According to Conli, Callisto originally had a much different type of characterization — one that Liu seemed to gel with in the early days. As Conli told /Film: 

“She was much more of a Jaeger type of character at first. We thought, ‘Oh, god, it’s too much …’ And we had pitched [Lucy] that, and then we went back to her and said, ‘Listen, we’re thinking of changing this character.’ And she said, ‘Well, let’s see what it is,’ because she really wanted to embrace that character. 

“We went back to her twice because we wanted to work with her so badly. She totally embraced that. I mean, that’s an amazingly subtle character, Callisto. Not only is she an explorer, but she’s a leader.”

You can see glimpses of what she was in certain comments Callisto makes, but it does seem as if two strident characters like that would have been too much. Instead, Callisto is very clear about what she wants and doesn’t mind letting anyone know when she disagrees — sometimes a bit forcefully. However, when it’s made clear that she’s wrong, she’s quickly willing to admit it and change her mind, even though she’s the one who will bear the brunt of the repercussions. 

It’s interesting to note that in Greek and Roman mythology, the nymph Callisto — who served the hunter goddess Artemis — is changed into a bear after an encounter with Zeus and placed in the sky as the constellation Ursa Major. The bear does seem to be a big part of this Callisto’s personality. She’s powerful, physically imposing, and protective of her cubs (her people). 

Journey into a “Strange World” when the film hits theaters on November 23, 2022.