Bonnie Hunt

In Toy Story 5 (2026), Bonnie Hunt’s Dolly remains the voice of sense while the toy box fills with new arrivals. Her conversational delivery suits a character who can be sensible without sounding severe. We like that steadiness, though Andrew Stanton’s film has too many characters competing for attention. Hunt is welcome company in a sequel whose jokes work better than its thinking about children and screens, and whose crowded cast leaves us wishing for fewer introductions.

Her 1990s supporting work included Jumanji (1995), Cameron Crowe’s Jerry Maguire (1996) and The Green Mile (1999). As Laurel Boyd in Jerry Maguire, she supplies understated comedy without making a fuss about it. Crowe’s romantic comedy is generous towards its characters, although it takes too long to make its points. Tom Cruise, Renée Zellweger and Cuba Gooding Jr. provide its strongest performances; Hunt’s smaller contribution is a reason to appreciate the supporting cast as well.

Her Pixar voice work began with A Bug’s Life (1998), and brought recurring parts in the Cars and Toy Story films. Her Sally Carrera in Cars (2006) has the same relaxed, conversational quality. An improvisational background informs that delivery, while her work with Pixar has also included writing contributions. We can hear why she fits these films: an ordinary speaking voice gives the more excitable characters someone credible to talk to, without making sensible sound dull.

Red One (2024) is a less happy use of her talents: Jake Kasdan gives her Mrs Claus roughly five minutes on screen. We missed her, because a North Pole run as a security agency badly needs the straightforward warmth she is usually hired to supply. J.K. Simmons provides most of the film’s human feeling, and Hunt has too little time to help him make it bearable. Choose Jerry Maguire for an evening; do not sit through Red One on her account.