Pixar’s latest film Elio soars into theaters on Friday.
Yonas Asuncion Kibreab lends his voice to the young Elio in the film, who finds himself beamed up into space and mistakenly identified as Earth’s ambassador to the universe.
Kibreab told Good Morning America he feels like he has a lot in common with his character.
“We’re both super energetic kids, and I’m always down for an adventure just like Elio,” Kibreab said. “What drew me to him is just his energy and how loving he is.”
He hopes that audiences come home from the film knowing they aren’t alone.
“If you’re feeling grief or feeling alone at times just like Elio, I just want them to really understand that everything is going to be OK and you’ll get through it just like Elio does,” Kibreab said.
Elio becomes an unexpected leader in the film. If Kibreab were to become a leader himself, are there any rules he would want to mandate?
“I think having name tags, I think would make the world a lot more friendlier,” Kibreab said. “Just like, ‘Hey James, Hi Bob,’ you know.”
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