Pixar's Hoppers Brings Humans and Animals Together, and Piper Curda and Bobby Moynihan Says Kids Will Finally Feel Seen - INTERVIEW

In an era where animated movies often frame humans as the villains and animals as the innocent victims, Pixar's upcoming film Hoppers flips the script in a surprisingly hopeful way. The new animated adventure imagines a world where humans and animals may not be so different after all. And according to its stars, that is exactly the point.

In an interview with The Latin Times and ENSTARZ, actress Piper Curda, who voices the film's central character Mabel, and comedian Bobby Moynihan, who plays the beaver King George, spoke about the heart of the story, the emotional depth of their characters, and the quiet but meaningful evolution of representation in animation.

At the center of Hoppers is Mabel, a human who finds herself navigating a world where animals have their own society, politics, and leaders. King George, the charismatic beaver ruler, becomes one of the most memorable figures in that ecosystem. What makes the film stand out, however, is not just the talking animals or Pixar's signature humor. It is the message that humans and animals may ultimately want the same things.

Curda said that was the element that immediately stood out to her when she read the script.

"I think the coolest part of the whole plot is the fact that Mabel is a human and George is a beaver, but they kind of both want the same things. They just have different approaches," she explained. "The message of the whole movie is that we can actually get there together if we join forces instead of fighting each other."

Curda agreed. She said the movie ultimately asks audiences to see similarities rather than differences.

"Hopefully people take that away and internalize it," she said.

For Moynihan, who built his career through comedy and improvisation before becoming a prolific voice actor, the process of bringing King George to life was another reminder of how freeing animation can be.

The former Saturday Night Live star said his background at the Upright Citizens Brigade comedy theater shaped the way he approaches voice work.

"Taking improv changed everything for me," Moynihan said. "Improvising helps every aspect of life."

His character, the confident and sometimes hilarious beaver king, adds humor and warmth to the story, especially in scenes where the animals' world collides with the human one.

Curda, meanwhile, found herself emotionally connecting with Mabel in ways she did not initially expect.

"As we kept working on it, I realized I am her and she is me," Curda said.

She described Mabel as emotionally complex, something she believes children will strongly identify with.

"I struggled for a long time with having so many feelings and not knowing where to put them," Curda said. "Kids are emotionally complex too. They have so many feelings and they don't know what to do with them. I hope they feel seen when they watch Mabel."

The actress also reflected on another dimension of the film's impact: representation. Curda, who is Asian American, said that growing up she loved Pixar movies but never saw herself reflected on screen.

"There was never a moment where I was watching a Pixar movie and thought that character looks like me," she said. "Now kids who look like me can point to Mabel and say, that's me."

Moments like that, she said, remain important even if the entertainment industry still has work to do.

"I don't think things have gotten that much better overall, but moments like this are still really big," she added.

Behind the scenes, the cast also experienced some of Pixar's legendary creative culture firsthand. Both actors visited the company's Emeryville campus, famous among animation fans for its playful atmosphere and its iconic Luxo lamp statue.

Moynihan even shared a piece of Pixar lore. Inside the studio, he said, there is a hidden crawl space originally discovered by employees years ago that became a kind of secret hangout. Today it is covered in signatures from visitors, including major celebrities.

It is the kind of quirky detail that perfectly captures Pixar's reputation as both a creative powerhouse and a place that embraces imagination at every level.

As for the film itself, Moynihan's own children are already fans.

"My eight year old and my two year old love it," he said of Hoppers.

And if the cast is right, audiences of all ages may find something familiar inside its unusual world. Beneath the talking animals and playful comedy lies a simple message. Humans and animals might not be as different as they think. And sometimes the best solution is to work together instead of competing for control.

In the world of Hoppers, that idea might just be revolutionary.