The Inside Out 2 panic attack scene is one of the best depictions of anxiety ever – and something Pixar director Kelsey Mann is incredibly proud of: "I couldn't be happier"

EntertainmentMoviesAnimation MoviesInside Out 2The Inside Out 2 panic attack scene is one of the best depictions of anxiety ever – and something Pixar director Kelsey Mann is incredibly proud of: “I couldn’t be happier"When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. EntertainmentMoviesAnimation MoviesInside Out 2The Inside Out 2 panic attack scene is one of the best depictions of anxiety ever – and something Pixar director Kelsey Mann is incredibly proud of: “I couldn’t be happier"When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Walt Disney Pictures) I remember my first panic attack like it was yesterday. It was 12 years ago during a school exam, seemingly coming out of nowhere upon opening the test paper, seeing jumbled letters instead of words. Soon enough the world around me started spiraling, as I clutched at my chest unable to breathe, with my mouth struggling to form words as an invigilator asked me what was wrong. Although I didn’t know it at the time, I was having my first anxiety attack – which is something that still happens from time to time today. They are always surreal events that are difficult to describe, but I put it that they are like out-of-body experiences, just ones where you are overwhelmed with confusion and terror. During these attacks, it feels like I’m looking at myself from another room or from up high, desperately fighting to get back to reality. Which is perhaps why I was so taken with the anxiety attack scene inDisney’s smash hit sequelInside Out 2earlier this year, which remains2024’s highest-grossing movieat the box office. Now, don’t get me wrong, there have been authentic panic attack scenes before in both cinema and television history, with The Sopranos to Ted Lasso coming to mind – but none have felt more truthful, more affecting, more downright honest than the one in Pixar’s latest feature. As Riley aims to impress the cool hockey players she is desperate to befriend, at one point during a poor performance during a tryout match, she hurts another girl which sends her to the penalty box. With Anxiety frantically worrying about what to do, Riley has a panic attack. She starts breathing heavily and crying, whilst inside her head Anxiety desperately swarms around the console, with Joy and the other emotions unable to break through – all of which is beautifully brought to life with animation. It’s all quite spectacular really, leaving me shaken. All About… Anxiety? (Image credit: Disney/Pixar) But where did the idea for the scene come from? As director Kelsey Mann tells GamesRadar+ during an interview earlier this month, as soon as he came up with the character of Anxiety, the filmmaker knew that he therefore had to include a panic attack scene – something both he and others could relate to. He explains: “I was drawn to Anxiety immediately because I can relate to her, both when I was Riley’s age and now. I started on this film pre-pandemic in January 2020 and at that time research showed that teenagers were having high levels of anxiety, especially girls, so I thought there was something there, that the world could use a story about this. Then we went into the pandemic and it made everything worse for everyone, not just teenagers.” Sign up for the Total Film Newsletter Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox That tornado is something she couldn’t stop, she was trying to help but got overwhelmed and I feel that as a human That tornado is something she couldn’t stop, she was trying to help but got overwhelmed and I feel that as a human Which is what we see in this moment, with Anxiety speeding around the console so fast in an effort to regain control, that she forms a tornado around it. This prevents the other emotions from being able to break through, being left unable to help both Anxiety and Riley. It’s a striking image that perfectly captures the lack of control you feel during a panic attack but for Mann, the tornado also represents that Anxiety is fighting with everything she can to help the teenager out: “We like that tornado effect because Anxiety wants to do the best for Riley. My favorite line in that scene is when Joy pulls Anxiety off, she says ‘I’m so sorry Joy, I was just trying to protect her’. I love that line so much, they are like parents arguing over how best to take care of their child but they’re both doing it from a place of love. That tornado is something she couldn’t stop, she was trying to help but got overwhelmed and I feel that as a human.” Getting back to the present (Image credit: Disney/Pixar) Throughout the scene, the animation makes clever use of both depth of field and lighting to isolate Riley from her surroundings, with the background shaking whilst becoming colder and brighter. Then when she comes out of it, her surroundings come back into focus with the lighting growing warmer, as she begins to calm down, finding her way back into reality. It’s all very smart with every single element coming into play here, so it’s no surprise that this panic attack scene was the very last one the team finished. Mann emphasizes that it was a monumental effort to get it right and that they wouldn’t have been able to do so if the various teams weren’t on the same page: “It’s the last thing we finished because we wanted to get it right and it’s very complicated. You are dealing with a lot and everybody has to agree to go in one direction as if one department does their own thing, it won’t work. The more Riley amps up in her panic attack, the more the depth of field is going out, but it slowly starts to come back into focus and gets warmer too as she comes out of it. The colors start to soften the more she becomes present.” Continuing, Mann details the thought that went into bringing to life the moment Riley starts to come out of her panic attack, wanting to ensure it is as realistic as possible: “Anxiety is all about perceived threat so you are having a response that you’re dying, so a lot of the techniques you use to snap out of it are to stay in the present. There’s a beautiful shot where she puts her hand on the bench and she’s doing that to use her sense of touch to get her to the now. She’s using that touch, she’s listening to the skates on the ice, she’s feeling the warmth of the sun on her face, and just trying to get in the present.” She’s using that touch, she’s listening to the skates on the ice, she’s feeling the warmth of the sun on her face, and just trying to get in the present She’s using that touch, she’s listening to the skates on the ice, she’s feeling the warmth of the sun on her face, and just trying to get in the present Naturally, a pivotal scene like this “changed a lot” during production says Mann, with it not being as apparent during the early stages that this was a full-blown panic attack. The location of the scene also changed, with the filmmaker telling us that originally she was going to be in the rafters to bring in some “physical stakes” too. However, ultimately Mann soon realized that “the physical stakes weren’t as impactful as the emotional ones” so the team cut it completely back, resulting in the final scene that we all saw in theaters. It’s clear that it’s one of Mann’s favorite scenes from the movie and something that he is very proud of, becoming emotional when he speaks about the many people who have thanked him for it from across the world. As he concludes, it has helped him realize a childhood dream, following in the footsteps of one of his heroes: “It’s why I wanted to do this in the first place. I’m a huge fan of the Muppets and I remember reading a book about Jim Henson. He had this wonderful quote like ‘I hope to be one of the people in this world who makes it a better place for having been there’. I remember reading that as a kid and going, I want to do that. So to feel that I have now done that, I couldn’t be happier.” Inside Out 2 is available to stream now on Disney Plus. For more to add to your watch list, check out our picks of thebest Disney movies, as well as thebest movies on Disney Plus. CATEGORIESDisney PlusStreaming Services CATEGORIES More about animation moviesWallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl’s directors reveal the surprising influences behind their new “gnome noir” movie – including a Hitchcock classicFeathers McGraw’s return 30 years after The Wrong Trousers wasn’t the original plan for Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl but Aardman needed “something more villainous” More about animation movies Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl’s directors reveal the surprising influences behind their new “gnome noir” movie – including a Hitchcock classicFeathers McGraw’s return 30 years after The Wrong Trousers wasn’t the original plan for Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl but Aardman needed “something more villainous” Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl’s directors reveal the surprising influences behind their new “gnome noir” movie – including a Hitchcock classic Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl’s directors reveal the surprising influences behind their new “gnome noir” movie – including a Hitchcock classic Feathers McGraw’s return 30 years after The Wrong Trousers wasn’t the original plan for Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl but Aardman needed “something more villainous” Feathers McGraw’s return 30 years after The Wrong Trousers wasn’t the original plan for Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl but Aardman needed “something more villainous” Latest See more latest► Most PopularPatton Oswalt and Jordan Blum explain why comics are still the perfect medium for superhero stories - “Visuals that will never be achieved in TV or movies can be achieved in comics"Team Asobi’s gigantic 2024 proves it’s time to free Astro Bot from PlayStation’s pastWarhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 was the favorite shooter of the year, and it also made me fall even harder for my fiancé17 years on, Sam Barlow reflects on Silent Hill: Origins: “To pull it out of the bag with a seven-out-of-ten game was incredibly rewarding"Here’s our Black Ops 6 multiplayer playlist to keep you and your pals connected over ChristmasSpy x Family season 3: Everything we know so farOne of 2024’s best anime shows subverts all expectations, but that’s its biggest strengthHow Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth represents the best of Final Fantasy’s past while charting a course for the futureI’m proclaiming 2024 to be the year of outstanding indie puzzle gamesThe Inside Out 2 panic attack scene is one of the best depictions of anxiety ever – and something Pixar director Kelsey Mann is incredibly proud of: “I couldn’t be happier"Marvel Rivals has what it takes to shake up the PvP shooter genre if it can maintain its hero fantasy while also making balance changes Most PopularPatton Oswalt and Jordan Blum explain why comics are still the perfect medium for superhero stories - “Visuals that will never be achieved in TV or movies can be achieved in comics"Team Asobi’s gigantic 2024 proves it’s time to free Astro Bot from PlayStation’s pastWarhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 was the favorite shooter of the year, and it also made me fall even harder for my fiancé17 years on, Sam Barlow reflects on Silent Hill: Origins: “To pull it out of the bag with a seven-out-of-ten game was incredibly rewarding"Here’s our Black Ops 6 multiplayer playlist to keep you and your pals connected over ChristmasSpy x Family season 3: Everything we know so farOne of 2024’s best anime shows subverts all expectations, but that’s its biggest strengthHow Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth represents the best of Final Fantasy’s past while charting a course for the futureI’m proclaiming 2024 to be the year of outstanding indie puzzle gamesThe Inside Out 2 panic attack scene is one of the best depictions of anxiety ever – and something Pixar director Kelsey Mann is incredibly proud of: “I couldn’t be happier"Marvel Rivals has what it takes to shake up the PvP shooter genre if it can maintain its hero fantasy while also making balance changes Most PopularPatton Oswalt and Jordan Blum explain why comics are still the perfect medium for superhero stories - “Visuals that will never be achieved in TV or movies can be achieved in comics"Team Asobi’s gigantic 2024 proves it’s time to free Astro Bot from PlayStation’s pastWarhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 was the favorite shooter of the year, and it also made me fall even harder for my fiancé17 years on, Sam Barlow reflects on Silent Hill: Origins: “To pull it out of the bag with a seven-out-of-ten game was incredibly rewarding"Here’s our Black Ops 6 multiplayer playlist to keep you and your pals connected over ChristmasSpy x Family season 3: Everything we know so farOne of 2024’s best anime shows subverts all expectations, but that’s its biggest strengthHow Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth represents the best of Final Fantasy’s past while charting a course for the futureI’m proclaiming 2024 to be the year of outstanding indie puzzle gamesThe Inside Out 2 panic attack scene is one of the best depictions of anxiety ever – and something Pixar director Kelsey Mann is incredibly proud of: “I couldn’t be happier"Marvel Rivals has what it takes to shake up the PvP shooter genre if it can maintain its hero fantasy while also making balance changes Most Popular Patton Oswalt and Jordan Blum explain why comics are still the perfect medium for superhero stories - “Visuals that will never be achieved in TV or movies can be achieved in comics” Team Asobi’s gigantic 2024 proves it’s time to free Astro Bot from PlayStation’s past Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 was the favorite shooter of the year, and it also made me fall even harder for my fiancé 17 years on, Sam Barlow reflects on Silent Hill: Origins: “To pull it out of the bag with a seven-out-of-ten game was incredibly rewarding” Here’s our Black Ops 6 multiplayer playlist to keep you and your pals connected over Christmas Spy x Family season 3: Everything we know so far One of 2024’s best anime shows subverts all expectations, but that’s its biggest strength How Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth represents the best of Final Fantasy’s past while charting a course for the future I’m proclaiming 2024 to be the year of outstanding indie puzzle games The Inside Out 2 panic attack scene is one of the best depictions of anxiety ever – and something Pixar director Kelsey Mann is incredibly proud of: “I couldn’t be happier” Marvel Rivals has what it takes to shake up the PvP shooter genre if it can maintain its hero fantasy while also making balance changes GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands"5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands"5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands"5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands"5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS 1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 1 Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 2 Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 3 Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 4 Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 5 Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 1 Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 2 Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 3 Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 4 The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 5 Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 1 Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 2 Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 3 Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 4 Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” 5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place” 5 Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”