A Moment I Never Expected in My Career

Masha Ellswrench

Growing up in northern Ukraine, I dreamed of working on movies but could never have imagined how far that dream would take me. Today, I’m proud to still be part of Pixar for my day job, contributing to projects I admire while embracing independent filmmaking after hours. Over the years I’ve had the joy of working on films like Cars 2 and Cars 3, but nothing prepared me for this: in 2025, Disney•Pixar and Mattel released a brand-new die-cast car named Masha Ellswrench. Seeing my name appear in the Cars universe is a moment I never expected in my career - both surreal and deeply meaningful.

What makes it even more special is how personal the design feels. The bright yellow color and the headset made me laugh out loud - I couldn’t resist putting the toy side by side with a photo of me at work in my own headset. For me, Masha Ellswrench is more than just a collectible; it’s a playful nod to the journey I’ve been on, balancing Pixar by day with independent storytelling at night. It’s also a reminder that creativity and perseverance can take you places you never imagined, from a small town in Ukraine to the big screen.

The resemblance is uncanny :P