Interview with Sheila Oumi, Voice Actor of the Animation 'Elemental', a New Work by Disney and Pixar

The screening of 'Elemental', the new animation from Disney and Pixar, continues in most countries around the world. Directed by Peter Sohn and produced by Denise Ream, it was made with a budget of $200 million, making it one of Disney's costly projects. The main voice actors include Leah Lewis, Mamoudou Athie, Ronnie del Carmen, Wendy McLendon-Covey, Catherine O'Hara, and Sheila Oumi, an Iranian-American artist. All characters in the world of 'Elemental' are derived from the four classical elements: air, fire, water, and earth, possessing characteristics of these elements either in appearance or morality. 'Elemental' tells the story of Bernie and Cinder Lumen, who are from the fire element and migrate to the city of 'Element', where they face challenges due to xenophobia from other elements. They have a daughter named Amber, who is the main character of the story and strives to preserve her family’s heritage and traditions despite all the challenges. Sheila Oumi is an active Iranian-American artist in Hollywood with experience in various performances, films, and series. She has previously participated as a voice actor in documentary and animation projects and welcomes new experiences in her profession. In an interview with the Persian section of Voice of America, Sheila Oumi explained about the animation 'Elemental' and her collaboration with Disney and Pixar. How were you selected as one of the voice actors for 'Elemental', and how did this collaboration come about? The story began when Peter Sohn, the director and one of the writers of 'Elemental', contacted me, and we talked about this project. I was very happy and excited because Pixar has been shining in the animation field for years, and I was familiar with Peter Sohn's works. He is one of the best artists in the animation world who has contributed to many major Pixar projects as an animator, art consultant, writer, director, or sound designer over the past 25 years. I'm not sure exactly how he found me and established this connection, but it is a great honor to collaborate with this group and be a part of the 'Elemental' family. Sheila Oumi. Can you explain your role? I play the role of Cinder Lumen, Bernie’s wife, and Amber’s mother, who is from the fire element and does not trust the water element. She is a successful marriage broker; I have always wished to be like her in real life and could match my friends, but unfortunately, I am not good at this at all. Cinder’s character is very similar to Peter Sohn's mother, the director of 'Elemental'. He told me that many voice actors auditioned for this role, but my voice had a special quality that was very similar to the voice of this artist's Korean mother, which is why I was chosen for the role of Cinder. What past experiences do you have in voice acting, and how familiar were you with working in this artistic field? I have been active in animation, voice acting, and narration for 20 years and have a lot of experience in this regard. Last year, an exhibition about the history of Iran was held at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, and I was the narrator of a film that was screened for interested audiences. I mostly collaborated with my artist friends within the framework of independent projects; I remember in one of these projects, I voiced eight different male characters, which was an interesting experience. However, 'Elemental' is the most important project I have participated in, and collaborating with Pixar and Disney is a significant achievement. Sheila Oumi. Can you explain the production process, where was the voice recording done, and what were the steps involved? The Pixar recording studio is in Northern California, but I live in Southern California, and it was difficult to go to the main studio. I went to a studio in Southern California that collaborates with Pixar. There was a computer in the studio, and I was in contact with Peter Sohn, the director, and other production staff via Zoom, and the work was done remotely. They were so easygoing and down-to-earth that I felt like I was communicating with friends and family. Honestly, at that moment, I didn't feel like I was working on a big project, but when I first watched the animation on the big screen, when the Disney and Pixar logo appeared, I felt amazing. Before the voice recording, they showed me a simple drawing of Cinder and told me that I was the voice actor for this character; I wasn't very impressed, but when I saw Cinder in the animation, I was very excited; I couldn't believe it was me. The cast and crew of 'Elemental' at the Cannes Festival. 'Elemental' has an interesting story; can you explain about these characters? All the characters we see are from the four elements: air, fire, water, and earth. Cinder, the character I voice, is from the fire element, but she is not like a lit match; she is a fiery being with blazing flames that lights up the surroundings. Other characters also have characteristics like air, water, or earth that convey an engaging story with a beautiful message; watching these characters on the big screen is truly enjoyable. Pixar and Disney animations usually carry specific messages and are not just made for entertainment; what message does 'Elemental' have, and what is the main focus of the story? The message of 'Elemental' is that if we open our hearts to people who are not like us, who do not think like us, and who have different worldviews or religions, we become better humans; it is a kind of alchemy that improves the character of both individuals. The residents of the city of Element are from the air, water, and earth elements. The air, water, and earth elements settled in the city of Element earlier, but the fire element migrated to this city later and feels marginalized. The residents of the city fear fire and behave differently towards this element due to their concerns about damage and destruction. Amber, who has come to this city with her parents Bernie and Cinder, is from the fire element and feels that society does not accept her and ridicules her. Amber meets a boy from the water element who is very calm, cool, and kind, and this beautiful relationship challenges all her beliefs and perceptions about other different elements. Amber is the only child of an immigrant family, and this animation also addresses the issue of immigration, telling the majority of society that by opening their hearts to immigrants, they become more complete humans and will have better lives. On the other hand, it tells immigrants not to fear the majority of society and to open their hearts to them so that everything gets better and they can live well together. Another point I would like to mention is the beautiful relationship between Amber and her father, which is beautifully portrayed and can carry a special message for all fathers. I hope everyone can watch 'Elemental' because it is a happy, comedic, and engaging animation with an important message.