Christina Hendricks' Obsession with Ventriloquist Dummies Prepared Her for Toy Story 4

Like a lot of the antagonists in Toy Story movies, Christina Hendricks’ character Gabby Gabby has subordinates. Her toy henchmen however might be the most frightening, a collection of ventriloquist dummies named Benson that do her bidding. Even before Hendricks was approached for the role, she and Gabby Gabby shared an affinity for the dummies.

“The funny thing is that I always wanted a ventriloquist doll, but I had no intention of being a ventriloquist. I just liked the doll, and that he was fancy and wore a like black tie, the monocle. I was just like, this guy is class act. I just liked his whole look. I liked the idea of it. I liked the monocle. So I just, I wanted it my whole life, and I never got it. So now, as an adult, I have it, and it’s in my house. So when I went to the office and they would show me, I was like, but I have that doll in my house. They were like, ‘That is really weird.'”

Hendricks says there was no hesitation on her part for taking the part, and that Pixar came armed with all of the details she would need for her character.

“I said yes immediately….I think they sent me like a brief character description and then they sent me a picture of her. And as soon as I saw the picture I was like, this is awesome.”

Gabby Gabby’s problem in the film is she was a defective toy right out of the package, her voice box has never worked right, and she’s only ever wanted to bring joy to a child like every other toy, and she’ll do whatever she needs to get that attention. For her speaking voice though, there weren’t any sinister influences for Hendricks.

“Her whole thing is that she’s like, ‘Hi, I’m Gabby Gabby’ because we can all remember those toys where you pull the string and it says the same thing over and over and over, and they’re always joyful. It’s the happy voice because they’re supposed to be friends with a child. So we just sort of took that, I’m always happy and just used that as the inspiration.”

Toy Story 4 opens in theaters this Friday, June 21! Get your tickets by clicking here!

Toy Story 4

Toy Story 4
Toy Story 4
Toy Story 4
Toy Story 4
Toy Story 4
Toy Story 4
Toy Story 4

FRIENDS IN LOW PLACES -- In Disney and Pixar’s “Toy Story 4,” the toys find themselves in the dusty shadows of Second Chance Antiques—a massive set that had to be stocked with thousands of objects, creating nooks and crannies that serve as the toys’ secret corridors. Featuring Annie Potts, Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key as the voices of Bo Peep, Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Bunny and Ducky, “Toy Story 4” opens in U.S. theaters on June 21, 2019. ©2019 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
Toy Story 4

AND BEYOND – Buzz Lightyear is back on the big screen in Disney and Pixar’s “Toy Story 4,” joining Woody and the whole gang on an eye-opening road trip that takes them to unexpected places, including a carnival. Featuring Tim Allen as the voice of Buzz, “Toy Story 4” opens in U.S. theaters on June 21, 2019. ©2019 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
Toy Story 4

ROAD TRIP – In Disney and Pixar’s “Toy Story 4,” Buzz, Jessie and the rest of Bonnie’s toys concoct a plan to find their friends when Woody and Forky go missing. Featuring the voices of Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Bonnie Hunt, Kristen Schaal, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Blake Clark and Jeff Garlin, “Toy Story 4” opens in U.S. theaters on June 21, 2019. ©2019 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
Toy Story 4

THREE-IN-ONE – He’s not a fork. He’s not a spoon. And most of all, Forky is not a toy! At least that’s what he thinks. Bonnie created him from an assortment of supplies Woody’s retrieved from the kindergarten trash can. So, it’s no wonder Forky feels strongly that he’s trash and not a toy. Featuring Tony Hale as the voice of Forky, Disney and Pixar’s “Toy Story 4” opens in U.S. theaters on June 21, 2019. ©2019 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
Toy Story 4

IT’S ALL IN THE DETAILS – Artists created detailed sets in Disney and Pixar’s “Toy Story 4” because their main characters are toys—details are important as they showcase the small size of the toys and their unique world perspective. In these images set in a carnival game booth, artists and technicians were able to illustrate the mobile nature of carnival booths, adding details like slight bends and welding detail in the metal grid near Buzz Lightyear. Directed by Josh Cooley, “Toy Story 4” opens in U.S. theaters on June 21, 2019. ©2019 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
Toy Story 4

LIGHTING -- To create a sequence in Disney and Pixar’s “Toy Story 4,” the lighting department is responsible for lighting the scene in a way that supports the story—in this case, using shadow and color to help convey the tone of the sequence as it progresses from uncertain to mildly menacing. Directed by Josh Cooley, “Toy Story 4” opens in U.S. theaters on June 21, 2019. ©2019 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
Toy Story 4

LAYOUT – To create a sequence in Disney and Pixar’s “Toy Story 4,” members of the camera and staging team use the storyboards to further explore how best to shoot the sequence. This team determines placement of the virtual cameras, which informs the sets teams where to place set pieces and props. Camera and staging also roughly choreographs the movement of the characters, considering framing, composition, lens, camera angle, stage lines and screen directions. This image shows the team exploring camera placement within the virtual set. Directed by Josh Cooley, “Toy Story 4” opens in U.S. theaters on June 21, 2019. ©2019 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
Toy Story 4

DETAILS, DETAILS – Artists created detailed sets in Disney and Pixar’s “Toy Story 4” because their main characters are toys—details are important as they showcase the small size of the toys and their unique world perspective. In these images set in Second Chance Antiques, artists and technicians added a layer of dust to sell the setting. They were able to dial up or dial down the dust to best serve the needs of a given scene. Directed by Josh Cooley, “Toy Story 4” opens in U.S. theaters on June 21, 2019. ©2019 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
Toy Story 4

Toy Story 4 "Bo Is Back" Presenters (L-R) Patty Kihm (Directing Animator), Mara MacMahon (Characters Modeling Artist), Tanja Krampfert, Becki Tower (Directing Animator), Carrie Hobson (Story Artist), Valerie LaPointe (Story Supervisor) on April 3. Photo by Marc Flores. ©2019 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
Toy Story 4

Stephen Karski (Sets Supervisor) as seen on the Toy Story 4 Long Lead Press Day, on April 4, 2019 at Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, Calif. Photo by Marc Flores. ©2019 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
Toy Story 4

STORYBOARD – To create a sequence in Disney and Pixar’s “Toy Story 4,” one of the early steps in the production pipeline is building storyboards. Artists sketch the key beats in a sequence, suggesting possible set positioning, camera angles and character poses. This sequence is when Woody and Forky meet Gabby Gabby for the first time. Directed by Josh Cooley, “Toy Story 4” opens in U.S. theaters on June 21, 2019. ©2019 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
Toy Story 4

THEN AND NOW – Filmmakers behind “Toy Story 4” were committed to keeping the new film in the same universe as the original “Toy Story.” But 24 years have passed since “Toy Story” debuted and the technology—as well as the experience and knowledge of the people behind it—has advanced lightyears, so to speak. These images showcase those advances in terms of character shapes and textures, rigging, rendering and lighting. Directed by Josh Cooley, “Toy Story 4” opens in U.S. theaters on June 21, 2019. ©2019 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
Toy Story 4

Characters Modeling Artist Mara MacMahon during the Toy Story 4 Long Lead Press Day as seen on April 4, 2019 at Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, Calif. Photo by Marc Flores. ©2019 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
Toy Story 4

Directing Animator Becki Tower during the Toy Story 4 Long Lead Press Day as seen on April 4, 2019 at Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, Calif. Photo by Marc Flores. 2019 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
Toy Story 4

Kristian Norelius and Yekaterina Satanina look at Daniel Holland's pinball machine, used as reference for Toy Story 4, as seen in the art department room on August 7, 2018 at Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, Calif. (Photo by Deborah Coleman / Pixar)
Toy Story 4

A Toy Story 4 art review, including Director Josh Cooley and Dan Holland, as seen on September 11, 2018 at Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, Calif. (Photo by Deborah Coleman / Pixar)
Toy Story 4

A Toy Story 4 art review, including graphic artist Josh Holtsclaw and Director Josh Cooley, as seen on September 11, 2018 at Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, Calif. (Photo by Deborah Coleman / Pixar)
Toy Story 4

Toy Story 4 Director Josh Cooley during a review, as seen on October 23, 2018 at Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, Calif. (Photo by Deborah Coleman / Pixar)
Toy Story 4

The Toy Story 4 art gallery, as seen on March 18, 2019 at Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, Calif. (Photo by Deborah Coleman / Pixar)
Toy Story 4

The Toy Story 4 art gallery, as seen on March 18, 2019 at Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, Calif. (Photo by Deborah Coleman / Pixar)
Toy Story 4

The Toy Story 4 art gallery, as seen on March 18, 2019 at Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, Calif. (Photo by Deborah Coleman / Pixar)
Toy Story 4

Rosie Cole as seen on the Toy Story 4 Long Lead Press Day, on April 3, 2019 at Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, Calif. (Photo by Deborah Coleman / Pixar)
Toy Story 4

Claudio De Oliveira presents details about the creation of the character Forky, as seen on the Toy Story 4 Long Lead Press Day, on April 3, 2019 at Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, Calif. (Photo by Deborah Coleman / Pixar)
Toy Story 4
Toy Story 4
Toy Story 4
Toy Story 4
Toy Story 4
Toy Story 4

NEW TOY? – Everyone’s favorite pull-string cowboy sheriff Woody, along with his best friends Buzz Lightyear and Jessie, are happy taking care of their kid, Bonnie, until a new toy called “Forky” arrives in her room. According to Forky, a spork-turned-craft-project, he’s not a toy at all—and he’d rather skip this big adventure completely, if only they’d let him. Tom Hanks, Tim Allen and Joan Cusack return as the voices of Woody, Buzz and Jessie, and comedian Tony Hale lends his voice to Forky. Directed by Josh Cooley (“Riley’s First Date?”) and produced by Jonas Rivera (“Inside Out,” “Up”) and Mark Nielsen (associate producer “Inside Out”), “Toy Story 4” ventures to U.S. theaters on June 21, 2019. ©2018 Disney•Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
Toy Story 4
Toy Story 4

PICK ME! -- Ducky and Bunny are carnival prizes who are eager to be won. But when their plans are rudely interrupted, they find themselves on an unexpected adventure with a group of toys who have no idea what it feels like to be tacked to a prize wall. Funny men Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele provide the voices of Ducky and Bunny, respectively. Directed by Josh Cooley (“Riley’s First Date?”) and produced by Jonas Rivera (“Inside Out,” “Up”) and Mark Nielsen (associate producer “Inside Out”), “Toy Story 4” ventures to U.S. theaters on June 21, 2019. ©2018 Disney•Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
Toy Story 4
Toy Story 4
Toy Story 4