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Freedom. Beauty. Truth. Love. All maxims that drive and guide the protagonists at the heart of director Baz Luhrmann’s splashy movie musical, Moulin Rouge (2001).
Set amidst a bustling and bohemian Paris circa 1900, the film boasts a gorgeous design sense that helps to contextualize its characters while also providing a rapt stage for the contemporary pop tunes featured therein. When ingeniously blended together, these elements work in tandem to create a most unique motion picture experience, one that rests at the foot of both the comic and the tragic.
Luhrmann’s euphorically lofty, dream-world-like vision for this dramatic setting effortlessly holds firm as a hallmark example of “Red Curtain” cinematic style. “One of the characteristics of…‘Red Curtain’ films is the use of classic cinema references,” reflected the director at the time of the film’s initial release. “In Moulin Rouge we have utilized this mechanism both in making reference to classic hair styles and costume silhouettes of the great divas of the ’40s and ’50s. Marlene Dietrich (Blue Angel), with a sprinkle of Cabaret and a nod to Rita Hayworth in Gilda. It is this constant referencing and re-referencing that we hope allows a modern audience to decode the historical setting. The ease with which the audience understands the story is crucial. In this musical we are not revealing the characters or plot slowly and invisibly, but quickly and overtly.”
By blending rich costume and production design, the film presents a Parisian world governed both by creativity and excess, presenting imagery that seeks to inspire and move viewers in meaningful and impassioned ways. “Most cinematic naturalism puts the audience into a dream state so that they may observe reality, if you like, through a key hole,” Luhrmann observed. “Whereas we employ a constant device that awakens the audience and reminds them that at all times they are watching a film, in which they are impelled to participate.” Almost as if we are at the Moulin Rouge ourselves, we, the viewers, experience the film simultaneously as both a theatrical production and cinematic experience.
Production designer Catherine Martin specifies that Luhrmann’s vision for this fantastical approach to framing the world of the film was also “about manipulating the elements that existed in [that] world, so they read [in the] now, so that a modern audience can access this period world. Baz wanted us to create a world in a style he dubbed ‘real artificiality.’ A ‘created’ Paris in which the musical of his invention would sit comfortably. A place where breaking out in song would feel natural.”
“We treated this world in a very self-consciously theatrical way,” Martin continues. “Baz wants a completeness to the world, and every design detail tried to reinforce this.” Looking back on these creative aspirations as the film nears its 20th anniversary, what’s abundantly clear about the power of the filmmakers’ approach is that it helped to cement the film—perhaps above all else—as a contemporary classic by pushing daring design to dreamy effect.
Fans of Disney animation have been delighted by many an instance of colorful butterflies fluttering around beloved characters, but in our world, many types of these beautiful animals are in need of help. Monarch butterflies play an important role in the environment as pollinators that help flowers to grow, but their populations across North America are in trouble. These butterflies need habitats that include nectar-rich flowering plants and milkweed, a special plant where monarch butterflies lay their eggs. These important habitats are disappearing, but everyone can play a role in helping to protect or restore them for butterflies and other wildlife.
Since 1995, the Disney Conservation Fund has supported nonprofit organizations leading more than 25 projects across North America to save butterflies. This April, during Earth Month 2021, Disney VoluntEARS and Disney Conservation Team Wildlife encouraged Disney employees to don their gardening gloves and update their own yards and patios to provide vital resources for monarch butterflies. More than 800 employees and cast members across the U.S. planted backyard habitats to help ensure that migrating monarchs had plenty of habitat to help them on their journey.
You can also join Disney Conservation Team Wildlife’s efforts to save monarchs by planting native plants that attract and feed butterflies and other pollinators on your windowsill, in your yard, or at a community garden. The secret to creating good pollinator habitat is picking the right plants and getting them outside for the butterflies to visit. Make sure to plant milkweeds that are native to your region, like common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) if you are East of the Rockies, showy milkweed (Asclepias speciosa) if you are West of the Rockies, or Yarrow (Achillea millefolium), which is native to all of North America. But the best bet is to talk to your local nursery for recommendations about the best pollinator friendly plants for your region. Be sure to tell them about your space to make sure you find a good fit for your home (e.g., Does your space have lots of sun or shade? Wet soil or dry?) You can also download a free Disney Conservation activity packet to learn how to plan a garden for butterflies with your family, and learn more about Disney Conservation’s commitment to saving wildlife and building a diverse global community inspired to protect the magic of nature together at Disney.com/conservation.
For additional inspiration, the next time you visit Walt Disney World, look out for native pollinator gardens across the resort, where Team Wildlife has already spotted more than 70 species of butterflies and other pollinators.
And from now through July 5, Walt Disney World Resort guests can also visit Taste of EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival to learn more about butterflies and their favorite plants in The Goodness Garden Butterfly House Presented by GoGo squeeZ® at Future World West. Within the Butterfly House, guests may view a kaleidoscope of butterflies up close, learn about their lifecycles, and maybe even see one emerge from its chrysalis. Find more details and theme park reservation information at Disneyworld.Disney.com.
The Wonderful World of Disney will present The Princess and the Frog on ABC Monday, continuing to bring movie magic directly into the homes of Disney fans. That same night, the third season of Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted will premiere on National Geographic, and it will be followed by back-to-back episodes of the brand-new series Breaking Bobby Bones. On Tuesday, the Hulu Original Changing the Game will debut on the streaming service. Last but not least, Disney Channel will broadcast the 100th episode of BUNK’D Thursday.
The Wonderful World of Disney: The Princess and the Frog—Monday, May 31, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC As the song goes, dreams do come true in New Orleans! This modern twist on a classic tale centers on the hardworking Tiana (voice of Disney Legend Anika Noni Rose), who dreams of opening her own restaurant, and the frog prince Naveen (voice of Bruno Campos), who just wants to be human again. A fateful kiss leads them on a hilarious adventure through the bayous of Louisiana… as voodoo magician Dr. Facilier (voice of Keith David) tails them!
Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted—Monday, May 31, at 9 p.m. ET on National Geographic In the season premiere, Gordon Ramsay journeys to the wilds of south central Texas and meets some tough, gritty characters to learn what it means to be from the Lone Star State. He herds cattle with the help of a helicopter, hunts for venomous rattlesnake in the backcountry, and goes on a night hunt for invasive and ferocious feral hogs. Ramsay needs to dig deep and toughen up if he wants to show the James Beard Award-winning chef Justin Yu and a group of locals that he has what it takes to cook his way through Texas.
Breaking Bobby Bones—Monday, May 31, at 10 and 10:30 p.m. ET on National Geographic In each half-hour episode of the brand-new series, Bobby Bones pursues his own mantra—Fight. Grind. Repeat.—by traveling to far-flung destinations across the United States to find people with unique abilities, hobbies, jobs, and skills. In the series premiere, “Grand Canyon Cliffhanger,” he heads to Arizona to meet Mike, a family man who makes a living as a rope access technician. Bones is challenged to face his fear of heights by cleaning the glass floor of the Grand Canyon Skywalk bridge while suspended 4,000 feet above the Colorado River! Then, in “Metal Mashers,” Bones returns to his home state of Arkansas and meets Lesley and Jeremy, a married couple who have forged a successful career in metal scrapping. Like Bones, they’ve overcome many hurdles on their road to success. In this episode, they challenge him to dismantle a giant yellow school bus and turn it into scrap.
Changing the Game—Tuesday, June 1, on Hulu Emmy® award-winning filmmaker Michael Barnett’s sports documentary film illuminates what many have called the civil rights issue of our time: transgender inclusion in sports. Changing the Game features three trans teens from high schools across the United States.
BUNK’D—Thursday, June 3, at 8 p.m. ET on Disney Channel In the milestone 100th episode, “Gi Wiz,” Finn (Will Buie Jr.) and Destiny (Mallory James Mahoney) look for a way to leave their mark on the camp. Meanwhile, Lou (Miranda May) and Noah (Israel Johnson) discover Matteo (Raphael Alejandro) has a very surprising skill!
With this week’s brand-new trailer for Disney’s Jungle Cruise, we’re 100% sure there’s all kinds of amazing adventure just around the bend… and we’re so ready!
Inspired by the famous Disneyland attraction, Jungle Cruise is a rollicking thrill-ride down the Amazon with wisecracking skipper Frank Wolff (Dwayne Johnson) and intrepid researcher Dr. Lily Houghton (Emma Blunt). We follow Lily as she travels from London, England, to the Amazon jungle and enlists Frank’s questionable services to guide her downriver on La Quila—his ramshackle-but-charming boat—in a quest to uncover an ancient tree with unparalleled healing abilities… and the power to change the future of medicine.
Thrust on this epic quest together, the unlikely duo encounters dangers a-plenty and supernatural forces galore, all lurking in the deceptive beauty of the colorful rainforest. But as the secrets of the lost tree unfold, the stakes reach even higher for Lily and Frank, and their fate—and mankind’s—hangs in the balance.
Jungle Cruise is directed by Jaume Collet-Serra and also stars Edgar Ramírez and Jack Whitehall, with Jesse Plemons and Paul Giamatti. Look for the film in U.S. theaters and on Disney+ with Premier Access on July 30!
Plus: Updates on Jungle Cruise Experience at Disneyland and Magic Kingdom
The new Jungle Cruise trailer isn’t the only “backside of water”-related news to be revealed this week: Our pals at the Disney Parks Blog just announced that the newly enhanced Jungle Cruise at Disneyland Park will officially open July 16, with an updated experience that welcomes new characters from around the world plus even more of the humor, wildlife, and skipper heart that makes this classic attraction a favorite! And at Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort, guests can continue to enjoy the Jungle Cruise while updates are being made, and all changes will be completed this summer.
In a fun new video, above, Disney Imagineer Kevin Lively takes us on recent trip down the river at Magic Kingdom to share a reminder of some classic Jungle Cruise moments. (There are, as you might imagine, a plethora of puns… )
5 Fantastic Things to Watch This Weekend
Yes, we’ve made it to Memorial Day Weekend 2021, which for most of us means an extra day of rest and relaxation; delicious BBQ (that’s our hope, at least!); and some added time to spend watching lotsa good content from around the worlds of Disney. Chiefly, Disney’s LAUNCHPAD, a collection of live-action shorts debuting on Disney+; a brand-new episode of FX’s Pose; and so much more.
Disney Junior Premieres New Spots Featuring Chip ‘n’ Dale
The good folks at Disney Junior recently debuted the first in a series of adorable new videos honoring traditions from across the globe and featuring everyone’s favorite pals, Chip and Dale!
Shake Your Tail with Chip N’ Dale celebrates music and dance from around the world—giving young viewers a connection point to the language and culture of another country. Each spot highlights music and dance from a country or region around the world and encourages preschoolers to get up on their feet and dance. In celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, the first video, seen above, is India-themed; Gaayatri Kaundinya & Dhruv Goel (Mira, Royal Detective) wrote the song and provide the vocals. Other countries highlighted in the first batch of spots include Nigeria, Brazil, and China.
Look for the videos on Disney Junior now and on the Disney Junior YouTube channel beginning in June.
New Teaser Trailer for Marvel Studios’ Eternals
This is a movie we’ve been particularly jazzed to see… and now we have an amazing first look to tide us over ‘til its premiere this fall.
Just this week, Marvel Studios debuted an exciting teaser trailer for Eternals, the third film in Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), welcoming an exciting new team of Super Heroes to the fold. The film’s epic story, spanning thousands of years, features a group of immortal heroes forced out of the shadows to reunite against mankind’s oldest enemy, The Deviants.
The Eternals’ ensemble cast includes Richard Madden as the all-powerful Ikaris; Gemma Chan as humankind-loving Sersi; Kumail Nanjiani as cosmic-powered Kingo; Lauren Ridloff as the super-fast Makkari; Brian Tyree Henry as the intelligent inventor Phastos; Salma Hayek as the wise and spiritual leader Ajak; Lia McHugh as the eternally young, old-soul Sprite; Don Lee as the powerful Gilgamesh; Barry Keoghan as aloof loner Druig; and Angelina Jolie as the fierce warrior Thena… with Kit Harington as Dane Whitman.
Directed by recent Oscar® winner Chloé Zhao (Nomadland), Eternals is set to debut November 5.
The Walt Disney Archives Exhibit is On the Move!
Just this week, we here at D23 announced that the exhibition Inside the Walt Disney Archives—which first debuted at D23 Expo Japan in 2018 before heading to the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana—is making its next stop at the Graceland Exhibition Center in Memphis, TN, beginning this July 23! To read up on what you can expect from this incredible 10,000-square-foot traveling exhibit, click here.
Guide Map Revealed for Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure Park
Are your Spidey senses tingling with excitement? Ours sure are… and it’s because we’re just a few days away from the sure-to-be-magnificent opening of Avengers Campus inside Disney California Adventure park at the Disneyland Resort! To that end, Disney Parks Blog recently revealed a first look at the Avengers Campus map, offering a more detailed look at what experiences await.
There are three entrances into the new 6-acre land where you can join the action with the Avengers and their allies, including Iron Man, Black Panther, and Black Widow; sling webs on the first Disney ride-through attraction to feature Spider-Man; taste-test innovative food and drinks; and become part of a bigger universe. Discover your own powers as you train alongside some fan-fave Super Heroes, with a chance to live out your own heroic story! You can plot out your Avengers Campus visit on your mobile phone or desktop; check out the map on Disneyland.com and the official Disneyland mobile app. And don’t forget to take a gander at the official Recruit’s Guide to familiarize yourself with all the special food, beverage, and merchandise offerings.
Plus, read up on how to utilize the virtual queue system for Avengers Campus’ incredible new attraction, WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure, by clicking here. (Hint: Much like the queue for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, you’ll need that aforementioned Disneyland app.)
We can’t wait to see what’s in store at Avengers Campus, beginning next Friday, June 4
ICYMI: Winnie the Pooh Musical to Debut in New York This Fall
Our tummies are rumbly (in a good way!) about this recent news: The Hundred Acre Wood will soon come to musical life at Times Square’s Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street) in New York City, beginning this October. Get an idea of what’s in store once Winnie the Pooh: The New Musical Adaptation—featuring the Sherman Brothers’ classic Grammy Award®-winning music with additional songs by A.A. Milne—hits the stage by clicking right here.
While Tyrus “Ty” Wong worked at The Walt Disney Studios for only three years, between 1938 and 1941, his impact on the animated classic Bambi endures.
As legendary animators Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston point out in their book about the making of the motion picture, “He set the color schemes along with the appearance of the forest in painting after painting. Paintings that captured the poetic feeling that had eluded us [artists] for so long. Ty Wong not only inspired the other visual artists, but he created a standard that was met by musicians and special effects too.”
Born in China, on October 25, 1910, nine-year-old Ty immigrated to America with his father in 1919, eventually landing in Los Angeles, California. While an indifferent student, he loved sketching and received a scholarship to nearby Otis Art Institute. After graduating in 1935, Ty exhibited his watercolors and participated in the W.P.A. Federal Arts Project, a program instituted to employ artists during the Great Depression. Ty created two paintings each month for exhibition in public libraries and government buildings.
Looking for steady employment, he joined The Walt Disney Studios to work on animated shorts as an inbetweener, but quickly moved into feature films after submitting landscape paintings with deer as early concepts for Bambi, which was in pre-production. Among his paintings was a stunning image of a stag fight filled with dynamic action, strong compositions, and dramatic lightning.
When Walt Disney saw Ty’s inspirational sketches, he was intrigued by their mysterious quality. As Thomas and Johnston wrote, “In contrast to the paintings that showed every detail of tiny flowers, broken branches, and fallen logs, Ty had a different approach and certainly one that had never been seen in an animated film before. He [Ty] explained, ‘Too much detail—I tried to keep the thing very, very simple and create the atmosphere, the feeling of the forest.’”
Ty left Disney before Bambi was released in 1942, and would go on to devote more than 25 years of his career developing story boards and concept sketches for motion pictures.
Upon retirement, he focused his attention on his own passions, including exhibiting and selling watercolors, designing Christmas cards for Hallmark and other companies, illustrating magazine covers, painting ceramics sold through Neiman-Marcus, and designing, constructing, and flying kites.
Ty Wong passed away on December 30, 2016 at 106 years old.
We’re celebrating all things Cruella, in advance of the film’s debut in just a few days’ time… And what better way to bring of that same rebellious, revengeful fun into your daily life than by adding some style to your smartphone?
These brand-new phone wallpapers feature Cruella (Emma Stone) in all her glory—and two of them are cool, coordinating photos you can share with a BFF!
This Friday marks the launch of Disney’s LAUNCHPAD, a collection of live-action shorts from a new generation of dynamic storytellers. The next day, FXM will broadcast the comedy film Spy. On Sunday, join us in streaming Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy on Disney+ (just because!) and then watch Ralph Breaks the Internet on Freeform. Cap off the weekend with a brand-new episode of the trailblazing series Pose, airing Sunday on FX.
LAUNCHPAD—Friday, May 28, on Disney+ Enjoy six original short films from six unique perspectives. The goal of Disney’s LAUNCHPAD is to diversify the types of stories that are being told and to give access to those who have historically not had it. Inspired by life’s journey, these first six short films are based on the theme “Discover.” Season one includes American Eid, written and directed by Aqsa Altaf; Dinner Is Served, directed by Hao Zheng and written by G. Wilson & Hao Zheng; Growing Fangs, written and directed by Ann Marie Pace; Let’s Be Tigers, written and directed by Stefanie Abel Horowitz; The Last of the Chupacabras, written and directed by Jessica Mendez Siqueiros; and The Little Prince(ss), written and directed by Moxie Peng.
Spy—Saturday, May 29, at 4:55 p.m. ET and Sunday, May 30, at 2:15 p.m. ET on FXM Written and directed by Paul Feig, this 2015 comedy centers on CIA analyst Susan Cooper (Melissa McCarthy), who has spent her entire career as a desk jockey, working hand-in-hand with dashing agent Bradley Fine (Jude Law)—despite having solid field training. Using high-tech equipment and a hidden earpiece, Susan helps Bradley avoid danger. But, after Bradley is assassinated by arms dealer Rayna Boyanov (Rose Byrne), Susan wrangles her way into her first undercover assignment to help apprehend Rayna and avenge Bradley.
Guardians of the Galaxy—Sunday, May 30, on Disney+ Space adventurer Peter Quill/Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) becomes the target of relentless bounty hunters after stealing a mysterious orb. To evade Ronan the Accuser (Lee Pace), who will stop at nothing to retrieve the orb, Peter forms an unlikely alliance with four misfits: Rocket Raccoon (voice of Bradley Cooper), Groot (voice of Vin Diesel), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), and Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista). But after Peter discovers the orb’s power, he must rally his ragtag team in order to save the universe from a cosmic calamity.
Ralph Breaks the Internet—Sunday, May 30, at 6:15 p.m. ET on Freeform In this sequel to 2012’s Wreck-It Ralph, best friends Ralph (voice of John C. Reilly) and Vanellope von Schweetz (voice of Sarah Silverman) must risk it all by traveling to the World Wide Web in search of a replacement part to save Vanellope’s video game, Sugar Rush. In way over their heads, they rely on the citizens of the internet—aka the netizens—to help navigate their way, including an entrepreneur named Yesss (voice of Taraji P. Henson), the head algorithm and the heart and soul of the trend-making site BuzzzTube.
Pose—Sunday, May 30, at 10 p.m. ET on FX The series’ penultimate episode will set the stage for an unforgettable finale. As the dust settles on an unforeseen life change, Lil Papi (Angel Bismark Curiel) will adjust to being a guardian. Meanwhile, Angel (Indya Moore) will seek guidance from an unexpected source.
Personal storytelling and lived experiences are at the heart of Disney’s LAUNCHPAD, which on Friday, May 28, brings six amazing new shorts to Disney+. They’ve been directed by six dynamic filmmakers, all from underrepresented backgrounds, who have looked to their own lives to inspire these bold stories. Disney’s LAUNCHPAD will introduce audiences to a Mexican American teen who is half human/half vampire, struggling to keep her identity a secret from both worlds; a young Muslim Pakistani immigrant who goes on a mission to make Eid a public-school holiday; and a Chinese student at an elite U.S. boarding school who tries out for a leadership position that no other international student has ever applied for—to name just a few of the characters these stories center on. Each LAUNCHPAD short is wonderfully unique and personal, but all will touch the heart as the most quintessentially Disney stories always do.
(Clockwise from top left) Moxie Peng, Hao Zheng, Stefanie Abel Horowitz, Jessica Mendez Siqueiros, Ann Marie Pace, Aqsa Altaf
Disney launched this new program in 2019 to create opportunity for those who have typically been left behind in Hollywood, and to give them a space where their voices can be heard. Mahin Ibrahim, Director of Disney’s Diversity & Inclusion, Market, who oversees the LAUNCHPAD program, says, “Disney at its heart is all about storytelling. So what better way to give artists a seat at the table than through the power of them telling their own stories?”
The six filmmakers whose shorts debut in this first season of LAUNCHPAD were selected from a pool of more than 1,000 filmmakers. In addition to classes—which were mostly conducted virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic—the filmmakers were assigned executive mentors from various divisions of The Walt Disney Company, including Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Production, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Disney+, Lucasfilm, Marvel Studios, and Pixar, who offered support throughout the process, from script development all the way through post-production.
Ann Marie Pace, writer and director of Growing Fangs, was mentored by Osnat Shurer and Halima Hudson of Walt Disney Animation Studios, home to so many films that resonated with her, such as The Lion King and Frozen. “I felt like I could call them any time or ask them any question I needed,” Pace shares. “I remember a very specific experience when we were working on the script. One of the script notes they gave me was, OK, what’s Val’s ‘Let It Go’ moment? It was really profound to hear from these women who have made these films that inspired me in my life, giving me a script note based on their work. I will take their lessons with me from now until forever.”
If storytelling is at the heart of Disney’s LAUNCHPAD, collaboration is intrinsic to the program’s soul, as well. Being a studio filmmaker is a collaborative experience, Phillip Yaw Domfeh, Senior Manager of Disney’s LAUNCHPAD, notes. He says, “We’re looking for people with unique voices and perspectives, but people who also are willing to work with others and build something new and beautiful with that.”
Fittingly, all of the shorts for Disney’s LAUNCHPAD season one live-action short films are based on the theme “Discover.” All six begin streaming this Friday on Disney+, and you can enjoy a sneak peek at all of the shorts in the trailers below.
America Eid, written and directed by Aqsa Altaf Ameena, a Muslim Pakistani immigrant, wakes up on Eid to find out that she has to go to school. Homesick and heartbroken, she goes on a mission to make Eid a public-school holiday, and in the process reconnects with her older sister and embraces her new home, while her new home embraces her.
Dinner is Served, directed by Hao Zheng, written by G. Wilson & Hao Zheng A Chinese student at an elite U.S. boarding school realizes excellence is not enough when he tries out for a leadership position no international student has ever applied for.
Growing Fangs, written and directed by Ann Marie Pace Val Garcia, a Mexican American teen who is half human/half vampire, has had to keep her identity a secret from both worlds. But when her human best friend shows up at her monster-infested school, she has to confront her truth, her identity, and herself.
The Last of the Chupacabras, written and directed by Jessica Mendez Siqueiros In a world where culture has nearly ceased to exist, one lone Mexican American struggling to carry on her traditions unknowingly summons a dark and ancient creature to protect her.
Let’s Be Tigers, written and directed by Stefanie Abel Horowitz Avalon’s not ready to process the loss of her mother, but when she’s put in charge of a 4-year-old for one night, she finds more comfort than she ever could have expected.
The Little Prince(ss), written and directed by Moxie Peng When Gabriel, a 7-year-old Chinese kid who loves ballet, becomes friends with Rob, another Chinese kid from school, Rob’s dad gets suspicious about Gabriel’s feminine behavior and decides to intervene.
A second season, which will be based on the theme of “Connection,” is already getting underway. Aspiring LAUNCHPAD filmmakers may submit applications now through June 11, 2021, here on LAUNCHPAD.disney.com. To bring even more storytellers into the fold, the program will also include a writers track for its sophomore season, which means that it’s possible to apply as a writer, writer/director, a director with a script someone else wrote (so as a team), or as a director. Domfeh emphasizes, “There are so many different types of stories. We want to see stories from every facet of underrepresented filmmakers out there. I think opening up that writers track is going to be paramount to doing that work.”
While the program gives its talented filmmakers a platform that enables their stories to connect with audiences around the world, Ibrahim reveals the unexpected impact Disney’s LAUNCHPAD has had closer to home. “There are about 100 of us who worked on LAUNCHPAD internally within the Company and people have talked about how meaningful it is to them—and one of the most meaningful projects they’ve worked on,” she shares. “This just floored me, because these people work on the most amazing films that impact culture like none other… When work becomes more than work and leads to purpose, that has been truly humbling to see for sure.”
In the field of musical theatre, Lea Salonga has been honored with the Olivier, Tony®, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Theatre World awards. In addition, she holds the distinction of having performed the vocal roles of two Disney leading ladies—the spectacular singing voices of Princess Jasmine and Mulan.
Lea’s breakthrough came on the West End stage in London, England, when she was selected to play Kim in the musical Miss Saigon in 1989. For her performance, she won the Olivier Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Musical.
She was invited to the Disney Studios to sing Princess Jasmine’s soaring love song for the 1992 animated feature Aladdin. “‘A Whole New World’ is a great song,” Lea once said, “and it’s a dream come true to be a part of a Disney animated film.” She reprised the song, along with the singing voice of Aladdin, Brad Kane, on that year’s Academy Awards broadcast. The song went on to win both the Golden Globe® and the Oscar® for Best Song.
Lea returned to Disney just a few years later, this time to sing the bittersweet “Reflection” for the character of Fa Mulan for another Disney animated feature, Mulan (1998). The song received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Song. Lea sang again as Mulan in the 2005 direct-to-video sequel Mulan II.
“I’ve been listening to Disney music my whole life,” Lea once said. “The challenge in doing these songs is to capture all of their feelings and emotions in just a few minutes. You’ve got to remember that moment will last forever and ever on film, and you have to really do your best in that one shot. The whole Disney experience has been great fun.”
Hurry up and don your best frocks, darlings—we don’t want to be late to the debut of Disney’s Cruella! And just who else will be attending this sure-to-be-swanky affair? We’ve got a look at the “guest list”—some of the characters you’ll get to meet (or, in the case of a certain iconic villain, reacquaint yourselves with) when the film premieres later this week…
Estella/Cruella (Emma Stone) Just how did Cruella de Vil become the beloved character we know and love (and love to hate!) today? Estella—her real name—was full of energy and edge as a child, and was blessed with creativity, seeing the world from a different perspective from those around her. Suffering a loss early on in life, and haunted by that experience, she often feels like an outsider among her conformist schoolmates. Estella and her friends Horace and Jasper later fall into a life of crime on the streets—pulling a variety of con jobs while using her imagination and sewing skills to create a brilliant array of disguises. But while the two young men are satisfied with surviving as grifters, Estella has aspirations for a better life as a fashion designer. At age 25, she starts working at London’s most stylish department store, Liberty—and while there, she catches the attention of The Baroness, a fashion legend known to be as chic as she is abrasive. “It’s fun to see the origins of Cruella, and we’ve had fun exploring what makes a villain,” says Stone.
The Baroness von Hellman (Emma Thompson) Elegant yet wicked, fashion queen The Baroness is the opposite of Estella in every way. Estella is cutting-edge, whereas The Baroness—though highly successful—is slightly old-fashioned… and just doesn’t realize it. After impressing her new mentor with a unique window display, Estella revels in The Baroness’ praise and recognition of her talent—happily inhaling every whiff of fashion expertise and management style her new boss exudes, while willingly keeping her rebellious, independent nature in check. But when The Baroness shows up at a ball wearing a special something from Estella’s past, all bets are off, setting in motion a course of events and revelations that cause Estella to embrace her wicked side and become the raucous and revenge-bent Cruella. Admits Thompson, “The Baroness is the reason for Cruella, unfortunately.”
Jasper (Joel Fry) and Horace (Paul Walter Hauser) Young Estella winds up finding a makeshift family—as well as partners in crime—with Jasper and Horace. It’s Jasper who helps Estella get a job at Liberty, knowing that her dream is to leave grifting behind and design fashion. But their family ties become strained when Cruella starts to take over. “It’s very sad, and you see why they need each other, long term, because they’re a real tripod. I don’t know what Cruella would be without Jasper and Horace,” explains Stone.
Artie (John McCrea) After hatching a plan with Jasper and Horace to upstage and distract The Baroness at an event, Estella goes on the hunt for something suitable to wear. She winds up shopping the vintage stores along Portobello Road, where she meets a kindred spirit named Artie—a young shopkeeper with the ideal dress. Says Stone, “Artie is just this really gorgeous, smart, creative, brilliant person, who Estella meets by just going into his shop, and becomes a very important part of sort of creating Cruella.”
Anita Darling (Kirby Howell-Baptiste) One of Estella’s former schoolmates, Anita grows up to become a photojournalist at the tabloid publication Tattletale. Of her character, Howell-Baptiste says, “We first meet Anita at one of The Baroness’ balls, and she’s a reporter, a sort of young up-and-comer. She’s very ambitious and smart. What’s lovely is that all the women are very intelligent. The Baroness is the baddie, and then you have Estella, who also has this slightly dark side, and I think Anita falls right in between where she kind of understands them both but isn’t the same as either of them.”
John the Valet (Mark Strong) Mysterious and tight-lipped, John is a highly trusted member of The Baroness’ entourage. “You’re never really quite sure who he is or what his agenda is, because essentially he’s quite a silent character,” explains Strong. “But then you discover something very interesting about him, and that was the thing that made me want to play him.”
