Elissa Knight

Elissa Knight (born April 15, 1975 in Santa Cruz, California) is an American Pixar employee who has become a recognizable voice talent within the studio’s animated canon. Raised on the California coast, she attended the University of California, Santa Cruz where she cultivated an interest in both technology and storytelling, a combination that naturally led her to a career at Pixar Animation Studios. Beginning her tenure in 1998, Knight has contributed to the production pipeline on numerous landmark films, including Cars, Ratatouille, and WALL‑E, often providing crucial support in areas such as continuity editing, sound design, and on‑set coordination. Over the years she has earned a reputation as a dependable behind‑the‑scenes collaborator, known for her willingness to step into the recording booth whenever a temporary voice track is needed, a practice that has become a quirky hallmark of Pixar’s internal culture.

Her first credited voice performance arrived in 2006 with Cars, where she voiced Tia, one half of the twin Mazda Miata sisters that cheerfully follow the race‑car protagonists. The role was shared with fellow Pixar assistant Lindsey Collins, highlighting the studio’s tradition of using staff members for minor characters. Knight’s most prominent role emerged in the 2008 sci‑fi romance WALL‑E, where she supplied the vocalizations for EVE (Extraterrestrial Vegetation Evaluator). Initially recorded as a placeholder, her nuanced performance impressed the casting directors so much that it was retained for the final cut, allowing her distinctive electronic timbre to become an iconic element of the film’s soundscape. Despite never having read the script in depth, she delivered an emotionally resonant portrayal that contributed to the movie’s critical acclaim. Outside of the studio, Knight balances her professional life with motherhood, raising a daughter while continuing to lend her voice and expertise to Pixar’s ever‑expanding universe.