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Editor's Note: This interview was conducted prior to the start of the SAG-AFTRA strike.

It seems like there's not enough hours in the day to live Reagan To's life. As an actor, performer and self-proclaimed hard worker (and we're inclined to agree!), she's got a *lot* going on. Between her film career, her dance competitions, and, ofc, her upcoming b-day, Reagan is staying busy this summer—but still enjoying every moment. When asked how the past few months have been treating her, one word came to mind: "amazing."   

And we're already obsessed with her latest project, the fun and fantastical new Pixar flick Elemental. She dished to us about life lately: the new movie, her passion for Latin dance and everything in between.

1. She and her character Ember have a *lot* in common.

In Elemental, Reagan voices the younger version of the main character, Ember. The scenes she appears in feature Ember as a little girl, working in her father's shop, doing deliveries and having fun. Reagan immediately connected with her character, describing Ember as "passionate, brave, strong and very funny". 

"I feel like we have a lot of similarities because she is very strong, very powerful and always wants to make her parents proud," Reagan says. "Ember is pretty hardworking, and I would say that I'm pretty hardworking." 

2. She loves both voice and on-camera acting.

She may be at an early stage of her film career, but Reagan is no stranger to different types of acting. Whether she's in front of a camera or in a sound booth, she's able to have a blast with her work. 

"It's very fun to be on set. They have a lot of good food, you get to meet a lot of new friends and work with props," she tells us. "And for voiceovers, you don't have to memorize any lines. It's kinda like karaoke!"

3. She's an all-star dancer.

On top of her impressive acting chops, Reagan's got some maaajor dance experience under her belt. She's been dancing since she was five years old, when her costar Gina Rodriguez (Jane the Virgin, anyone?) showed her a clip from Dancing with the Stars that totally changed her world. 

"The music, the dresses, everything just made me want to dance along!" Reagan remembers. "I told my mom I wanted to learn how to do Latin dancing and she signed me up for some classes and I started to work super hard."

Almost as soon as she started competing, Reagan started winning—and winning big. Fast forward to present day: Reagan recently placed seventh in the entire world for Latin dancing. 

4. She went viral at age nine.

Before she even knew what TikTok was, Reagan's voice was all over everyone's FYP. How is this possible? It's all thanks to her iconic performance in one of Netflix's most popular shows, Squid Game. When she was only nine, Reagan played the role of the "Red Light, Green Light" doll; in the moment, she had no idea how many people would hear (and repost!) the sound of her voice. 

She recalls how strange it was to have her words echoing all over the Internet. "Suddenly, all over TikTok and social media platforms, everyone used the 'Red Light, Green Light' doll voice for every single trend," she says, "and I had no idea that even happened!"

5. She's going for gold—in everything.

With her talent and dedication, Reagan is the kind of girl who can afford to shoot for the stars. Her future aspirations? Well, let's just say she's hoping to continue her winning streak. In terms of her acting career, Reagan's hope is to someday score an Oscar. And in the world of dance, she's vying to become an international champion of Latin dancing (and is already well on her way). 

Even as she racks up awe-inspiring achievements at such a young age, Reagan still keeps it humble. She knows how important it is to express gratitude for the mentors who helped her get to where she is now—from her dance coach to her parents to her fans. 

6. She's a world traveler.

Reagan's got the vacay of a lifetime lined up for this summer...she's pumped for an upcoming birthday trip to Japan. " I am super excited!" she shares, "I've never been to Japan but I feel like I've seen so many videos about everything to see there". Brb, following her on IG so we don't miss the gorg travel pics...

7. She'll always be up for a challenge.

Reagan's advice for our readers pretty much sums up her philosophy on doing your best and trusting that the rest will fall into place. "If you have a dream that you really love, if you just work hard and have fun with it, it will, you will succeed." she says. Wherever Reagan's acting and dancing career takes her next, one thing's for sure: she's not afraid to do what it takes to accomplish her goals.

Tell us your favorite moment from Elemental on Twitter @girlslifemag!

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Images: Tim Schaeffer Photography 

by Katherine Hammer and Madelon Basil | 8/16/2023