Owen Wilson, Kerry Washington, Cristela Alonzo and Armie Hammer

Ka-chow! It’s the franchise that has made hundreds of millions of dollars and raced into the homes of families everywhere. This summer the third film, Cars 3, hit theatres with tons of speed and a lot of heart. Risen caught up with the cast Owen Wilson (Lightning McQueen), Kerry Washington (Natalie Certain), Cristela Alonzo (Cruz Ramire) and Armie Hammer (Jackson Storm) to talk about dreams, mentors and family lessons.

Interviewed for Risen Magazine in Anaheim California

Risen Magazine: Has there been someone that has recognized something within you that you didn’t even see and then encouraged you to move forward with it?

Owen Wilson: We all sort of need help, we are all sort of connected; you don’t do it alone. You need people to believe in you and give your encouragement – whether that is your parents, or friends, or someone at work, everyone can benefit. Knowing that, when you can be that [encouragement] for someone else that can also be something that is very good.

RM: How do you overcome obstacles in the past and turn something negative into something positive for the future?

Kerry Washington: I think it is always important to look for the opportunity for growth. I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. I’m always looking for, what’s the message, what’s the lesson, how do I move forward from here? And to really try and think that things are not necessarily happening to me, but that things are happening for me. I just may not always see the end.

RM: Mentorship is woven throughout the film, what is something you have learned?

KW: This film has got me thinking a lot about mentors. One of the journeys that Cruz has in the film is that she learns to have the courage to dream, and to go after those dreams, and I feel like my dad really taught me a lot about that. My dad is a big dreamer, he has a great imagination and a lot of vision and I think he really taught me to dream big.

RM: Cruz was told to “dream small” by her family, but in real life you had a huge dream. What did your family support look like when it came to pursuing acting?

Cristela Alonzo: I didn’t get a lot of support from my family because it was such a foreign idea that they couldn’t understand. My brothers and sister were first generation Mexican-Americans and the culture is so different, we come from a blue-collar family, we work with our hands and put in a hard day’s work so for me to say I wanted to act and to perform seemed so excessive. I used to tell them, “I know you don’t understand but go with me on this, because if I can do this, it’s going to be great for everybody.” Finally, I was able to show them, [and they understood]. That’s why when Cruz gets told by her family to dream small, they are doing that to be protective of her. I think all of us have to take a moment to wonder, Why are people saying no to me? Why are people not joining me on my journey? Sometimes it’s a foreign idea that they can’t grasp.

RM: Your wife and two young kids joined you at the premiere, what do you hope your kids will one day learn from this film?

Armie Hammer: For my son, I would like for him to take home that you can be a gracious winner. For my daughter, I would like her to take home that message of empowerment that is there for Cruz Ramirez that you can do anything you want. For myself, I’d probably take home McQueen’s message of gracefully aging as you progress from one stage of your life to the next.