ABC’s For Life Isn’t Just a TV Series—It’s a Wakeup Call

By Zach Johnson

Incarcerated for a crime he didn’t commit, Aaron Wallace (series lead Nichols Pinnock) is determined to prove his innocence in order to reunite with his family and reclaim the life that was stolen from him. To do so, Aaron becomes a lawyer, litigating cases for other inmates while also fighting to overturn his own life sentence. This is the premise of the new ABC drama series For Life, inspired by the life of Isaac Wright Jr., premiering February 11 at 10|9c.

The fictional serialized drama hails from creator Hank Steinberg and executive producers Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Doug Robinson, Alison Greenspan, and Wright Jr. For Jackson in particular, the series’ themes hit close to home. “I know more people who found themselves in situations where the logical result was to take the plea rather than to go to trial,” he says. “Maybe they couldn’t afford to actually fight or get the right representation. Maybe they were simply afraid to go to jail, so they kept stalling and stalling and stalling until they ended up in trial proceedings and were hung out to dry.”

For Life

Through Aaron’s ferocious struggle and complicated relationship with progressive prison warden Safiya Masry (Indira Varma), For Life will also examine the flaws and challenges in the penal and legal systems. “I’m personally interested in how much corruption there really is and how much of a shakeup there needs to be,” says Varma. “I think politics comes into it—and sometimes it shouldn’t. And race is a massive thing.”

“There are a lot of people in prison who don’t belong there,” adds Emmy® Award-winning actor Timothy Busfield. “There are a lot of people in prison only because the district attorney had to put somebody there, so they manufactured a case. My character, Henry Roswell, knows that—because he himself did that. Hopefully, this will awaken people to the fact that there are a lot of people who are now in prison and shouldn’t be.”

While it’s not a docu-series, For Life deals with real-world issues—issues Varma and her co-stars hope spark a broader discussion. “The people we want to affect and touch might not necessarily read about corruption in the penal system,” the actress explains. “But through entertainment we might be able to educate people and teach compassion.”

For Life

In addition to Busfield and Varma, the cast of For Life includes Joy Bryant as Marie Wallace, Mary Stuart Masterson as Anya Harrison, Boris McGiver as D.A. Maskins, Glenn Fleshler as Frank Foster, Dorian Missick as Jamal Bishop and Tyla Harris as Jasmine Wallace. Jackson has a recurring role as an “institutionalized” inmate, Cassius Dawkins. “He’s been incarcerated since he was 16 and never really got to begin his life,” he says. “He prides himself more on his reputation in jail than in the things he experienced before he got there. You get into the prison system and you’re around bad guys, then you start doing bad things, and then you just become so comfortable with it that it’s the new you.” He adds, “He’s almost the polar opposite of Isaac, who’s working so hard to get home.”

Being a part of For Life has caused even the actors themselves to reconsider how people behind bars are seen and treated. “If somebody is given a criminal record, they become a ‘criminal.’ But actually, they might be a father. They might be a lawyer—or have the potential to be a lawyer,” Varma says. “I think this reminds us that human beings are nuanced. Just because you have a criminal record, it doesn’t mean you’re not human.”

“Or,” as Busfield points out, “that you’re even a criminal.”

Awoo! Meet the Werewolves in Disney Channel’s ZOMBIES 2

By Zach Johnson

Cheerleaders, and zombies, and werewolves… oh, my!

In the Disney Channel Original Movie ZOMBIES 2, the highly anticipated sequel to ZOMBIES, a group of mysterious teenage werewolves head to Seabrook in search of an ancient life source: the moonstone. Their arrival spells trouble for human and zombie relations, which were just repaired after Addison (Meg Donnelly), Zed (Milo Manheim), and their friends convinced the city council to repeal its anti-monster laws.

Of course, fans can count on kind-hearted Addison to welcome the werewolves with open arms. “Addison wants them to be accepted and to feel liked. She wants to learn about where they’re from,” says Donnelly. “The history books in Seabrook don’t reveal what actually happened; the werewolves were there first, and then Seabrook kind of pushed them out. Addison really wants to help them, just like she did with the zombies.”

Before ZOMBIES 2 premieres Friday, February 14, at 8 p.m., we spoke to the cast to find out everything we could about who the werewolves are—and what they really want.

Zombies 2

Willa (Chandler Kinney)
“The werewolves are not afraid to bend or break the rules. We definitely shake things up, for sure,” says Kinney, who describes her character as “a very strong, passionate, aggressive, outspoken, determined force to be reckoned with.” As the leader of the pack, Willa distrusts Addison’s intentions… at least initially. “We’ll have to wait and see.”

Zombies 2

Wyatt (Pearce Joza)
“The first thing that struck me about Wyatt is how much he cares about his pack,” says Joza. “He’s so caring. He goes on this crazy journey to find the moonstone. Our pack is in trouble because we don’t have our power source, so Wyatt goes to Addison for help and some answers. That definitely causes a little bit of a rift between Addison and Zed.”

Zombies 2

Wynter (Ariel Martin)
A sheep in wolf’s clothing? When it comes to her wolfpack, Martin (aka Baby Ariel) says Wynter “is all love.” However, her devotion can sometimes make her “emotional” and “passionate,” she adds. “She’s outgoing and she’s eccentric, but at her core, she cares.”

To see the electrifying dance numbers and bold new original songs, tune in for the television debut of ZOMBIES 2 this Valentine’s Day, only on Disney Channel.

7 Most Magical Moments from the 2020 Oscars®

By Zach Johnson

The 92nd Academy Awards® aired live on ABC Sunday, and The Oscars® was filled with magical moments for Disney fans of all ages. From a once-in-a-lifetime Frozen 2 performance to history-making wins, we’re celebrating those highlights and more below:

1. A Warm and Colorful Welcome
Janelle Monáe opened the Oscars® broadcast with a musical tribute to some of the year’s biggest films. Joined onstage by Billy Porter, Monáe—who voices Peg in the Disney+ original movie Lady and the Tramp—involved the crowd in her act, getting a handful of stars, including Captain Marvel’s Brie Larson, to sing along. Monáe’s spirited performance resulted in standing ovation, with Adam Driver, Charlize Theron, and more applauding.

 2. Frozen Fractals All Around
Because Walt Disney Animation Studios’ record-breaking movie Frozen 2 has been dubbed in 45 different languages, actor Josh Gad, who voices Olaf in the English language version, introduced a special performance featuring the global voices of Elsa: Maria Lucia Heiberg Rosenberg (Denmark), Willemijn Verkaik (Germany), Takako Matsu (Japan), Carmen SarahÍ (Latin America), Lisa Stokke (Norway), Kasia Łaska (Poland), Anna Buturlina (Russia), Gisela (Spain) and Gam Wichayanee (Thailand). As Gad explained, “These dubbed versions provide kids and adults everywhere their own special connection to the story and its characters, which means there are so many great versions of Elsa.” The international group joined Idina Menzel, who voices Elsa in the English language film, and AURORA to sing the Oscar-nominated “Into the Unknown.”

 3. Toy Story 4 Takes Over
Mindy Kaling presented Toy Story 4 director Josh Cooley and producers Mark Nielsen and Jonas Rivera with the Oscar for best Animated Feature Film. “We are so, so grateful for this honor,” Nielsen said. “On behalf of our incredible cast and our crew up at Pixar Animation Studios, we just want to thank the Academy for honoring our film alongside so many beautiful animated films this year. We are just proud to be among them.” Rivera called Toy Story 4 “a love letter to our families,” while Cooley said, “We want to thank the moviegoing audience so much, especially those that grew up with Toy Story. We hope your adventures with Woody and Buzz made growing up a little bit easier.”

Later on, Disney Legend Randy Newman brought a smile to Toy Story 4 fans’ faces when he performed his Oscar-nominated original song “I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away.” The stage was designed to look like the wallpaper in Andy’s room—and if you look closely, you might see Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Bo Peep, and Forky in the clouds!

4. A Lucky Rabbit
Jojo Rabbit’s Taika Waititi won the award for best Adapted Screenplay, making the Māori filmmaker the first indigenous New Zealander to win an Oscar. "I dedicate this to all the indigenous kids in the world who want to do art and dance and write stories," Waititi said onstage. "We are the original storytellers and we can make it here as well."

 5. A Breakthrough Performance
Actress Chrissy Metz took to the stage to perform the Oscar-nominated, Diane Warren-penned ballad “I’m Standing with You” from Breakthrough. Backed by a gospel choir, Metz’s moving performance elicited cheers from the crowd and brought Warren to tears.

6. A First Place Finish
Ford v Ferrari’s Michael McCusker and Andrew Buckland accepted the Oscar for Best Film Editing, while Donald Sylvester accepted the Oscar for Best Sound Editing. McCusker singled out James Mangold in his acceptance speech, saying, “It’s my great, great pleasure to have sat and watched you become one of the best directors in this business in the last 15 years.” He also praised the cast, led by Christian Bale and Matt Damon, as well as the producers and crew members. Sylvester also praised the team effort, saying, “Ford v Ferrari is a marriage of sound and picture, so while I really want to thank my fantastic sound team, I also want to thank my picture team and the mixers.”

7. A GENIUS Debut
During a commercial break, National Geographic and Fox 21 Television Studios released a first-look teaser promo for Genius: Aretha. Oscar nominee Cynthia Erivo stars as Aretha Franklin in the third season of the critically acclaimed global anthology series. Genius: Aretha will premiere over four consecutive nights, beginning Memorial Day, Monday, May 25, at 9|8c. Genius: Aretha will be the first-ever, definitive and only authorized scripted limited series on the life of Franklin. The eight-part series will explore Franklin’s musical genius and incomparable career—and the immeasurable impact and influence she has had on music and culture around the world.

The cast also includes Courtney B. Vance as C.L. Franklin, David Cross as Jerry Wexler, Malcolm Barrett as Ted White, Pauletta Washington as Grandmother Rachel, Patrice Covington as Erma Franklin, Rebecca Naomi Jones as Carolyn Franklin, Steven Norfleet as Cecil Franklin, Kimberly Hébert Gregory as Ruth Bowen, Omar J. Dorsey as James Cleveland, Marque Richardson as King Curtis, and Shaian Jordan as Little Re.

What’s in a Name? – Peter Cushing

By Kevin Kern, Walt Disney Archives

Sometimes, the most interesting historical rediscoveries we make in the Walt Disney Archives come when you least expect it, usually while you’re not looking for what you find. Being a fan of all things Star Wars, I just about fell over when, while perusing a box of Disney studio Casting Department files from the 1950s and 1960s, noticed a very familiar name amidst the box’s folder titles, a name most space saga fans would immediately recognize – “Peter Cushing.” Unfamiliar with what his Disney credits may have been at that time (if any), I removed the folder from the box, and was greeted with small, but rather neat collection of documents outlining an interesting aspect regarding the development of a completely unrelated Walt-era Disney television project – The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh (1964).

A little less than two and a half years before the project would hit American airwaves for Walt, Cushing wrote to the Disney studio pitching himself as the potential lead – “Dr. Syn” – for the Scarecrow story. Along with his letter, he included a proposed story outline for the title, highlighting what he saw as the strengths of the character’s tale. Interestingly, this occurred only a few short months after Walt Disney Productions had obtained the story rights to eight of author Russell Thorndike’s Christopher Syn stories in early February 1961 from their original publishers, New York’s Abelard-Schuman and London’s Rich & Cowan.

While Walt had put the television project into development on February 9, 1961, he had already assigned screenplay work at the time Cushing’s letter was received. Given that the studio was still a long way off from beginning casting, let alone filming, there wasn’t much to do with Cushing’s impromptu, if not gracious, offer. As was standard studio policy at the time, when Walt assigned a writer to develop treatments and screenplay material, he frequently insisted that they take a fresh approach to the topic, refraining from citing or including pre-existing material – fresh-starts in this way usually were a “must” for the entertainment maven’s creative development process.

In light of Cushing’s kind correspondence, the studio responded in early October of the same year expressing gratitude for the thoughtfulness in contacting them. Eventually, the project would turn into a three-part television show for Walt, directed by James Neilson, and airing in February 1964 with actor Patrick McGoohan in the title role. All was not lost for Cushing’s hopes, however. George Lucas’ future Grand Moff Tarkin would go on to portray a character based on the same “Doctor Syn” source material in Hammer Film Productions’ Night Creatures in June 1962, about a year and a half before Walt’s staging would make it to the small screen. Charming to the last, indeed.

GALLERY: Celebrate 75 Years of The Three Caballeros with These Totally Retro Promotional Stills

By D23 Team

Sing, samba, and shout, “¡ay caramba!” because this week we’re celebrating 75 years of three especially famous birds of a feather—The Three Caballeros (1945). In honor of this milestone anniversary, we’ve rounded up some promotional stills that are awesomely retro and full of summer fun, photographed at a specially constructed “beach” on The Walt Disney Studios lot during production! Check out the photos below, featuring our three favorite happy chappies, and check out the behind-the-scenes photography of how the “beach” was created on the lot!

Everything You Need to Know About ZOMBIES 2

By Zach Johnson

Is this the end of Zaddison?!

Premiering Friday, February 14, at 8 p.m., the Disney Channel Original Movie ZOMBIES 2 picks up a few months after the original in the town of Seabrook, where the newly united communities of humans and zombies are living in harmony… for now, at least. The story begins with Addison (Meg Donnelly) finishing up a cheer camp session and Zed (Milo Manheim) devising a way to ask her to Prawn, their school’s shrimp-themed prom. “It starts in a good place, really,” says Manheim. “Then the werewolves come out of nowhere. They cause chaos in Seabrook and nobody knows what to do.”

ZOMBIES 2

The teenage werewolves are searching for the moonstone, an ancient life source buried somewhere in Seabrook. But their unexpected arrival raises red flags, so the fearful city council reinstates its anti-monster laws, making it impossible for Addison and Zed to attend Prawn together. Their relationship is further tested when Addison befriends one of the werewolves, Wyatt (Pearce Joza), who believes she is the key to finding the all-important gem. Just seeing the two of them together can make Zed green(er) with envy.

“Zed’s a little bit frustrated with the werewolves. He doesn’t really like them,” Manheim explains. “And Addison, being the loving person she is, wants them to be accepted. She decides to help them, and I think Zed perceives her relationship with the werewolves to be something different than what it is, because he’s somewhat of a jealous guy.” Even the other werewolves—Willa (Chandler Kinney) and Wynter (Ariel Martin)—are worried about the two of them teaming up. “The werewolves are very skeptical,” Donnelly says. “And the only person who’s driving it is Wyatt. He’s like, ‘Addison, you have to help us!’”

ZOMBIES 2

Still determined to become the first zombie/cheerleader couple to go to the prom, Zed decides to run for school president against cheer captain Bucky (Trevor Tordjman) to change the rules. “These werewolves come into Seabrook and make everyone scared,” Manheim explains. “It’s awful for zombies because they’re set back to where they were.” Meanwhile, Kinney says the werewolves decide to capitalize on that “tension” as they pull Addison even deeper into their circle. Says Donnelly, “They are really pursuing her.”

In real life, the actors playing the cheerleaders, werewolves, and zombies were instant friends. “Pearce, Chandler, and Ariel are the sweetest people in the world,” Donnelly says. “We’re such a close family. I’m sure it was scary for them at first; it’s like going to a new school where everyone knows each other. Now, I can’t remember a time when they weren’t like our family.” Adds Manheim, “I can’t imagine this movie without them.”

ZOMBIES 2

Rest assured, ZOMBIES 2 includes show-stopping musical numbers, with “Call to the Wild,” “I’m Winning,” and “Like the Zombies Do” among some of the cast’s favorites. “I think what a lot of people loved about the first movie is that it was really entertaining to watch,” says Joza. “They could dance, they could sing along, they could connect with the characters—and that’s no different in the second one.” Adds Kinney, “The music and dance numbers in ZOMBIES 2 are bigger—and some might say better—than ever.”

Whether peace will be restored in Seabrook remains to be seen. However, Manheim teases, “Perseverance is a huge aspect of the movie, because none of these things would have happened—none of these changes would have been made—if somebody didn’t keep trying. It also shows that you can make mistakes and still make up for them.”

To see the electrifying dance numbers and bold new original songs, tune in for the television debut of ZOMBIES 2 this Valentine’s Day, only on Disney Channel.

The Falcon and The Winter Soldier and WandaVision Get Premiere Dates—Plus More in News Briefs

By Courtney Potter

Mark your calendars for several brand-new Marvel Studios adventures, and check out the new music video from ZOMBIES 2 costar Baby Ariel… Read more, along with other news from around Disney, in this week’s news briefs!

Mark Your Calendars for The Falcon and The Winter Soldier and WandaVision on Disney+

Big news, friends and fans: Two of the most highly anticipated Disney+ original series have received their official premiere dates! Just this week, Bob Iger, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company, revealed that Marvel Studios’ The Falcon and The Winter Soldier will debut in August 2020, followed by WandaVision in December 2020. As previously announced, a third Marvel Studios series, Loki, will debut the following year.

The Falcon and The Winter Soldier follows the events of Avengers: Endgame, with Sam Wilson/Falcon (Anthony Mackie) and Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) teaming up in a global adventure that tests their abilities—and their patience. Meanwhile, WandaVision blends the style of classic sitcoms with the Marvel Cinematic Universe in which Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany)—two super-powered beings living their ideal suburban lives—begin to suspect that everything is not as it seems.

In case you missed the incredible first look at all three of these sure-to-be-awesome series, click here to check out D23.com’s rundown of Disney’s additions to the recent “Big Game”—with sneak peeks of all three shows, plus new trailers for Mulan and Black Widow.

Save the Date!
Be sure to mark these upcoming Disney events on your calendar:

D23 and Walt Disney Archives
February 8, 2020
D23 Magical Screening Series: The Three Caballeros 75th on The Walt Disney Studios Lot
February 12, 2020
D23 at Disneyland After Dark: Sweethearts’ Night!
February 13, 2020
Attend The Call of the Wild Red Carpet Premiere in Hollywood!
February 15, 2020
D23 Magical Screening Series: The Three Caballeros 75th at Walt Disney World
February 16, 2020
D23 Magical Screening Series: The Three Caballeros 75th Near Washington, D.C.
March 4, 2020
D23 Member Preview of Inside the Walt Disney Archives at the Bowers Museum
March 11, 2020
D23 Member Mixer in Raleigh, N.C.!
March 14, 2020
Mickey’s of Glendale – March 2020
August 9, 2020
Adventures by Disney Rhine River Cruise Presented by D23
Parks
January 17—February 9, 2020
Lunar New Year returns to Disney California Adventure park
January 17—February 24, 2020
Epcot International Festival of the Arts
February 28—April 21, 2020
Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival returns to Disneyland Resort
March 4—June 1, 2020
Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival at Walt Disney World Resort
March 4, 2020
Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway opens at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Studios
March 6, 2020
Onward opens in U.S. theaters
March 27, 2020
Mulan opens in U.S. theaters
May 1, 2020
Marvel Studios’ Black Widow opens in U.S. theaters
May 29, 2020
Artemis Fowl opens in U.S. theaters
Television
February 9, 2020 (8:00 p.m. ET | 5 p.m. PT)
The Oscars® air live on ABC.
February 14, 2020 (8 p.m. EST/PST)
ZOMBIES 2 premieres on Disney Channel and DisneyNOW
February 16, 2020 (8 p.m. EST/ 7 p.m CST)
American Idol returns to ABC
Disney+
February 7, 2020
Timmy Failure premieres
February 14, 2020
Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings premieres
February 21, 2020
Star Wars: The Clone Wars premieres
March 13, 2020
Stargirl premieres

Disney Descendants’ Booboo Stewart Celebrates ZOMBIES 2 with Baby Ariel

It’s the crossover we didn’t know we needed until it happened, and now we can’t imagine life without it… This week, in celebration of the upcoming, highly anticipated Disney Channel Original Movie ZOMBIES 2, Baby Ariel—otherwise known as Ariel Martin, who’s costarring in ZOMBIES 2 as Wynter—released her brand-new music video, “The New Kid in Town,” and it features a very special surprise appearance by none other than Disney Descendants star Booboo Stewart! Check it out, above…

The “The New Kid in Town” video will also be shown during the big Valentine’s Day premiere of ZOMBIES 2—Friday, February 14, at 8 p.m. EST/PST on Disney Channel and DisneyNOW. This monstrous-ly cool comedy features the original cast (including Milo Manheim as Zed and Meg Donnelly as Addison), some exciting newcomers, a ton of new songs, and some killer choreography. Don’t miss it!

Season 2 of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series Wants You to “Be Our Guest”!

“It is with deepest pride and greatest pleasure that we welcome you” to the following news: Not only is Disney+’s breakout hit High School Musical: The Musical: The Series returning for a second season, but they just announced what production the triple-threats of East High’s theater department will be taking on… the Disney Theatricals classic Beauty and the Beast! Find out more by clicking here.

Aida

Written In the Stars: New Tour of Aida to Launch on 2021

Speaking of Disney Theatrical Productions (under the direction of Thomas Schumacher), they had some of their own amazing news to announce this week… a brand-new North American tour of Elton John and Tim Rice’s Tony®-winning Broadway smash Aida will head out on the road in 2021, following its premiere engagement at New Jersey’s Paper Mill Playhouse from February 4 to March 7 of that year.

The production will play Charlotte, Chicago, Fort Worth, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Nashville, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C., among other cities to be announced. Updated and re-imagined, this new production—directed by Schele Williams, a member of the original Broadway cast, and choreographed by Tony Award nominee Camille A. Brown—retains the beloved Tony and Grammy®-winning score and features a book revised by David Henry Hwang, who co-authored the acclaimed original production with Linda Woolverton and Robert Falls. Additionally, the original Tony-winning design team of Bob Crowley (scenery and costumes) and Natasha Katz (lighting) will reinterpret their designs in the retelling of this passionate and timeless story.

For more information, visit AidaOnTour.com!

ICYMI: Disney Bringing Hamilton Movie to Theaters

And there’s one more piece of Broadway-related news this week, that may or may not have made us positively elated (spoiler alert: it did)—Hamilton is coming to the big screen in 2021, courtesy The Walt Disney Studios! We’ll get to be in “the room where it happened” like never before; read up on what you can expect, and hear from creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda, by clicking here.

Disney+ Celebrates Valentine’s Day with Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings, The Simpsons, and More!

Valentine’s Day is just a week away, but love is already in the air at Disney+! Subscribers can get feel it, too, with all-new episodes of the fan-favorite series Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings, beloved animated classics and romantic comedies, and Valentine’s Day-themed episodes of The Simpsons. Watch the trailer for the new season of the original series Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings, streaming on February 14:

 Disney+ has tons of romantic original content, too, with short films like Forky Asks a Question: “What Is Love?” and feature films like Lady and the Tramp (2019) available.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Up

Animated classics include:

  • The Aristocats
  • Beauty and the Beast (1991)
  • Cinderella (1950)
  • Hercules (1997)
  • The Little Mermaid
  • One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961)
  • The Princess and the Frog
  • Riley’s First Date?
  • Robin Hood (1973)
  • Sleeping Beauty
  • Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
  • Tangled
  • Up
  • WALL-E

Never Been Kissed and Aladdin

Live-action movies include:

  • 10 Things I Hate About You
  • Aladdin (2019)
  • High School Musical
  • Never Been Kissed
  • Princess Diaries 2: The Royal Engagement
  • Splash (Premieres February 14)
  • Tuck Everlasting
  • While You Were Sleeping

The Simpsons

The Simpsons Valentine’s Day-themed episodes include:

  • Season 4, Episode 15: “I Love Lisa”
  • Season 10, Episode 14: “I’m With Cupid”
  • Season 14, Episode 15: “C.E. D’oh”
  • Season 18, Episode 9: “Kill Gil, Volumes I & II”
  • Season 19, Episode 12: “Love, Springfieldian Style”
  • Season 22, Episode 13: “The Blue and the Gray”
  • Season 23, Episode 13: “The Daughter Also Rises”
  • Season 25, Episode 11: “Specs and the City”
  • Season 27, Episode 13: “Love is in the N2-02-Ar-Co2-Ne-He-CH4”

QUIZ: Can You Ace This Pinocchio Two Truths and a Lie-Inspired Trivia Quiz?

By Savannah Salazar

Eighty years ago, Walt Disney’s Pinocchio opened in theaters—dazzling audiences with innovative animation, infectious songs, and a whole new slew of lovable characters. One of those characters was a little puppet with a big dream and a knack for telling the occasional white lie, so in true Pinocchio fashion, we want to challenge you to a game of Two Truths and a Lie. Can you pick out which fact is a lie?

Now, let your conscience be your guide, and play away!

Pinocchio

Round One

  1. Animator Ward Kimball brought Jiminy Cricket to life.
  2. Jiminy Cricket plays a major role in both the film and Carlo Collodi’s original tale.
  3. Since his debut in Pinocchio, Jiminy Cricket has also appeared in films and television shows like Fun and Fancy Free (1947) and the Mickey Mouse Club (1955 – 1959).

Pinocchio

Round Two

  1. Pinocchio was only Walt Disney’s third full-length feature production.
  2. Many Disney fans had written to Walt Disney to suggest making Pinocchio into a feature film.
  3. Pinocchio was filmed in Technicolor and cost $2.6 million to make.

Pinocchio

Round Three

  1. Disney animators drew Monstro to the scale of a three-story building.
  2. Six Disney artists worked together to animate the scene in which Pinocchio and Geppetto take their raft towards Monstro’s mouth.
  3. The scene described above only lasts for one minute on screen.

Pinocchio

Round Four

  1. Pinocchio was the second Disney film to receive an Oscar® in both musical categories—Best Original Score and Best Original Song
  2. When it came to Pleasure Island, some Disney artists wanted it to be a fun, appealing place, but it was actually Walt Disney’s idea to make it look more like a creepy amusement park.
  3. Directors John Musker and Ron Clements and their animators used the Monstro scenes from Pinocchio as a reference when working on the water effects for The Little Mermaid.

Pinocchio

Round Five

  1. Pinocchio made an appearance in two other Disney films, Aladdin and Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
  2. The Blue Fairy’s name was inspired by a character who had teal hair in Carlo Collodi’s original novel.
  3. The voice of Pinocchio, Dickie Jones, also voiced another popular Disney character: Peter Pan.

 

 

Answers

Round One: 2) In Carlo Collodi’s original novel, Jiminy Cricket is only a minor character who dies early on, through Pinocchio’s actions.

Round Two: 1) Pinocchio was Walt Disney’s second full-length picture.

Round Three: 3) Six Disney artists collaborated on the scene where Geppetto and Pinocchio are swallowed by Monstro, a scene that lasted for just over four seconds.

Round Four: 1) Disney’s Pinocchio was actually the first Disney film to receive an Oscar® in both musical categories—best original score and best original song. Since Pinocchio, six more Disney films have gone on to win dual awards in both musical categories.

Round Five: 3) Peter Pan was voiced by Bobby Driscoll, who starred in many Disney productions, including Treasure Island.

Everything You Need to Know About the 2020 Oscars®

By Zach Johnson

Roll out the red carpet, because Hollywood’s biggest night is back—and it’s bigger than ever! The 92nd Oscars® will be held Sunday, February 9, 2020, at the Dolby® Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood and be televised live on ABC at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET. The show will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories.

Here’s what you can expect on Oscars Sunday (and beyond):

Oscars

When and Where Can I Watch the Oscars?
The Oscars Red Carpet Show—the official pre-show for Hollywood’s biggest night—will give movie lovers real-time access to the night’s nominees, performers and presenters beginning at 3:30 p.m. PT/6:30 p.m. ET on ABC. The red carpet festivities will be hosted by actor and singer Billy Porter, journalist and talk show host Tamron Hall, supermodel Lily Aldridge and film critic Elvis Mitchell. Then at 4:30 p.m. PT/7:30 p.m. ET, Emmy® Award-winning producer and radio and TV personality Ryan Seacrest will appear to usher viewers watching from home into the final moments before the main show begins.

Those who have a participating TV provider account in select markets can access the coverage at abc.com or on the ABC app. There will be a Twitter live stream of The Academy’s exclusive coverage, Oscars All Access: Red Carpet Live, at @TheAcademy. TV writer and entertainment journalist Louis Virtel returns as host and will be joined by his new co-host, actress Sydney Park, and social media correspondent Natalia Perez.

Fans may also submit questions for nominees, presenters, and performers via Twitter using #OscarsAllAccess for a chance to have them asked in real time. Sponsored by Verizon, Oscars All Access: Red Carpet Live features up to 10 cameras strategically placed along the red carpet, giving fans an immersive look at the glamorous event.  And, for the first time, Twitter has launched a DM experience for Twitter users to predict winners and share their picks with their followers. Fans can make predictions for all 23 categories or choose to simply make predictions for the six most popular categories. Throughout the night, there will be sharing prompts, reminders, and scoring touchpoints.

“Every year the Oscars come to life on Twitter. From the moment the red carpet begins to the award for Best Picture at the end of the night, fans everywhere are on Twitter talking about their favorite moments from the show,” said Sarah Rosen, head of U.S. Entertainment Partnerships at Twitter. “We are thrilled to have the award-winning Oscars All Access back on Twitter and, once again, give fans a front-row seat to the biggest night in entertainment live on Twitter.”

Kimberly Weisberg, executive producer of Oscars All Access: Red Carpet Live, added, “With the ability to ask nominees their burning questions live, as well as debate trending topics and discuss their love of film, fans are, without a doubt, the fourth host of Oscars All Access: Red Carpet Live. And because Twitter is the place to be for real-time conversation on Oscar Sunday, we couldn’t imagine a better partnership and platform for our show.”

Veteran Oscars director Glenn Weiss is returning for the annual awards ceremony. “We are so lucky that Glenn is back as our director this year. He is deeply creative and collaborative, and has a terrific instinct for live television,” said show producers Lynette Howell Taylor and Stephanie Allain. “It is a huge win to us to have Glenn at the helm.”

Oscars

Which Disney Films Are Nominated for Oscars?
The Walt Disney Company’s portfolio of brands earned a combined 23 nominations in 15 categories—led by Searchlight Pictures’ Jojo Rabbit with six, including Best Picture.

The complete list is as follows:

Best Picture
Ford v Ferrari—Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping, and James Mangold, Producers
Jojo Rabbit—Carthew Neal and Taika Waititi, Producers

Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Scarlett Johansson—Jojo Rabbit

Best Costume Design
Jojo Rabbit—Mayes C. Rubeo

Toy Story 4

Best Animated Feature Film
Toy Story 4—Josh Cooley, Mark Nielsen, and Jonas Rivera

Best Film Editing
Ford v Ferrari—Michael McCusker and Andrew Buckland
Jojo Rabbit—Tom Eagles

Best Original Score
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker—John Williams

Best Animated Short Film
Kitbull—Rosana Sullivan and Kathryn Hendrickson

Best Sound Editing
Ford v Ferrari—Donald Sylvester
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker—Matthew Wood and David Acord

Ford Vs. Ferrari

Best Sound Mixing
Ad Astra—Gary Rydstrom, Tom Johnson, and Mark Ulano
Ford v Ferrari—Paul Massey, David Giammarco, and Steven A. Morrow

Best Documentary (Feature)
The Cave—Feras Fayyad, Kirstine Barfod, and Sigrid Dyekjær

Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil—Paul Gooch, Arjen Tuiten, and David White

Best Original Song
“I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away” from Toy Story 4—Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
“I’m Standing with You” from Breakthrough—Music and Lyric by Diane Warren
“Into the Unknown” from Frozen 2—Music and Lyric by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez

Best Production Design
Jojo Rabbit—Production Design: Ra Vincent, Set Decoration: Nora Sopková

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Best Visual Effects
Avengers: Endgame—Dan DeLeeuw, Russell Earl, Matt Aitken, and Dan Sudick
The Lion King—Robert Legato, Adam Valdez, Andrew R. Jones, and Elliot Newman
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker—Roger Guyett, Neal Scanlan, Patrick Tubach, and Dominic Tuohy

Best Adapted Screenplay
Jojo Rabbit—Screenplay by Taika Waititi

Who Is Hosting the Oscars?
In a word...nobody. “Together with The Academy, we have decided there will be no traditional host, repeating for us what worked last year,” said Karey Burke, president, ABC Entertainment. However, Burke promised the annual ceremony will continue to showcase “huge entertainment values, big musical numbers, comedy, and star power.”

Oscars

Who Is Presenting at the Oscars?
Presenters include Mahershala Ali, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Zazie Beetz, Timothée Chalamet, Olivia Colman, James Corden, Penélope Cruz, Beanie Feldstein, Will Ferrell, Jane Fonda, Josh Gad, Gal Gadot, Zack Gottsagen, Tom Hanks, Salma Hayek, Oscar Isaac, Mindy Kaling, Diane Keaton, Regina King, Shia LaBeouf, Brie Larson, Spike Lee, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, George MacKay, Rami Malek, Steve Martin, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Sandra Oh, Natalie Portman, Anthony Ramos, Keanu Reeves, Chris Rock, Ray Romano, Maya Rudolph, Mark Ruffalo, Kelly Marie Tran, Taika Waititi, Sigourney Weaver, Kristen Wiig, and Rebel Wilson. “We’re excited to welcome these talented artists to help celebrate this year’s movies,” Howell Taylor and Allain said of this year’s A-list roster. “Each brings their own unique energy and appeal to our global audience.”

Frozen

 Who Is Performing at the Oscars?

Disney Legend Elton John; Disney Legend Randy Newman; Chrissy Metz; and Cynthia Erivo will bring to life their respective nominated numbers from the Best Original Song category. Additionally, the global voices of Frozen 2’s Elsa—Marcia Lucia Heiberg Rosenberg (Denmark), Willemijn Verkaik (Germany), Takako Matsu (Japan), Carmen Sarahi (Latin America), Lisa Stokke (Norway), Kasia Łaska (Poland), Anna Buturlina (Russia), Gisela (Spain) and Gam Wichayanee (Thailand)—will join Idina Menzel and AURORA for a performance of the Academy Award-nominated hit “Into the Unknown.”

The show will also feature an appearance by Questlove and a guest-conducted segment by Eímear Noone, who is the first woman to conduct during an Oscars telecast. Superstar Janelle Monáe and multiple Grammy® Award winner Billie Eilish will also give special performances. “We’re excited to have an incredible group of nominees and performers who will deliver one-of-a-kind music moments you will only see on the Oscars,” said Howell Taylor and Allain.

What Happens After the Oscars?
On Monday, February 10, ABC’s Good Morning America will be broadcasting live from the historic El Capitan Theatre in the heart of Hollywood. Join Disney Legend Robin Roberts, Michael Strahan, Lara Spencer and Ginger Zee for star-studded surprises. Green Day will also perform their new single, “Oh Yeah,” from the album Father of All...

Then, Kelly Ripa and Seacrest will bring daytime TV’s No. 1 entertainment talk show back to the Dolby Theatre for Live’s After Oscar Show. The exciting annual broadcast will air live—from the very same stage as the Oscars—in national syndication at 9 a.m. ET. (Check KellyandRyan.com or local listings for time and station). The special will include the TV debut of Kesha’s new song, “Tonight,” off of her new album, High Road.

Now in its ninth year, Live’s After Oscar Show telecast celebrates the night’s biggest stars and moments. “The success of Live is a testament to the partnership of Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest,” said Wendy McMahon, president of ABC Owned Television Stations. “Their hard work, professionalism and infectious chemistry drive the show’s performance, making their connection to millions of people every day look effortless.”

Kelly and Ryan

The special will highlight the Oscars’ standout moments, with exclusive backstage interviews that capture the winners’ emotions just minutes after accepting their awards. In addition, Maria Menounos is on board to host a special Facebook Live pre-show as the hosts count down to the live broadcast. She’ll also team up with Jonathan Van Ness to break down the fashions and style trends for Ripa, Seacrest, and the Live audience.

This year, Ripa and Seacrest will raise the bar with a loving and hilarious pre-taped homage to the 2020 Oscar-nominated movies. “As we head into the ninth year of Live’s After Oscar Show, Kelly and Ryan will once again bring our fans into the heart and excitement of the Oscars experience,” said Debra O’Connell, president and general manager of WABC. “Every single member of the Live cast and crew has put forth a herculean effort to broadcast this live special, and being able to share this moment with millions of viewers and seeing the positive ratings makes all the time and energy worth it.”