Under the title “The Toys Are Back… and What Happens Behind the Scenes is Just as Exciting as the Story Itself!”, Disney has released a short behind-the-scenes video showcasing the dubbing process for the Egyptian and Standard Arabic versions of “Toy Story 5”.
Directed by veteran artist Ahmed Mokhtar, the Arabic dub features a stellar lineup, including Tarek Ismail as Woody, Dhiyaa Abdul-Khaleq as Buzz, Nourhan Hafez as Jessie, Laila Firas as Bonnie, Adel Raafat as Zaki Pants, Noha Qais as Laqta, Abdullah Saad as Atlas, and Ramy Al-Tambary as Combat Carl.
The film also marks Rahma Ahmed’s Disney debut as the voice of Lily Pad, with Mohamed Farouk serving as the project’s sound engineer.
Mokhtar emphasized that the voice actors are meticulously selected to match the exact vocal nuances of the original English cast, capturing everything from quiet whispers to intense shouting.
Additionally, the performances must align seamlessly with Disney’s global standards across all languages, meaning the voice actors must be exceptionally talented performers.
To achieve this, actors undergo rigorous auditions by performing emotionally charged scenes from the movie.
Typically, three actors are shortlisted for each role and their recordings are sent to Disney, accompanied by Mokhtar’s personal recommendation.
Following collaborative discussions with Disney executives, the final actor is chosen.
Once the core characters are locked in, the supporting cast is selected.
Mokhtar noted that Egypt boasts a massive talent pool of uniquely skilled voice actors, keeping the country at the forefront of the regional dubbing industry.
Syncing the magic: The dubbing process
Explaining the technical workflow, Mokhtar revealed that the creative team closely listens to the original American performance before recreating each scene in Arabic.
The goal is to mirror the exact spirit, emotion, and context of the American actors under the director’s guidance, while the sound engineer ensures flawless audio quality and timing.
Mokhtar confirmed that the Egyptian colloquial version was prioritized and sent to Disney first, while work on the Standard Arabic version ran simultaneously.
The entire process for both versions took 40 days—roughly 20 days per version—incorporating real-time feedback and edits requested by Disney before the final product emerged.
Among the production highlights, Mokhtar praised newcomer Rahma Ahmed, calling the institute graduate a “fantastic actress” whose standout audition for Lily Pad instantly won Disney’s final approval for both regional versions.
Star-studded global production
The original English version of the film also features a star-studded cast, with Tom Hanks returning as Woody, Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear, Joan Cusack as Jessie, Blake Clark as Slinky Dog, Tony Hale as Forky, Wallace Shawn as Rex, and John Ratzenberger as Hamm.
The cast also welcomes new members, including Scarlett Spears as Bonnie and Greta Lee as Lily Pad. Following the passing of original voice icons Don Rickles and Estelle Harris, new actors were brought in to voice Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head.
The highly anticipated sequel is directed by Andrew Stanton, co-directed by McKenna Harris, and produced by Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney Pictures, with United Motion Pictures handling distribution.
Toys vs. tech
The plot of “Toy Story 5” centers around the classic characters trying to adapt to a shifting childhood landscape, where technology poses a direct threat to the core of imaginative play.
Beloved heroes Buzz, Woody, and Jessie embark on a challenging new adventure after discovering that modern children are increasingly drawn to electronics over traditional toys.
The trio fights to rescue the values of friendship and fun from a ruthless digital era.
