On June 2nd, it was revealed that actor Nana Seino will be a voice actor in the Japanese version of Disney & Pixar's new animated film "Elio" (released August 1st). Kiyohara auditioned in the US and landed the role of a voice actor in the Japanese version, playing the role of Olga, the aunt who becomes a parent figure to the main character Elio. This is Kiyohara's first time acting as a voice actor in a Disney & Pixar production. "I was in tears while acting," she said.
The protagonist of "Elio" is a boy named Elio who loves space and feels lonely after losing his parents, who were his biggest supporters. Elio was thinking that somewhere in this vast world, there must be a "true place" for him. His sad wish is answered, and he is invited to the dreamlike "Comniverse" where representatives of the stars gather. There, he meets Grodon, an alien boy who is just as lonely. "I love you just the way you are" - a threat that will shake the "world of the stars" is approaching before the two people who share a heart. The key to saving it lies in a "promise" made by two lonely people... This is the story.
The film will be directed by Madeline Sharafian, who served as story artist on "Coco" (2017), Domee Shi, director of "Me and the Red Panda" (2022), and Adrian Molina, who wrote and co-directed "Coco."
Olga, played by Kiyono, is a woman who works at a military base researching satellites, aspiring to become an astronaut. One day, she suddenly becomes a parent figure to Elio after his parents die. Although she is confused by her new life, she is kind and concerned about Elio, wanting to understand his true feelings. However, she is also troubled and conflicted about her own career due to the changes in her lifestyle. After auditions in the US, Kiyono was chosen to voice the Japanese version of the character, as her solid acting skills, as well as her own straightforward personality, matched the image of Olga, a straightforward character who cares for Elio.
When asked how she felt when she was chosen to voice a Disney & Pixar film, Kiyono expressed her joy, saying, "I've always wanted to try my hand at voice acting in a Disney film, so I'm happy that it's finally come true." Regarding the character Olga, whom she plays, she said, "How do I build and develop a relationship with Elio? Olga dreams of becoming an astronaut, and struggles to balance her work and life. I thought it was very appealing how she doesn't bottle things up inside herself, but instead clearly communicates her feelings to Elio and faces him."
When asked about her memories of dubbing, she said, "It was all my first time as a voice actor for animation, but I enjoyed the recording. However, it was difficult to express everything with just your voice. During sad scenes, I thought I was conveying sadness and emotion, but the director took it as cold, and I felt throughout that it's really difficult to express things with just your voice." Looking back on the difficulties of her first time as a voice actor for animation, she said, "When I act normally, even when I don't have lines, I express things using my line of sight, eye movement, the tension in my shoulders, everything, but with voice acting, I realized how difficult it is to express everything with just your voice." She also revealed the differences from her usual acting, saying, "When I act normally, I express things using just my voice,
Regarding the appeal of this work, she said, "The moment when Elio realizes what family is, I played Olga, was very touching and I was in tears." As for her favorite character, she said, "Glodon was cute. At first, I thought he was a little scary, but then I suddenly heard his cute voice, and he was a little timid and innocent, and I was really excited by the gap. When she first wrapped Elio in a "swaddling cloth" with thread, it tickled my maternal instinct." Her favorite Disney & Pixar work is "Coco," and she passionately said, "I watched it before recording and cried my eyes out. I thought family is great, and I love the greatness of music that brings people together, and I love how cool Miguel is when he sticks to what he loves, and I also love the song in 'Coco'."
