything about this project was a challenge. People always ask what the hardest part was, and the answer is: everything. We had something like 35 different character rigs, complex natural environments, fire, water, birds carrying sharks. It was kind of insane.”
Hoppers releases in theaters March 6, 2026.
Hoppers Official Synopsis
In Disney and Pixar’s all-new animated comedy adventure “Hoppers,” animal lover Mabel (voice of Piper Curda) seizes an opportunity to use a new technology to ‘hop’ her consciousness into a life-like robotic beaver and communicate directly with animals. As she uncovers mysteries in the animal world beyond anything she could have imagined, Mabel befriends charismatic beaver King George (voice of Bobby Moynihan) and must rally the entire animal kingdom to face a major, imminent human-threat: smooth-talking local mayor Jerry Generazzo (voice of Jon Hamm). The all-star voice ensemble also features Kathy Najimy, Dave Franco and Meryl Streep. “Hoppers” is directed by Daniel Chong and produced by Nicole Paradis Grindle, with an original score by Mark Mothersbaugh. The film opens exclusively in theaters on March 6, 2026.
Ron is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of POC Culture. He is a big believer in the power and impact of pop culture and the importance of representation in media.
