Toy Story 5 premieres Friday, June 19, and General Hospital‘s Scarlett Spears has a key role in the latest chapter of the beloved franchise.
Spears, who plays Donna Corinthos, daughter of Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) and Carly Spencer (Laura Wright), voices Bonnie, the toys’ 8-year-old owner, who begins to wonder if she’s outgrowing playtime.
For Spears, landing the role was a dream come true. “When I found out I booked the part, I was so shocked,” she says. “My mom was shocked, my grandmother was shocked — we were all so excited! Everyone was proud of me, and I was really excited to get started!”
Disney/Kat Nijmeddin
The opportunity introduced Spears to a new style of acting. “Playing Bonnie was very different than playing Donna,” she explains. “For Bonnie, I had to go into the studio and wear headsets to record my lines. I had to speak into a microphone in a recording booth. They had cereal and snacks for me — as much as I wanted — which was fun. I was able to say my lines in all different ways — loud, quiet, happy, and sad. We just got to work in very different ways than I ever had before. When I say my lines for Donna, I’m actually on a set with other actors, and I see the scene I am working on. We normally just do our scenes a few times — and sometimes we just get on the first try!”
Attending the film’s premiere was another thrill for Spears. “I got to see the special Toy Story-painted Porsche cars,” she reports. “I also got to finally meet Tom Hanks [Woody], and Tim Allen [Buzz Lightyear] … I met Jodi Benson, the voice of Ariel [in The Little Mermaid]! I had an epic time. I also really loved doing all the interviews and talking to people on the red carpet. It was just such a cool experience that I’ll never forget.”
Among the evening’s many memorable moments, one was especially meaningful: meeting Taylor Swift, who performs the original song “I Knew It, I Knew You” in the film. “I was so excited to meet Taylor Swift!” she exclaims. “She is so nice. She is one of my favorite singers, and it’s just so amazing that I actually got to meet her! I don’t remember exactly what I said, but I know I was so surprised and so happy!”
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Swift wasn’t the only star who left an impression on Spears. “The best thing about the premiere was meeting all the iconic characters,” she says. “Tom Hanks was wonderful! He’s been on my bucket list of actors that I would like to work with. I didn’t get to actually act in the movie with him, but I am in the same movie as him, forever. And I think that’s really neat. I’m hoping that we can be in a live action movie together someday.”
Toy Story 5 marks another impressive credit on Spears’ growing résumé. She played Young Glinda in Wicked: For Good in 2025, a pinch-me moment for the young actress. “My favorite memory on Wicked: For Good was meeting Ariana [Grande, Glinda],” she shares. “She is such a nice person, and I feel like we have the same personality: We both love pink, we both love music and we are kind. She’s just the best — I love her.”
Kevin Mazur/Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Universal Pictures
Having roles in both Wicked and Toy Story is something Spears doesn’t take for granted. “It means a lot,” she says. “These movies will live forever, and I’ll always be a part of them. I think that’s really neat. I’m just so grateful they chose me to be a part of these films.”
As her career continues to gain momentum, Spears already has her eye on future projects. “I think my dream role would be to be in another movie like Matilda or Harriet the Spy,” she notes. “Those movies are so good, and I think it would be fun to be able to play the main character.”
And despite her success on the big screen, Spears always enjoys returning to her daytime home in Port Charles. “I love everyone I work with, but I think I’m the closest to my dad,” she enthuses. “His name is Sonny, but his real name is Maurice [Benard]! We have a lot of fun together. We like to dance and goof around, but we do know when to be serious on set, too.”
For now, Spears is focused on celebrating the latest milestone in her rapidly growing career. “I’m just so happy,” she says. “It’s such a good movie, and I’m really proud to be a part of this franchise.”
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