⚡ Powers & Abilities
Expert piano playing, Jazz expertise, Music teaching, Encyclopedic jazz knowledge, Improvisational musicianship, Mentoring, Determination
📖 Biography
Joe Gardner is a middle-school band teacher and gifted jazz pianist who has spent most of his life dreaming of becoming a professional musician. When he finally gets a chance to perform with jazz legend Dorothea Williams, an accident unexpectedly sends him into the fantastical Great Before. There, his reluctant partnership with the soul known as 22 forces him to reconsider what truly makes life meaningful. Joe's journey ultimately teaches him to appreciate the small moments of living rather than measuring his worth solely by his musical ambitions.
⚡ Fun Facts
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01
Joe Gardner is Pixar's first Black protagonist in a feature-length film.
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02
Joe is 46 years old in Pixar's official character description and has spent years waiting for his opportunity to perform professionally.
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03
His father introduced him to jazz as a child, inspiring his lifelong passion for music.
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04
Joe briefly inhabits the body of a therapy cat while trying to return to his own body.
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05
His soul becomes aqua-colored and takes on a simplified form when he enters the realms beyond Earth.
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06
Joe's piano performances were developed with extensive reference footage and input from jazz musicians to make the playing feel authentic.
