By Zach Johnson
To cap off an unforgettable weekend, D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event presented by Visa® will conclude on Sunday, August 11, with the Disney Legends Awards Ceremony. The Disney Legends Award honors artists and visionaries throughout The Walt Disney Company’s history who have pushed the envelope of creativity, challenged conventional wisdom, and broken the restraints of the status quo in search of new possibilities and excellence. A 37-year tradition, this year’s honorees include Colleen Atwood, Angela Bassett, Martha Blanding, James L. Brooks, James Cameron, Jamie Lee Curtis, Miley Cyrus, Steve Ditko, Harrison Ford, Mark Henn, Frank Oz, Kelly Ripa, Joe Rohde, and John Williams.
In an exclusive Q&A, Mark Henn—who is being recognized in the Animation category—reflects on his contributions and what it means to be named a Disney Legend.
How does it feel to be honored as a Disney Legend?
It feels both exciting and humbling being honored as a Disney Legend.
What inspired you to be an animator?
I was inspired by Disney Animation growing up as a small boy. Both Cinderella and The Reluctant Dragon played an important role in inspiring me to become a Disney animator.
Your first major assignment at Disney was animating Mickey Mouse in Mickey’s Christmas Carol. How would you summarize that experience, and—given that he is one of Walt’s original creations—did it deepen your appreciation for the character?
Animating Mickey Mouse for Mickey’s Christmas Carol was a major opportunity for me. I always thought how cool it was to start my animation career animating Mickey Mouse. Needless to say, I had rather large shoes to fill.
From Ariel, Belle, and Jasmine to Mulan, Giselle, and Tiana, you’re the Disney Princess expert. What’s the key to making them unique but also distinctly Disney?
Having animated many of Disney’s princesses, the challenge is making each one a unique personality. They each must support the role they perform in their respective films. Each princess needs to be accessible so the audience can relate to them. Plus, I think all of our princesses are just very nice people.
What’s it like to mentor the next generation of hand-drawn animators at Disney?
It’s hard to believe I’m now at the other end of my career acting as the “elder statesman,” when it seems just like yesterday I could go to [Disney Legend] Eric Larson to get help and inspiration from him. I thoroughly enjoy working with our new animators. They come into the studio with the same drive and energy to carry on the tradition of Disney Animation that my generation had following Walt Disney’s Nine Old Men. It has been my role to help in any way that I can to pass along all the knowledge I have and to encourage them along their way.