Amy Poehler gives major props to 20-something women, makes our day

In case you need some words of encouragement to get you through the last day of the week, we have just the thing! Amy Poehler, who is currently at her first Cannes Film Festival with Pixar’s Inside Out, took some time out to talk to Vanity Fair recently. Naturally, she dropped all kinds of amazing Amy wisdom — from looking back at a more care-free time for girls to what makes her upcoming film so special to her take on the next generation. And we have some good news: She has only good things to say!

On the up-and-coming-generation:

“From just a straight-up artistic, creative, and dramatic perspective, I have so much faith in the generation that is coming up, and young women are very inspiring to me. The way that some women are using their capital, and figuring out what their currency is—‘What do I want to do with the currency that was either earned or given to me?’ And when people use it in an unexpected or empowering way, or they add value . . . because it’s not always someone’s first instinct or the easiest path.”

On a unique time in childhood:

“I do feel like I love that time when we were not polluted yet by boyfriends and society and starting to have to narrow down who we are and what we want to do. But just that sweaty 11-year-old body. Girls that age are just, like, super-free—not all of them—but they haven’t yet put as many limitations on themselves. It’s really a nostalgic time and you don’t have to be a parent to connect with the subject.”

On playing sisters with Tina Fey in The Nest:

“We know so much about each other. We’ve known each other for 20 years. It was fun, though, because we never played sisters and it is an interesting relationship to play because as sisters you are close but different, but on each other’s team but also really hard on each other. Neither of us have sisters, so it was interesting figuring out that dynamic.”

On what makes Inside Out so special:

“The movie is so satisfying because on one level it’s just this really funny Pixar movie that is filled with emotion and [it] is about these cast of characters who don’t belong together, but go on this journey to change a life. But the bigger perspective is it’s about very big conceptual things like what makes you happy and why do we try to always be happy? Why do we do our kids a disservice while protecting them from pain and resistance?”

And because it’s the perfect Amy answer, on what being at Cannes is like:

“Just like being at home.”

You can read the interview in full at Vanity Fair, and catch Inside Out when it hits theaters on June 19! Amy, you are forever an inspiration!

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