The music in the film is an original score by Adam Weiss at Found Objects. Myhren said Spencer, an Oscar winner for 2011’s “The Help,” was the perfect choice for the lead role.

“Octavia has the presence and gravitas to play the most vital thing on the planet, Mother Nature,” he said. “We’re simply answering to her. For all of us at Apple, this is about setting an ambitious environmental goal for 2030, diligently following through with it, and keeping Mother Nature up to speed on every step of our progress.” 

Apple introduced a comprehensive plan in the summer of 2020 to become carbon neutral across its entire business within a decade—through low-carbon product design, energy efficiency, renewable energy, process and material innovations and carbon removal. Its goal is for every Apple device sold to have net zero climate impact.

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At the time, Cook said businesses “have a profound opportunity to help build a more sustainable future” and that Apple hoped to be “a ripple in the pond that creates a much larger change.”

‘Another Birthday’

In addition to the “Mother Nature” spot, Apple aired a second short film at Tuesday’s event. This one, which opened the show, focused not on saving the planet but on saving individual lives—it tells real-life stories of how the Apple Watch and iPhone alerted users to hidden medical issues or helped them in emergencies.