Sandra Oh Of Pixar's 'Turning Red' Gets Real About The Awkwardness Of Puberty & Periods

Canadian-born actress Sandra Oh stars in the upcoming Pixar movie Turning Red, which is dropping on Disney Plus on March 11. The film follows 13-year-old Mei as she navigates slowly becoming an adult and the unique challenge of turning into a giant red panda when she feels strong emotions.

Oh plays Mei's mom Ming, an overprotective, loving mother who is having a hard time letting her current relationship with her daughter go. Narcity had the pleasure of chatting with Sandra Oh about her connection to the role, women who inspire her and an important scene about puberty for teen girls.

Sandra Oh Of Pixar's ‘Turning Red’ Talks Puberty, Periods & Growing Up In Canadawww.youtube.com

"It's so important. I think it's done in such a loving and humorous way... if we're talking just about the particular scene about menstruation and the period, I love the fact that Ming is not prepared for this change in her daughter. You know, she's just kind of denying the reality of adolescence." Oh exclaims when asked about the importance of the movie scene normalizing the subject of menstruation.

"Here it is, as a vehicle to give language to young people who will know this is what's going to come, and hopefully a voice for young people who are going through it. It is going to feel awkward... but if you see Mei go through it, it's okay that you'll go through it too," Oh continues.

When asked how her character Ming compares to her relationship with her own mom, Oh shares, "my mother is demanding like Ming and I think she was more hypercritical and demanding rather than overprotective. But I love Ming and I loved giving the voice to parents and mothers who are doing their best." She feels that parents likely never feel overprotective, and that like Ming, you just love your child and do your best.

Oh told us how honoured she is to be a part of this film. Not only does she love the female characters in the movie, all of the women working on this movie, cast and crew, inspire her. Domee Shi the director, Lindsey Collins the producer and co-writer Julia Cho have spent years creating this story and have made their idea a reality, which she confirms is a very hard thing to do and she celebrates them for it.