Abby
4-Town's coming to Toronto!
Abby
Hyein Park
Grandma Wu
Wai Ching Ho
Jin
Orion Lee
Meilin "Mei" Lee
Rosalie Chiang
Ming Lee
Sandra Oh
Miriam
Ava Morse
Priya
Maitreyi Ramakrishnan
Turning Red quotes
Page 1 of 7 Abby
Abby
Mei! You're here!
Miriam
Mei! What are you doing here?
Meilin
I couldn't do it. The panda's a part of me, and you guys are too.
Miriam
Mei, you threw us under the bus.
Meilin
I know and I'm sorry. I've been, like, obsessed with my mom's approval my whole life. I couldn't take losing it, but losing you guys feels even worse.
Miriam
[coldly]
Well, too bad. 'Cause you did.
Classmate
What's with her?
Miriam
What's with your face? [to Meilin as she buries her head on her desk] What is with you? You're being weird.
Meilin
[hesitantly]
I'm just really excited about math.
Grandma Wu
Sun Yee, give me strength. [takes off her panda bracelet and throws it on the ground, breaking it, poofs into her panda form, and rushes over to help her granddaughter] Pull, Mei-Mei!
Panda Meilin
Grandma?
Panda Grandma Wu
I am not losing my daughter! [to the aunties] Don't just stand there!
Panda Chen
[The aunties rush over to them while taking off and shattering their trinkets, poofing into their red panda forms]
Make room for your elders, Mei-Mei!
Panda Meilin
What?
Panda Ping
We're with you!
Panda Meilin
What are you doing?! What if you can't turn back?!
Panda Helen
Your mom needs us!
Panda Lily
She's family!
Panda Grandma Wu
Less talking, more pulling!
Jin
Mei!
Meilin
Dad?
Grandma Wu
We have to save your mother!
Chen
She's gone loco!
Jin
Mei, we have to the ritual again!
Meilin
What happened?! She's HUGE!
Jin
I told you, she was big!
Meilin
THAT BIG?!
Mingzilla
Mei-Mei!
Meilin
[fighting Mingzilla while poofing into her red panda form and her human self]
All I wanted... was to go to the CONCERT!!!
Mingzilla
I never went to concerts! I put my family first! I tried to be a good daughter!
Meilin
[growls lividly]
WELL, SORRY, I'M NOT PERFECT! SORRY, I'M NOT GOOD ENOUGH! AND SORRY, I'LL NEVER BE LIKE YOU! [flies directly at her and headbutts her between the eyes, knocking her out, unconscious]
Meilin
[with her panda ears and tail]
Bye, Mom! Bye, Dad!
Ming
[stops her]
Hold on. You're not going out like that, are you?
Meilin
[scoffs]
My panda, my choice, Mom. [chuckles before hugging her, remembering her not to go through their fight again] I'll be back before dinner, okay?
Ming
[sighs]
Fine. Oh, um... You're welcome to join us.
Miriam
[gasps]
For Mr. Lee's cooking? [in unison with Priya] Uh, yeah!
Priya
[in unison with Miriam]
We are so there.
Ming
Don't load up on junk!
Meilin
Thanks for covering for me, Dad!
Jin
Have fun!
Meilin
Besties, assemble! Miriam!
Miriam
Huh? Hey!
Meilin
Priya!
Priya
Yo.
Meilin
Abby!
Abby
[angrily shouting to other students in Korean; in English]
Yeah! What's up, Mei?!
Meilin
Ready to change the world?
Miriam
So ready!
Priya
I was born to do this.
Abby
LET'S BURN THIS PLACE TO THE GROUND!
Meilin
That presentation was bomb.com! I cited all my sources, I had sparklers... [throws a dodge ball and grunts] and she still said no!
Priya
[dodging dodge balls]
My parents said I could go when I'm 30.
Abby
[hitting other dodge balls with the ones she holds]
Mine called it stripper music! What's wrong with that?! [catches a dodge ball with her teeth and growls]
Miriam
Mine said yes, but I have to buy the ticket. Who the heck's got that kind of cash?
Meilin
I know my mom's worried, but sometimes, she's just so... so...
Miriam
Wacko?
Ming
[pulling up at the middle school, dropping her daughter off]
I know it feels strange, Mei-Mei, but I promise, nobody will notice a thing.
Meilin
[monotone]
Thank you for your concern, Mother. But I'll be fine.
Ming
Well, here's your lunch. I packed extra snacks. And herbal tea. For cramps. It helps relax your…
Meilin
[panicky]
I got it! Thank you! Bye!
Ming
[sadly sighs as Grandma Wu hugs her]
I'm sorry.
Grandma Wu
Shh. You don't have to apologize. I'm your mother. [to Meilin; sighs] May Sun Yee guide you and keep your safe. One at a time, ladies. And quickly.
Chen
That's it? Mei-Mei's keeping the panda?
Helen
It's her life. Now move.
Ming
[worried]
This is awful. What are we gonna do?
Jin
Don't worry. We'll get through this.
Ming
No one can see her like this. I never wanted this for her. Did you see how she was in the temple? Her eyes…
Meilin
[Meilin hears their conversation and cries, poofing into her panda form throughout the night; The next day, Ming and Jin hear their daughter thumping around the walls in her room, trying to get rid of her panda form]
Please… just… go away.
Panda Meilin
No! Why? Why?
Miriam
Mei, it's us. Open up.
Meilin
Crud, no. Guys, what are you doing? Go away!
Priya
Are you okay? Tap if you can hear us.
Abby
One for yes, two for no!
Miriam
We were so worried. We thought you died of embarrassment.
Priya
You need more pads? I brought extra.
Abby
Forget that. 4-Town's coming to Toronto!
Panda Meilin
[opens up the curtains]
What?
Panda Meilin
[Miriam, Abby and Priya scream at the sight of Mei's panda form, There was soon a series of screams back and front of Mei, Miriam, Abby and Priya. Quickly, Mei dragged them inside.]
Hey! It's okay, everybody be quiet! Everybody, it's just me! Shut up! It's okay, it's me! It's Mei! Calm down, all right? I'm gonna let go and you're gonna be chill. Got that?
[Her friends nod. Then Mei slowly lets them go.]
Ming
How is this possible?! What happened to your panda?
Meilin
It's easy. When I start to get emotional, all I do is imagine the people I love most in the whole world. Which is you guys.
Ming
Oh. Oh, Mei-Mei.
Meilin
So, now that that's settled, I just have one teeny-tiny favor to ask.
Ming
[scene cuts to Ming looking at Mei, not happy later that evening…] [defiantly]
No. Absolutely not.
Meilin
What?! But this is once in a lifetime!
Ming
Mei-Mei, it's one thing to stay calm at home or school, but a concert? You'll get whipped up into a frenzy and panda all over the place.
Meilin
I won't, I won't! I promise! You saw me keep it in!
Jin
Ming, maybe we should trust her.
Ming
It's them I don't trust! Look at those glittery delinquents with their… [shudders in disgust] Gyrations. Why on earth do you want to go so badly?
Meilin
[imagines herself and her friends at the concert while chugging soda, and Robaire proposing to her; back to reality]
Like I said, I just want to broaden my musical horizons.
Ming
This isn't music, this is filth! And it's not worth jeopardizing your life over. Right, Jin?
Jin
Uh--
Ming
[insistently, thinking Jin agrees]
See? Your father agrees. No concert, and that's final.
Meilin
[inhales sharply with a tightened sarcastic grin]
Okay, well, thanks for listening. Good night. [picks up her 4-Town CDs and radio, and walks to her room with an annoyed scoff]
Ming
What was that? Am I the only one who sees the danger here? There's no way she could keep her panda in. And $200?! For what?! Who do they think they are, Celine Dion? [the phone rings and Jin gets up to answer it] Hmph. Unbelievable. I saw that look. Where does she get that from? Treating her own mother like that.
Jin
Hold on. Ming, it's your mother.
Ming
[panicking]
I'm not here! [lays down on the sofa, curling in a fetal position, then takes the phone out of Jin's hand; shakily] Mother. Hello. [on speaker] How's everything in Florida?
Grandma Wu
[while putting makeup on]
Ming. I know about Mei-Mei.
Ming
I was just about to call you, but everything's fine. [hesitantly] I'm gonna handle the ritual on my own.
Grandma Wu
[scoffs as she puts lipstick on]
The way you "handled" Mei-Mei being on the news?
Ming
No one knows anything. They barely saw her!
Grandma Wu
I'm on my way... with reinforcements.
Ming
NO, I CAN HANDLE IT! I CAN... [Grandma Wu hangs up]
Ming
No! Mei-Mei, please. Just come with me. [holds out her hand, begging her daughter to come along]
Meilin
[shakes head in refusal]
I'm changing, Mom. I'm finally figuring out who I am, but... [gasps softly; sadly] I'm scared it'll take me away from you.
Ming
Me, too. I see you, Mei-Mei. You try to make everyone happy, but are so hard on yourself. And if I taught you that... [short pause] I'm sorry. So, don't hold back... for anyone. The farther you go, the prouder I'll be.
Ming
Sun Yee, revered ancestor, guardian of the red pandas. We humbly thank you for protecting and guiding us. Especially Mei-Mei.
Meilin
May we continue to serve and honor you and this community.
Both
Always.