LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 09: Taylor Swift attends the Toy Story 5 Los Angeles World Premiere at Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California on June 09, 2026.
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management
Toy Story 5 goes beyond the familiar cast of beloved characters and their voice actors. Pixar has also enlisted two of today’s biggest music stars, Taylor Swift and Bad Bunny, to contribute to the movie.
The collaboration may appear unexpected, as Swift will perform a pivotal song—traditionally delivered by Randy Newman—while Bad Bunny takes on a voice role. How did the project come about? Toy Story producer Jessica Choi explains the process behind Swift’s involvement, sharing excerpts from a letter she sent to the singer.
“The Toy Story franchise has always been about Woody and Buzz. This will be the first of five where the primary focus is Jessie, the yodeling cowgirl, and her journey embracing her beautifully eccentric style of leadership and character.”
“We are so inspired by your journey carving a path in a male dominated industry and advocating for it through music, and we believe if Jessie were not but a tiny toy, she would be equally inspired and would also have the whole world in the palm of her hand. I’d love the opportunity to connect. If not this time, hopefully soon! Congrats on your engagement!”
(L-R): Bullseye and Jessie with Lilypad in Disney and Pixar’s TOY STORY 5. Photo courtesy of Pixar. © 2026 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.
Pixar
The partnership was successful. Taylor Swift’s track “I Knew It, I Knew You” appears in the movie and has already climbed to #2 on the US Spotify chart, accumulating 12 million streams. Swift shared on Instagram that after watching Toy Story 5 at 11 a.m., she returned home and composed the end‑credits song in just eight hours—an impressive turnaround that reflects her typical creative frenzy.
Bad Bunny’s involvement was more straightforward. Producer Lindsey Collins told Discussing Film how the artist was brought on board.
“He filmed these little videos of himself during covid, playing with Toy Story dolls. We just happened to see them… when we recorded with him, his part went from one line to a whole bunch!”
The globally renowned Bad Bunny, fresh off his Super Bowl halftime performance, also has acting experience, having appeared in films such as Caught Stealing and Happy Gilmore 2 and even WWE wrestling. In Toy Story 5 he will lend his voice to “Pizza with Sunglasses,” marking his first notable vocal role in a major film.
The spotlight remains on the franchise’s core ensemble. Joan Cusack reprises her role as Jessie, while veteran voices Tom Hanks and Tim Allen return as Woody and Buzz. New additions to the cast include Greta Lee, Conan O’Brien, Craig Robinson, and Jay Hernandez.
Speculation persists that Swift’s decision was partly motivated by the possibility of an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song, a realistic prospect given her stature, the film’s pedigree, and the song’s quality. The outcome will be known next year.
