Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken director discusses Turning Red comparisons

And Kirk DeMicco, whose previous directing credits include The Croods and Vivo, told RadioTimes.com that the two movies clearly have some things in common.

“[Turning Red] is a great film, and that was being made while we were making this – you know, at the very end we were already well into production," he said. "[But] I definitely think [there are similarities]. I think that the strength of these kinds of stories is that there's a metaphor and I love the fact that these are great animated films with female characters – because this is DreamWorks' first female title character in 40 films. So we were really excited that this was a great opportunity."

And he went on to explain one of the aspects of Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken that he believes makes it distinct from that earlier film.

"The thing I think that is really special about Ruby is just this is a power that she has inside herself, and she is given a path to be able to hide it away from her mother, but in the sense that she really, really needs to embrace it.

"But at the same time, she needs to share it with the world, the world that knows [Krakens] only as a monster. That sort of fear is palpable, and that's the bravest moment for her I think. Standing up to the villain is one thing, showing in front of her friends and her crush what she really looks like when she transforms is a different one.”

Read more:

• Turning Red star says Pixar is great at "telling stories without villains”
• Sandra Oh explains why she was “very moved” by Turning Red scene

Ruby is voiced in the film by To All The Boys I Lived Before star Lana Condor, who explained that she loved getting the chance to portray a creature that has rarely been seen as anything other than a monster.

"I love stuff like that – like that's my kind of my bread and butter," she said. "So I love that we flipped it and we made the Krakens the good guys and the mermaids the bad guys, I loved that. And to me it makes sense, I think it's a fresh new take on kind of this story genre and I loved it!"

And the chance to play an evil mermaid was equally enticing to Schitt's Creek star Annie Murphy, who voices the main antagonist in the film.

"I'd never played an evil character before and so I was like, I got to go and lean into the evil of it all – and it felt good, I'm not gonna lie!" she laughed.

But Murphy was also drawn to the film because of how relatable she felt the central themes would be for audiences, including how the relationships between mothers and daughters are portrayed throughout the movie.

"When I read the script for the first time, it was just so obvious to me that it would resonate with so many people," she said.

"Because I think the experience of feeling like you don't fit in and feeling uncomfortable in your own skin, and then kind of growing to realise that these parts of yourself that you're not comfortable with are actually really lovely sides of yourself that you just need to grow into and learn to love."

Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken is now showing in UK cinemas. Check out more of our Film coverage, or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.

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