Things just got a tiny bit brighter for four young “Trolls” fans.

This week, “Trolls World Tour” stars Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake joined “Today” host Hoda Kotb in a video chat to surprise Sullivan, 10, Delaynie, 8, McClain, 6, and Camryn, 4 — the children of Stacie Kelly, an Kansas emergency room nurse who is on the front lines of New York’s battle with the novel coronavirus.

For its special series “With You Today,” Kotb highlighted the brave story of Kelly, who made the tough choice to leave her husband, Mark, and four children to volunteer in New York, where she’s working 15-hour shifts in hospitals across the city.

After the kids told Kotb how much they miss their mom and how proud they are of her, the host mentioned that she‘d heard the kids love “Trolls,” and that she had a friend who wanted to say “hi.” Then Timberlake popped into the call.


.@jtimberlake and @AnnaKendrick47 surprise the family of one nurse who left her family to fight coronavirus on the front lines in New York. pic.twitter.com/OnIbBxRwwB — TODAY (@TODAYshow) April 10, 2020

The kids’ jaws dropped in awe. When his costar Kendrick joined the call next, one of the girls yelled “Hi Poppy!” into the camera and gave a cheerful wave.

“Are you guys so proud of your mom? You must think she’s the best mom in the world,” Kendrick said.

“She’s my hero for sure,” Timberlake replied.


Kendrick then asked the young siblings the inevitable question: “Wait wait wait. Who’s your favorite troll? Is it Branch or is it Poppy? Is it Poppy?” One of the little girls cheerfully agreed.

“You guys are such an amazing family, and you must be so proud of your mom,” Kendrick said. “And we’re really grateful to her. And really grateful to you, Dad, for holding down the fort with those four little angels. I am sure they give you no trouble and do everything you ask them to.”

Timberlake made sure to commend their father too. “Mark, I only have one 5-year-old, and it’s hard to get him to sleep, so you’re my other hero, bro,” he said.


“Trolls World Tour,” out Friday, is the first studio-produced feature of the COVID-19 era to bypass its intended wide release and head straight to video-on-demand.