By Savannah Salazar

It was once a world full of magic, but now, the world of Onward—a town called New Mushroomton—is just a quaint suburban area. There are still elves, sprites, satyrs, cyclops, centaurs, gnomes, and more roaming around, but that’s absolutely normal. They’re just like us. So, to get you acquainted to the residents of New Mushroomton before Onward arrives in theaters March 6, we’ve rounded up all the new characters you may see on your grand and glorious quest.

Ian Lightfoot (Voiced by Tom Holland)
This teenage elf is tall, a little awkward and can’t quite fit into the world he lives in. He misses his father who, unlike his older brother Barley, he’s never met. So, on his 16th birthday, Ian is given a gift from his father that sends the two brothers on the quest of a lifetime.

When it came to animating Ian, the filmmakers had a hard time creating his look. That is, until art director Matt Nolte ran into a coworker at Pixar who serendipitously inspired Ian’s look and spirit. “I’d never met him, but he had the charm and appeal that our Ian thus far lacked. His mannerisms were perfect. He was kind and would hide behind a laugh before he spoke, and I thought that was so cool,” Nolte details.

Barley Lightfoot (Voiced by Chris Pratt)
Ian’s older brother Barley is larger than life. A self-proclaimed magic aficionado, Barley immerses himself in role-playing fantasy games, spending more time with his head in the clouds than in the present world. 

To quickly show audiences that Barley was older, character designers gave Barley some stubble. Animators also showcased Barley’s wild personality through his exaggerated movements.

Laurel Lightfoot (Voiced by Julia Louis Dreyfus)
Laurel is a headstrong single mom devoted to her kids, Ian and Barley, and is prone to throw herself wholeheartedly into everything she does. So, when her sons embark on an epic yet dangerous quest, she sets off to find them.

Character supervisor Jeremie Talbot made sure Laurel’s connection to her kids was reflected in her appearance. “She is built a bit like Barley and has his straight hair, but she has pink freckles like Ian’s,” Talbot says.

Blazey
When it comes to Blazey, think of your pet dog but instead of slobber, it’s sparks of fire. The Lightfoots’ pet dragon is wacky and a tad hyperactive, but she’s an elf’s best friend. 

Wilden Lightfoot (voiced by Kyle Bornheimer)
Magic may be scarce in the world of Onward but before his passing, Wilden figured out a clever way to reach out to his sons long after he was gone. But, of course, not everything goes according to plan. Only the bottom half of Wilden’s body is conjured up by Ian and Barley, leaving Lightfoot to tap, walk, and saunter around, setting the action of Onward in motion as the brothers find a way to get their dad back for one more day. 

The Manticore (voiced by Octavia Spencer)
Part lion, part bat, and part scorpion, the Manticore—or “Corey”—was once a fearless warrior when magic was still around. But since modern conveniences replaced the use for magic, Corey has exchanged quests for fried food as she turned her tavern into a family-friendly restaurant. It’s not until the Lightfoot brothers come knocking that she realizes her warrior spirit is still within.

Officer Colt Bronco (voiced by Mel Rodriguez)
Colt is Laurel’s devoted new beau, but as much as he loves her, he’s had trouble connecting with her sons, Ian and Barley. When he’s not with Laurel, he’s working as a cop in New Mushroomton.

Officer Specter and Officer Gore (voiced by Lena Waithe and Ali Wong, respectively)
Colt’s co-workers Specter and Gore are basically opposites. Specter is a stern, no-nonsense officer while Gore is more sloppy and opinionated, but together they complement each other very well. 

Dewdrop (voiced by Grey Griffin)
She may be small, but this sprite is as tough as nails. As the leader of the motorcycle gang, the Pixie Dusters, she’s not afraid of a little confrontation when the time calls for it and loves the open road. She is definitely not to be underestimated.

Initially, the filmmakers wanted to make the Pixie Duster sprites smaller, but according to art director Matt Nolte, director Dan Scanlon wanted something a little different. So, for Onward, the artists created their own version of sprites, making the little creatures slightly bigger and donning uniquely designed leather jackets.

By Zach Johnson

The Lightfoot brothers set off on an epic quest to discover lost magic in Onward, but they needn’t have looked any further than the film’s press conference in Beverly Hills. There, on Valentine’s Day, voice actors Chris Pratt (Barley) and Tom Holland (Ian) joined director and screenwriter Dan Scanlon and producer Kori Rae to take us behind the scenes of the new adventure from Disney and Pixar, arriving in theaters on March 6.

Onward tells the story of elf brothers who receive a gift from their late father, Wilden (voice of Kyle Bornheimer): a wizard’s staff, a gem stone, and a spell that will bring him back for 24 hours. New to magic, things inevitably go awry, and only the bottom half of their dad materializes. With the clock ticking, they set off on an unforgettable journey so Barley can spend one more day with his father—and Ian can meet him for the very first time.

Ironically, it’s nervous and timid Ian who can conjure magic, while his magic-obsessed big brother Barley can’t. Unfazed, Barley serves as his champion and guide along the way. “Magic is really a metaphor for potential in this movie,” Scanlon said. “The world in this movie shows people being complacent and fearful of taking risks. They’ve lost their potential, and Ian is a kid who’s never lived up to his because he’s insecure and fearful.”

Credit goes to Barley for helping Ian realize the world is—and always has been—at his fantastical fingertips. “Barley is never jealous of the fact that he didn’t have the magical gift. He loves his brother so much! He’s just so proud that he’s been given this gift,” Pratt said. “When I saw that in the movie and how it was expressed, it really made me appreciate how my own brother was with me, because my whole life and career, he’s only been super encouraging and positive about what I’ve been able to do as an actor.”

Much like Ian, Holland admitted he often felt unsure of himself as a teenager. “I was a little bit of an introvert,” he said. “I was a nervous kid, and I had a hard time at school.” It wasn’t until he began acting on London’s West End, he said, that he “came out of my shell and became more confident.” It’s because of those formative experiences, Scanlon said, that Holland “brought a sincerity and a vulnerability to Ian that is crucial.”

Onward is especially personal for Scanlon, who was about a year old when his own father passed away, leaving him and his older brother with no memories of him to cherish. “We always wondered who he was and how we were like him. I think those questions became the seed of Onward,” Scanlon said. “What if you could meet him? What if you could have one more day? What would you learn and what would you ask?”

Deciding exactly where to cut Wilden’s body in half for their journey was a surprisingly involved process. “You’d be amazed, sitting in a story room with a group of 10 or 12 people having a very serious conversation about that for days, weeks, months,” Rae said. “We tried it all. We thought, at first, ‘Maybe just a pair of shoes.’ Then there was a version where it began as shoes, and then they’d get something that would create a bit more, so he grew a little over the course of the film. We like to do weird stuff at Pixar; the weirder it is, we know that people within the studio and hopefully outside will love it.”

But, according to Scanlon, it’s also deeper than that. “When you’re someone who didn’t know someone, every little piece you get is special—every little piece of information, every little object they owned,” he explained. “So, the idea that the boys literally have a piece of their dad that is walking around felt funny, but it also lined up with that concept.”

Making Onward also inspired the cast and crew reflect on their own loved ones who have passed. Given the chance to bring back one person for 24 hours, Rae picked her grandfather. “Much like the film, I would just want to hang out with him and probably ask him a ton of questions,” the producer said. “My family wasn’t great about passing on family history, so there are a lot of blanks and a lot of areas that I don’t know about.”

Scanlon, of course, said he would bring back his father. “I’d maybe take him to see the movie, and then he’d say, ‘Eh…’” the director joked. In all seriousness, “I’d spend the day just talking, just walking around, and also letting him know what a phenomenal job my mother did raising us and how she gave us everything we could have ever wanted.”

As for Holland? “My granddad, Bob, never actually met his dad. His dad passed away when he was 18 months,” the actor explained. “I would bring back my great-grandfather so my granddad would have the opportunity to meet his dad.”

Finally, Pratt said, “I would probably bring back my dad, who passed away just before Guardians of the Galaxy came out. Then I would show him Guardians of the Galaxy… and if he didn’t like it, I’d bring back a known criminal and beat him up on Instagram Live and become popular. Because if my dad didn’t like Guardians, I’d be like, ‘All right, back to heaven!’”

Ultimately, Onward reminds fans that time is a gift. “This is a film about support and the people who go above and beyond to help us become the people we are today. It’s about walking out of that theater and thinking, ‘Who are those people in my life?’ They don’t necessarily have to be family members; a lot of times they’re friends or teachers,” Scanlon said. “And I’ll take it one step further: How can you be that for someone else?”