*Kelly Marie Tran will be starring as Raya in Disney’s latest animated film, “Raya and the Last Dragon.”
EUR correspondent Briana Wright, spoke with her about her excitement for the film and what it means to play this powerful role.
We’ve seen her in the epic “Star Wars” trilogy films but now as she is transitioning into animation, Tran talks about those challenges; especially when recording from home due to Covid-19.
“Having to really use your imagination to get those really honest, authentic, emotional beats, yea, it was difficult,” she shared.
Despite the hardships, the actress rose to the challenge, much like her character, Raya. Raya is a young warrior tasked with finding the last legendary dragon to stop an evil force that has destroyed her world.
Tran discusses how noble Raya is and why she aspires to take a page out of her book.
“To experience some painful stuff and trying to find goodness in the world again is a hard thing to do, but she continues to fight for that and I think it’s admirable,” explained Tran. “I want to be more like that.”
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Playing the role of Raya is even more important to her as it pertains to culture. The film is heavily influenced by Southeast Asia, and as a woman with that background, the voice actor said it is a dream come true.
“We all dream about being parts of these magical worlds and being able to portray these characters and to be doing that – the significance of that is not lost on me,” she expressed.
Beyond the progression it displays through Asian-American representation and dominant female roles, Tran believes the film sends a much-needed message through its story.
“The world can feel broken and hopeless but…doing what these characters did and taking a step towards fighting for a world that’s better than the one that we’re living in…is a fight worth fighting,” she described.
Watch “Raya and the Last Dragon” in select theaters and on Disney+ with Premier Access on March 5th.
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