By Zach Johnson
The Disney Legends Award ceremony will mark the final day of D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event presented by Visa®, a one-of-a-kind, multi-day fan experience showcasing the very best in creative storytelling and innovation from across the worlds of Disney. Hosted by Ryan Seacrest, the event will be filled with tributes and unforgettable moments to honor and celebrate the icons behind the magic who have made a lasting impact on Disney.
This year, The Walt Disney Company's highest honor will be presented to 13 individuals — Chris Berman, Jerry Bruckheimer, Susan Egan, Eric Goldberg, Anne Hathaway, Bob Iger, Kim Irvine, Dwayne Johnson, the Jonas Brothers, Lin‑Manuel Miranda, and Alan Tudyk — who for generations have defined Disney across entertainment, storytelling, and experiences.
In an exclusive Q&A, Lin-Manuel Miranda —who is being recognized in the Film & Music category—reflects on his contributions to the company and what it means to be named a Disney Legend.
How does it feel to be honored as a Disney Legend?
It's surreal. If you had told the younger version of myself, the one rewinding the fluffy Disney VHS tapes until they wore out, that he'd one day be a Disney Legend, he'd be shocked. I do what I do in part because I saw The Little Mermaid when I was 9 years old and [Disney Legends] Howard Ashman and Alan Menken's musical storytelling rocked me to my core. I'm very grateful to be a part of that lineage.
Was there a Disney character, film, or song that inspired you to pursue the arts?
It was The Little Mermaid, no question. I saw it three times in the theater — first on a playdate, then I made my parents take me, then I made my sister take me again. I remember buying the Disney Sing-a-Long Songs VHS that came out before the movie did, just so I could watch "Under the Sea" and "Kiss the Girl" on a loop. This was before YouTube, kids. I remember faking being sick on the day The Little Mermaid VHS came out so I could buy it with my allowance money at our local drugstore for $19.99, because I knew I wouldn't be able to concentrate in school anyway knowing it was out and I wasn't watching it.
When you were asked to write music for Moana, what went through your head?
It was a dream come true. And it was a dream that seemed even more possible because my friends Bobby and Kristen Anderson-Lopez had already begun creating incredible music for Disney — not just Frozen, but their amazing songs for Winnie the Pooh and the excellent Finding Nemo musical in the parks. I found out I got the job the same day my wife, Vanessa, and I found out we were having a baby. So, it was a big day for many reasons.
What made you want to be a part of Mary Poppins Returns?
Honestly, it was an immediate, resounding yes. Rob Marshall is an absolute visionary when it comes to translating live musical theater to the screen; it was an opportunity to get a masterclass in directing. To go to Rob Marshall [and producer] Jon DeLuca film school while singing and dancing with Emily Blunt and Meryl Streep all day was an easy yes.
Hamilton reached a global audience when it premiered on Disney+ in 2020 — and then it received a special limited theatrical release in 2025. Why do you think Disney is such a perfect home for the filmed version of your award-winning musical?
We filmed Hamilton ourselves in 2016, not knowing where it would end up. We just knew we had something very special in the building and wanted to capture it before too much of this extraordinary company left the building. We filmed it the week before I left the show. Putting it on Disney+ in 2020 meant families could experience it together in their living rooms when everyone needed a shared experience. Then bringing it to theaters in 2025 gave people that communal, big-screen energy we also hoped for. Disney just knows how to honor the work while giving it the biggest possible stage.
When you wrote "We Don't Talk About Bruno" for Encanto, did you ever imagine it would become a viral global phenomenon? Why do you think that song broke out?
Not in a million years. When you write a song for a musical, your only job is to move the story forward and serve the characters; you're not really thinking about where the song will land on the charts or if it will go viral online.
You never expect an ensemble song to break through, but I think that song captured something we were all feeling at that time. We were stuck at home with our families all figuring out how to behave. I think it struck a chord in that way. Plus, every character gets a completely different musical style and verse, so kids and families could act out the whole thing together at home, playing different parts. It became this giant, collaborative game, which was just incredible to watch happen globally.
How did you honor a classic while evolving the sound for Mufasa: The Lion King?
It's incredibly humbling because you're stepping into a musical legacy built by Lebo M., [Disney Legend] Elton John, and [Disney Legend] Hans Zimmer. I knew I wanted to work with Barry Jenkins, one of our great filmmakers. And when I read the script, the songs leaped off the page for me. The key was grounding everything in the story of young Mufasa and Scar, finding the specific emotional beats of their brotherhood before the tragedy.
You've had some fun opportunities across the Walt Disney Company, whether it's Star Wars: The Force Awakens, DuckTales, or Percy Jackson and the Olympians. What have been some of the unexpected aspects of working for Disney?
I was a Disney kid growing up: some of my favorite songs are the Disney Afternoon theme songs for Rescue Rangers and DuckTales and TaleSpin. And I'm a human on earth, so of course I'm a Star Wars fan. I only say yes to projects where I'm going to learn something or where my inner child (or in the case of Percy Jackson, my literal children Sebastian and Francisco) start yelling, "You have to do that." I'm grateful for the opportunities Disney has provided, and the gifts and the joy from the work we've done together come back at me every day from people all over the world.
About the Disney Legends Program
The Disney Legends Awards program is a 39-year tradition of The Walt Disney Company, which began when Fred MacMurray was honored in 1987. Including this year's honorees, a total of 329 Disney Legends has been named. Past Disney Legends include Tim Allen, Julie Andrews, Angela Bassett, Tony Baxter, Kristen Bell, James Cameron, Jamie Lee Curtis, Miley Cyrus, Marc Davis, Robert Downey Jr., Harrison Ford, Annette Funicello, Josh Gad, Whoopi Goldberg, Jonathan Groff, Steve Jobs, Elton John, Angela Lansbury, Stan Lee, George Lucas, Steve Martin, Burny Mattinson, Alan Menken, Idina Menzel, Hayley Mills, Fess Parker, Ellen Pompeo, Robin Roberts, the Sherman Brothers, Marty Sklar, Dick Van Dyke, Barbara Walters, Betty White, John Williams, Robin Williams, and Oprah Winfrey.