Today’s guest is someone whose storytelling has moved millions of people around the world — often without a single word spoken. Domee Shi, Vice President of Creative at Pixar, the Oscar-winning creator of Bao, and the director behind the globally beloved feature film Turning Red.
Born in Chongqing and raised in Toronto, Domee grew up as the child of two academics — a mother with a PhD in education and a father trained in fine arts — a combination that shaped both her discipline and her creative voice. From drawing alongside her dad in life-drawing classes as a teenager, to uploading art on DeviantArt and Tumblr, to ultimately earning a coveted Pixar story internship after an initial rejection, Domee’s path is a masterclass in resilience, craft, and self-motivation.
In our conversation, she takes us behind the curtain of Pixar’s legendary story process — from pitching boards with sound effects and temp music to collaborating with icons like Pete Docter and Ronnie Del Carmen. She shares how Bao started as a personal side project, why she nearly sabotaged her own pitch by softening its “too weird” ending, and how an unexpected nudge from Pete helped preserve one of Pixar’s most memorable, emotional story twists.
We also talk about the deeply personal roots of Turning Red — her Toronto upbringing, the overachieving Asian kid experience, the aunties, fandom obsession, and that uniquely Asian tension between love, control, and vulnerability. And Domee opens up about learning to harness her own emotions — something we’re often taught to bury — as the key to becoming a better storyteller and filmmaker.
From the surreal chaos of winning an Academy Award handed to her by Awkwafina to navigating the heartbreak and silver linings of seeing Turning Red shift from theatrical release to Disney+ during the pandemic to her reflections on being Pixar’s first solo female feature director and the importance of not being the only — Domee’s story is inspiring, hilarious, honest, and filled with wisdom for any creative, builder, or leader.
If you love storytelling, animation, creativity, Asian American identity, or just want to learn from one of the most powerful voices in filmmaking today, you’re going to love this episode.
