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Meryl Streep, Jon Hamm, Dave Franco Brought Comedy To ‘Hoppers’, Director Daniel Chong Says – Contenders L.A.
Director Daniel Chong says comedy was the main priority when casting Pixar’s animated film *Hoppers*, bringing performers including Meryl Streep, Jon Hamm and Dave Franco into its voice cast. The approach pairs high-energy humour with a story about protecting a glade, using comedy to make the film’s environmental themes accessible.
Hamm plays a mayor who approves the glade’s destruction, while Streep voices an insect queen and Franco plays her son. Piper Curda voices Mabel, a young environmentalist who uses technology to control a robot beaver and rally the animals; she hopes the character shows young viewers that caring about a cause can be “cool”. Producer Nicole Paradis Grindle said humour helps deliver the film’s deeper message and emotional impact.
In short
- Comedy shaped the casting of Pixar’s *Hoppers*.
- Mabel rallies animals to protect their glade.
- The filmmakers aim to make caring feel cool.
Explained simply
Pixar is an animation studio known for films such as Toy Story and Finding Nemo. Its films often use comedy and adventure to explore ideas that matter beyond the story itself.
Environmental protection means looking after nature and the places where plants and animals live. A glade is a small open area in a wood, and building projects can sometimes put such habitats at risk.
In Hoppers, a young environmentalist tries to protect a glade, while the town’s mayor supports its destruction. The voice cast includes performers playing the mayor and animal leaders; the film uses humour to bring its environmental themes to a broad audience.