st Dragoninvolved a leap of faith. As the titular warrior princess, she stood in a booth in Disney Animation's Burbank offices and performed the dialogue, an incantation meant to awaken a mythical creature that could help save the world.
The taping went smoothly, but right before the scene wrapped, Tran spoke up: "Hey, actually … would you mind if I tried something?"
She explained to the directors, Don Hall and Carlos López Estrada, that if she were in Raya's situation — having extended a gesture of friendship, only to invite a world-ending betrayal — she would feel a lot more conflicted, almost chagrined at reaching out with no guarantee anyone would respond. They told her to go for it.