Greta Lee

The actor on starring in Toy Story 5 as a tablet, navigating tech with her own kids, and the decision to get a landline

- ELIANA DOCKTERMAN

As you limit screen time for your kids, are you conscious of your own phone usage?

With my first, I can't believe the phone barrier I had between us. I wanted to document everything. One of my favorite parts of the movie is when the toys go on the roof and see nobody's playing outside. It looks dystopian because every person is inside with a screen in front of them.

What made you want to play the tablet Lilypad?

I got a message from [director] Andrew Stanton, and Toy Story is one of those cultural phenomena I’ve loved for so long. I immediately said yes. Then they sent the mock-up of the character image, and I began to panic a little bit.

Why? Lily being a device made me realize they were going to go there in terms of the conversation around tech. 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.