11 'Turning Red' Fun Facts and Easter Eggs You Won't Want to Miss

Pixar's latest film, Turning Red, is quickly becoming a cult classic—and for good reason. The flick, which has a 95 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes "Tomatometer," has been described as "insightful", "excellent", and a "coming of age sensation". And while the main character, Meilin Lee, is (undoubtedly) developing—the film addresses puberty and menstruation in a way that is rarely seen—Turning Red is more than that kind of "period film." The Disney+ feature film celebrates life, love, the struggle to embrace your true self in a heartfelt and hilarious way. It is essential viewing—for teens, tweens, and (yes!) adults, too.

But after you've viewed Turning Red for the 37th time, what is there to do? What comes next? Well, you'll want to learn everything you can about it, of course. Here are some fun facts about Turning Red to share with your kids, from the cast and music to some fun-filled trivia and "Easter eggs".

Who Is the Cast of Turning Red?

Directed by Domee Shi and produced by Lindsey Collins, Turning Red stars Rosalie Chiang (Meilin/Panda Meilin), Sandra Oh (Ming/Panda Ming), Ava Morse (Miriam), Hyein Park (Abby), and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan (Priya). There are also appearances from Orion Lee and James Hong, best known for his role in Big Trouble in Little China.

What Are Some Fun Facts About Turning Red?

• Meilin Lee is Chinese-Canadian.
• Turning Red is the first Pixar feature to break the fourth wall, with Meilin speaking directly to the audience at the beginning of the film.
• Speaking of history, Turning Red is also the first Pixar film to have a woman-led team.
• Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell wrote three original songs performed in the film by the fictional boy band 4*Town.
• Why red pandas? According to director Shi, there was never any other choice. "I just think they're so cute, and they are the less popular panda that I wanted to bring into the spotlight," Shi said in an interview. "They're super cool, in that they stay cute for the entire span of their life. Like, even if they're old, they're really cute and they're native to China. And actually from an area where my family is from in China, the Sichuan province, so there's like a little homage to my background too."
• Turning Red had the best three-day opening, in terms of viewership, for an original title on Disney+.
• Turning Red is Pixar's 25th feature film.

Are There Any Easter Eggs In Turning Red?

Easter eggs abound! From Luca to Lightyear, there are several Disney crossover references. There's also a solid dose of nostalgia. Here are a few of our favorite Easter eggs.

Luca. While not present in Turning Red, there is a Luca connection: The previous Pixar film showed vinyl record for the band 4*Villagi. Translated from Italian, that is 4*Town, the name of the fictional boy band in Turning Red.

Buzz Lightyear. Staying with tradition, Turning Red appears to be making its own nod to the next Pixar flick, Lightyear, with a Space Ranger-esque sticker on Miriam's skateboard.

'90s and 2000s nostalgia. From boy bands and sparkly, to (yes) the one-and-only Tamagatchi, Turning Red is full of Gen X and millennial nostalgia.

How Can You Watch Turning Red?

Turning Red is available exclusively on Disney+. If you're new to the service, you'll need to sign up for the base plan at $8 per month or the bundle (with Hulu and ESPN Plus) for $14 per month.