Here's who voices the Turning Red aunties, their importance and reactions
Eleanor Gray
Published Apr 03, 2026
Pixar has done it again…
The animation studio has delivered some of the most beloved family classics of the last few decades and they continue to innovate and impress.
Their latest effort is the directorial Disney debut of Domee Shi and serves up audiences a delightful slice of comedic fantasy.
It follows Meilin “Mei” Lee, a 13-year-old Chinese-Canadian girl who wakes up one day to discover that she’s transformed into a big Red Panda. She works to keep it under wraps with the help of her friends and guidance from her family.
Mei’s family has earned quite the reaction too, especially when it comes to the aunties in Turning Red.
Turning Red fans react to the aunties
When Mei’s family hear about the transformation, her aunties and grandmother immediately come to help.
The reactions to their addition have flooded Twitter – there are some particularly funny ones:
The scene in Turning Red where aunties rolled up is probably the funniest scene in any Disney animated movie ever #TurningRed
— Cheyenne 🫶🏾 (@CheyenneTheGeek) March 12, 2022
One of my favorite bits of casting in TURNING RED was Lori Tan Chinn as Auntie Chen.
Lori Tan Chinn is one of the funniest women who has ever lived, and her voice is just INCREDIBLE for animation…I recognized her immediately.
She is INCREDIBLE as Grandma on NORA FROM QUEENS!
— Derek Halliday (Hive Social: @dthalliday ) (@DTHalliday) March 12, 2022
Who voices the aunties?
The aunties in Turning Red are called Chen, Ping, Helen, and Lily and you can check out who voiced them below:
- Lori Tan Chinn as Chen (she plays Mei Chang in Orange Is the New Black)
- Lillian Lim as Ping (she plays The Biddy in Motherland: Fort Salem)
- Sherry Cola as Helen (she plays Alice Kwan in Good Trouble)
- Mia Tagano as Lily (she played a CSU Tech in Law & Order: Criminal Intent)
Domee Shi encourages not to judge
As the film progresses, Mei begins to grapple with the Panda and recognise it as an important release; a way to vent her frustrations of sorts.
However, the attitudes held by her aunties offer a juxtaposition and director Domee Shi has addressed this while talking to Vanity Fair, urging viewers not to judge their approach because they “grew up in a generation in a world that was less welcoming, less accepting of that form.”
She goes on to convey the fact they “didn’t have Mei’s friends, and this support system of people who love her unconditionally and celebrate that messy side of her.”
Turning Red is now streaming on Disney+.
