Greta Lee Voices Lilypad in 'Toy Story 5' and Opens Up About Parenting in a Tech-Driven World

Greta Lee is bringing her talents to the Disney universe with a new role in the latest installment of the beloved Toy Story franchise.

The actress lends her voice to Lilypad, a tablet character introduced in Toy Story 5. The film takes on the timely question of whether children should spend time with digital devices or engage with traditional play, making it a central theme throughout the story.

This marks Lee's first venture into Disney voice acting. Her casting comes on the heels of a remarkable career trajectory that has made her one of Hollywood's most sought-after talents.

Lee's breakthrough came with the Oscar-nominated film Past Lives, a performance that garnered her significant accolades including Best Actress nominations from the Golden Globes, the Critics Choice Awards, and the Independent Spirit Awards. Beyond that standout role, she has appeared in Tron: Ares and A House of Dynamite.

On the television side, Lee spent multiple seasons on The Morning Show, a role that earned her an Emmy nomination. She also made a notable guest appearance on The Studio.

The actress has been candid about how the Lilypad role hit close to home. Speaking with Time, Lee discussed her initial reaction upon seeing the character design. "I began to panic a little bit," she recalled. "Lily being a device made me realize they were going to go there in terms of the conversation around tech."

As a parent herself, Lee found the premise particularly resonant. She explained that taking on the role meant grappling with real parental dilemmas. "I am a parent, and I am having those conversations. There was no way it was going to be chill. It was the first time I understood the responsibility and the risk," she said.

Lee emphasized the complexity surrounding parental choices about technology. "I'm no parenting expert. I have been on my own journey of constantly trying to recenter my family's priorities. I recognize the parents in this movie. Nobody buys an educational tablet thinking, well, my child is never going to speak to me again. Sometimes it even feels like a social responsibility: I need to arm my kid to live in a tech-first world, especially for girls with STEM. It gets all wrapped up in this messy web. I'm so glad the movie does not back away from that."

Lee recently also appeared in a Taylor Swift music video, further expanding her presence across entertainment mediums.