In a viral TikTok, a Finding Nemo fan at Disney California Adventure’s Turtle Talk With Crush attraction has a shocking interaction with the animated turtle. Finding Nemo, one of Pixar's most beloved animated movies, tells the story of a clownfish named Marlin who goes on an epic adventure to find his missing son Nemo. As part of his journey, Marlin encounters a group of sea turtles and befriends the surfer dude-like Crush, who swiftly became a fan favorite after Finding Nemo's release thanks to his chill attitude.
At several Disney parks, guests have the opportunity to interact with Finding Nemo's Crush at an attraction called Turtle Talk With Crush. Visitors ask a screen displaying an animated moving image of Crush whatever questions they would like, and an actor backstage improvises answers. In addition to verbally responding to the questions, the Crush actor also operates a puppet whose movements are converted into an animation in real time. There are cameras hidden around the room through which the puppeteer can view the audience, which allows them to engage with the Finding Nemo fans' facial expressions and appearances.
A recent TikTok video posted by user @jonahwendt features a moment at Turtle Talk With Crush in which a teenage fan makes a joke about eating a shocking food. In the video, the fan - who introduces himself as “Gerard” - asks Crush what his favorite food is, and Crush responds that he likes green seagrass and kelp. When Crush then asks the fan what he enjoys, he says he likes to eat turtle soup, and Crush playfully swims away, feigning real fear. So far, the video, captioned "#traumatizethechildren," has garnered over 21 million views.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE FINDING NEMO TIKTOK.
Despite Pixar having many new movies out, including 2022's Disney+ release Turning Red, Finding Nemo is still a well-known cultural touch point. From its heartwarming story to the beautiful animation of the underwater world the characters inhabit, there are many reasons as to why Finding Nemo stands among Pixar's best. The studio released a sequel, Finding Dory, in 2016, and it was met with similar love and success, grossing $1.02 billion worldwide.
Considering how beloved Finding Nemo's Crush is, one might wonder if he could ever ground a spinoff of his own, similar to how Dory scored her own film. It’s a long shot, but the viral nature of this TikTok featuring Crush could potentially encourage Pixar writers to feature him in upcoming content. There have been rumors of a Disney+ Finding Nemo series being in the works, and if that pans out, Crush will hopefully be featured prominently. Meanwhile, there is a good chance this TikTok has pushed fans of Finding Nemo to attend Turtle Talk With Crush, though hopefully none of them choose to traumatize the kindhearted dude.
Source: @jonahwendt via TikTok