In fiction, machines are often pitted against nature. But Lupita Nyong’o says DreamWorks’ new animated movie, “The Wild Robot,” will show viewers that you don’t have to pick one over the other to survive.
“I think what makes ‘The Wild Robot’ a compelling story is that we’re witnessing this robot adapt to the natural world,” she said in a video interview with NBC News. “And we’re witnessing the natural world adapt to a robot.”
“The Wild Robot” is based on the beloved illustrated book series with the same name, written by New York Times bestselling author Peter Brown.
Nyong’o voices Roz, a task-oriented robot from a futuristic world that gets stranded on a remote island inhabited by wild animals.
Born in Mexico to Kenyan parents, Nyong’o said she connects with Roz because she can relate to being an outsider.
“Though I was born there, I felt very foreign,” she said of her years living in Mexico. “What I’m proudest of is being able to adapt to my new environment. But still stay true to myself and hold on to my essence.”
And reflecting on her experiences in Mexico, Nyong’o said being a foreigner can also help you grow. While learning Spanish was tough, Nyong’o described it as “the most rewarding thing to expand my mind like that and be able to hold conversations in Spanish.”
She lived there “at a very formative part” of her life. And through adaptation, she explained, it now feels very much part of her DNA.
Similarly, Roz the robot finds herself in a new place she doesn’t understand, until she develops a relationship with her environment.
“It takes adapting to find a sense of belonging and a sense of ease,” she said.
Roz eventually adapts to the conditions on the island, befriends the animals and begins parenting an orphaned gosling, which she names Brightbill (voiced by Kit Connor).
Some viewers may compare Roz with Rosie — the sassy robot housekeeper from the space age 1960s and 1980s cartoon “The Jetsons.” But both show very different snapshots of the future. Rosie’s classic retro design depicts a domestic robot — a round and bulky metallic blue body with a dome head and large red eyes. Roz, on the other hand, has a simple and practical design, with a large round torso made of smooth, hard metal; and long arms and legs.
But while Rosie’s personality is already developed, pre-installed; Roz undergoes a big transformation from an unemotional and logical robot to become compassionate, nurturing and self-aware.
This key behavioral distinction is one of the core themes of the story.
“At the heart of the film, it’s a celebration of the power of kindness,” Nyong’o said.
And this kindness, she reflected, can come from looking at a foreign place with new eyes.
“Perhaps,” she said, “one of the advantages of being a foreigner in a new land is that you are just removed enough to offer a new perspective.”
