Raya and the Last Dragon Animators On How Awkwafina Influenced Sisu's Design
The animators of Raya and the Last Dragon recently discussed how Awkwafina’s influenced Sisu's design. Walt Disney Animation Studios’ fantasy/adventure film Raya and the Last Dragonwas released on March 5, 2021 and was a major success among critics and viewers alike. Since its release, Raya has received over 2,500 verified ratings on Rotten Tomatoes and is currently sitting at a 94% on the Tomatometer with a 97% audience score. In addition to its rave reviews, Raya and the Last Dragonhas been nominated for Best Animated Feature for the 2022 Academy Awards.
The hit Disney film stars Kelly Marie Tran as the voice of Raya, a warrior princess who seeks to find the last of the dragons and save the realm of Kumandra from the dreaded Druun. This titular mythical creature is a water dragon named Sisu, voiced by rapper and comedian, Awkwafina. Together, the two heroes travel around the world collecting pieces of the fabled Dragon Gem, allowing Sisu to gain more powers and help the two get closer and closer to their goal.
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In an interview with THR, Raya and the Last Dragon's head of animation, Amy Speed spoke on how Awkwafina inspired Sisu's design. Speed commented that they tried to draw inspiration from Awkwifina’s notable expressiveness when designing Sisu and explained how it added to the character's charm. Read her full quote below:
“Awkwafina’s very expressive… she’ll talk with smaller mouth shapes and then she’ll go into a broad smile very quickly. And we were trying to get that into Sisu both as dragon and human, which just elevates that charm of her personality.”
Due to Sisu’s magical ability to shapeshift from her true dragon form into a human, the animators
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