6 Enchanting Cinderella Facts Fit for Royalty

By Jocelyn Buhlman

Who among us hasn’t been enchanted by the timeless tale of Cinderella? One of Disney’s most treasured animated classics, Cinderella will celebrate 70 lovely years in 2020. In honor of this milestone anniversary, the film is joining the Walt Disney Signature Collection, an assemblage of groundbreaking films, created or inspired by the imagination and legacy of Walt Disney himself, available on Digital and Blu-rayTM. You can have a ball with the Signature Collection edition of Cinderella right now on digital and take home the film on Blu-ray and DVD on June 25.

In celebration of this special release, we’ve rounded up six of the most fascinating facts we could find on Cinderella to share with you… and don’t worry, they won’t disappear at midnight!

Cinderella

1. You know Jaq and Gus… but what about Mert and Bert?
We fell in love with Cinderella’s tiny mouse helpers, led by the adorable Jaq and Gus. But did you know that many of these magnificent mice have official names? You may have met Suzy and Perla, two female mice in adorable dresses, on one of your trips to Disney Parks. Mert, Bert, Luke, and Blossom are all mice named in the studio production notes, but not individually identified.

2. There is no given name for Prince Charming.
Cinderella has been declared “as lovely as her name,” but what about the prince? While he may be named in published versions of the story, Cinderella’s intrepid shoe-discoverer is only known as “Prince Charming” in the film, much as the prince in Snow White is only known as “The Prince.”

Maleficent and Lady Tremain

3. A sinisterly familiar voice
Maleficent may be the “mistress of all evil” when it comes to villainy, but when it comes to being the mistress of evil voices, look to none other than Eleanor Audley. In Cinderella, she voices the cruel Lady Tremaine, Cinderella’s wicked stepmother who forces her stepdaughter to act as a servant. Does Lady Tremaine’s villainous voice sound familiar? Audley also provided Maleficent’s voice in 1959’s Sleeping Beauty, and Disney Parks guests can hear her reciting incantations as Madam Leota in Haunted Mansion—although Leota’s face is not Audley’s, but instead that of the character’s namesake, Imagineer Leota Thomas.

Cinderella

4. The live-action Cinderella you’ve never seen
You may be familiar with Lily James’ and Brandi’s depictions of the fair princess in Disney’s live-action retellings of the iconic fairy tale, but before either of those actresses stepped out of their slippers, Helene Stanley brought Disney’s Cinderella to life. The 18-year-old actress acted out the entire story on film so that animators Marc Davis and Eric Larson could make Cinderella’s every emotion, expression, and movement believable.

Cinderella

5. Marketing for the film referenced a “Disneyland” before the theme park was completed
Five years before Disneyland’s gates would open, ads for the film proclaimed, “It’s so full of the wonderful fun, hilarious characters, singable songs—the sheer enchantment that comes only from Disneyland.” While we know that Disneyland in Anaheim is definitely full of the enchantment the ad mentions, the park itself did not exist when Cinderella was in theaters! The Disneyland in question is simply the land of Disney magic—the special place we go when we enjoy Disney movies.

Cinderella

6. Setting the stage for future Cinderellas
While we mentioned two classic live-action retellings of Cinderella above, there are actually three live-action feature film depictions of Cinderella that you can enjoy.  Beyond the animated film, you can enjoy 1997’s Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, 2014’s Into the Woods, and 2015’s Cinderella. Dresses from the live-action films will be on display at D23 Expo 2019, along with a gown worn by Scarlett Johansson for Annie Leibovitz’s 2007 Disney Dream Portrait series and Cinderella’s gown from the ABC hit series Once Upon a Time.

7 Fun Stories We Collected at the Toy Story 4 Press Conference

By Zach Johnson

If Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 3 marked the end of Andy’s childhood adventures, Toy Story 4 marks the start of a new journey for Woody (voice of Tom Hanks), his former partner in crime. With the animated movie opening in theaters June 21, 2019, we recently joined the cast and crew at Toy Story Land at Walt Disney World Resort to learn more about all of the toys Bonnie (voice of Madeleine McGraw) inherited from Andy—and what happens when her imagination gives life to Forky (voice of Tony Hale), an arts-and-crafts project who thinks he’s trash. Literally.

We also met four new characters—Gabby Gabby (voice of Christina Hendricks), Ducky and Bunny (voices of Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele), and Duke Caboom (voice of Keanu Reeves)—and were reintroduced to a steadfast, street-smart Bo Peep (voice of Annie Potts). Because the Toy Story movies are near and dear to the hearts of millions, the team at Pixar approached this project with added affection and care. “We knew it had to rise to the level of the other ones,” producer Mark Nielsen said, “so we put our blood, sweat, and tears into this.”

Here’s what else we learned from the Toy Story 4 press conference:

Toy Story 4 Press Conference

1. Duke Caboom is the pride of Pixar’s Canadian animators.
“When we cast these roles, we don’t want to see faces,” director Josh Cooley explained. “We have a casting department bring in a bunch of recordings. We say, ‘Turn the headshots over. We just want to hear the voice.’” After listening to dialogue from Reeves’ oeuvre, Cooley and the producers immediately knew they’d found their daredevil. After an enthusiastic meeting at Pixar’s headquarters, Reeves agreed to play the part. “There’s a lot of great Canadians who work at Pixar, and they all volunteered to animate the Duke Caboom shots,” Nielsen said, adding that the self-appointed “Maple Leaf Crew” animated most of his scenes.

Toy Story 4 Press Conference

2. Gabby Gabby is not a cookie cutter, one-dimensional villain.
She’s an adorable, talking pull-string doll from the 1950s, but a manufacturing defect in Gabby Gabby’s voice box has kept her shelved in an antiques store. Although she desperately wants to acquire Woody’s functioning voice box, she may not be as sinister as she seems. “All of the characters in this movie are so well rounded,” Hendricks said. “A sweet thing about this character is she’s not just one thing. She’s got this strength, even though she’s a baby doll. It was a joy to bring all those sides to her.” Hendricks hopes that after audiences see Gabby Gabby’s story unfold completely, they’ll become more empathetic. “Ultimately, you have to listen to everyone’s full story before you make a judgment about them—or hopefully not make a judgment about them,” she said. “You need to listen before you can fully understand them.”

Toy Story 4 Press Conference

3. No one knows what’s under Buzz Lightyear’s headgear.
When Tim Allen was put on the spot regarding the Space Ranger’s hidden hairstyle, he had a few hypotheses. “He has pattern baldness,” Allen joked. “That balaclava he wears? It’s for fireproofing! No, actually, he’s got a beautiful head of hair underneath there. It’s rather curly and he’s got a man bun.” Cooley, Nielsen, and Rivera neither confirmed nor denied his theories.

Toy Story 4 Press Conference

4. Recording dialogue Toy Story 4 was unlike the previous films.
“I never read a complete script. I don’t think anyone did,” Hanks said, noting that he was only privy to Woody’s sequences. “We always knew what territory we were going into, but never the specific route.” Also, the recording process changed. “Annie and I got to record together at the same time—and that never happens!” Hanks said. “You’re always on a soundstage by yourself.”

Toy Story 4 Press Conference

5. No one understands Forky better than Tony Hale.
Hale said joining Toy Story 4 was “overwhelming”—in a good way. In fact, the actor’s anxiety helped him relate to Forky, who’s been in an existential crisis since birth. “When they brought me to Pixar, they described him as kind of nervous. I was like, ‘Check!’ They said he asked a lot of questions. ‘Check!’ And they said he was gullible to a fault. ‘Bingo! I’m in.’” He also valued Forky’s simplicity, saying, “When he’s brought into the world, he doesn’t understand the rules of the universe. Like, he’s very confused when toys drop to the ground when humans walk in!”

Toy Story 4 Press Conference

6. Bo Peep’s journey made Annie Potts feel like a queen.
As was true of Toy Story 3, Toy Story 4 also addresses loss in a profound way. And at this point in her life, it’s a subject matter Potts felt she could explore with greater vulnerability. “I’m 66 years old. I’ve said goodbye to a lot of people, and hello, and held hands, and looked out into a new future—and it was sweet to play that out. As we said earlier, I never saw the full script; I never knew exactly what I was doing. Over time, I became aware how important the role was going to be,” the actress said. “But not until three weeks ago, when I saw the movie, did I tell Josh afterward, ‘Thank you so much for putting this crown on my head.’ I think she’s so lovely.”

Allen was similarly affected by the film. “I read through and the end was kind of mercurial,” he said, comparing his feelings to a father watching his daughter get married. “There’s great sadness, because she’s leaving, but great [happiness], because she’s also gaining something.”

Toy Story 4 Press Conference

7. It took nearly 20 years for Tom Hanks to grasp Toy Story’s impact.
While enjoying the nighttime show Fantasmic! at Disneyland Park with his family, it dawned on Hanks that he was part of something bigger than himself. “The Mark Twain Riverboat comes by, and all of the Disney characters are on it: Belle, Sleeping Beauty, Mickey Mouse, Mulan, Captain Hook, Peter Pan—everyone! And my daughter, who was 30, burst into tears. I went, ‘What’s wrong?’ She said, ‘Dad, look at the end of the boat.’ It was Woody and Buzz. She said, ‘Dad, you will always be on that boat dancing for the rest of time as long as Disneyland is here,’” Hanks said. “That’s more than just a cool thing; it’s actually a sort of talisman we get to carry with us.”

Did You Know? Seven Swinging Facts About Disney’s Tarzan

By Jim Fanning

One of the most iconic heroes ever created swung to dynamic new life when Tarzan was released on June 18, 1999. Disney’s 37th animated feature brought the famed ape-man to life as never before through the art of Disney animation. Tarzan follows the extraordinary adventures of an orphaned infant raised by a family of gorillas who matures into a young man with the instincts of a jungle animal and the physical prowess of an athletic superstar. When he encounters humans in the form of a beautiful Englishwoman, her ape-expert father and a duplicitous hunter, he must determine who is his true family. To celebrate this Oscar®-winning film’s 20th anniversary, here are seven tantalizing tidbits to tell us why Tarzan will always be in our hearts.

Tarzan 20th anniversary

1. Tarzan’s creator envisioned his story as an animated feature
With 47 previous movies, Tarzan is one of most filmed subjects in Hollywood history. By producing the first Tarzan animated feature, Disney realized a dream long held by Edgar Rice Burroughs who wrote Tarzan of the Apes in 1912. As early as 1936, the author seriously considered animation as the medium that could more faithfully bring his hero to life on the screen. “The cartoon must be good,” he wrote as he envisioned an animated ape-man. “It must approximate Disney excellence.” Flash forward to 1995 when Disney artist Kevin Lima was invited to direct an animated Tarzan. A lifelong fan of gorillas, Lima read Burroughs’ book and immediately saw how ideally the story was suited for animation. He enlisted fellow artist Chris Buck (who would go on to co-direct Frozen, 2013, and the forthcoming Frozen 2) to direct the film with him. “When we first began looking at the book, we asked ourselves what do we want to say that’s different from what other Tarzan movies have said,” Lima said, explaining that he and Buck wanted to fully explore the jungle man’s relationship to his adopted gorilla family.

Tarzan 20th anniversary

2. Tarzan is voiced by the grandson of Walt Disney’s friend and colleague
Vocalizing the central role of Tarzan, actor Tony Goldwyn is by coincidence the grandson of Walt Disney’s friend and fellow independent producer, legendary filmmaker Samuel Goldwyn. Well-known today to TV audiences for his presidential performance on ABC’s drama series Scandal, this heir to Hollywood royalty brought both dramatic skill and a sense of humor to the jungle adventurer. Goldwyn was especially motivated by the artists’ concept art. “Once I began to see the final Tarzan [designs] and understand who he was, I found it extremely helpful to have that image in my head. Increasingly, I would see how he moved. To get a visual image of the character was extremely important and inspiring.” At the same time, Goldwyn’s vocalization inspired the animators. “Tony’s voice has real depth,” noted the character’s supervising animator Glen Keane. “There’s a lower register quality that has almost an animal sound to it. It really works well for the character.” Ironically, it was Brian Blessed, the voice of the villainous hunter Clayton, and not Goldwyn, who performed the famous Tarzan yell.

Tarzan 20th anniversary

3. Glen Keane was inspired by extreme sports in animating Tarzan
As Tarzan’s supervising animator, Glen Keane worked with a group of 13 character animators at Disney Animation’s Paris Studio. “The Tarzan described in Burroughs’ book was incredible and nothing like the one I’ve seen in the Hollywood films,” observed Keane, then a 24-year Disney veteran responsible for creating such characters as Ariel, the Beast and Aladdin. To shape the thrill-seeking persona of Tarzan, Keane drew inspiration from his own teenaged son and his love for skateboarding and other extreme sports. “Burroughs describes a Tarzan that is like a wild man, somebody that the adrenaline had to be pumping through, and I thought, he’s an extreme sports guy. What if he’s a tree surfer instead of swinging on the vines?” The directors were concern that Tarzan would be portrayed as a “surfer dude,” but Keane revealed his test animation and the approach was approved. In the “Son of Man” sequence, renowned skateboarder Tony Hawk inspired Tarzan’s movements. “When I saw the Disney film, it was such a thrill to finally see my grandfather’s characters portrayed as he truly wrote and described them in his books,” said Danton Burroughs. “He described these wonderful scenes where Tarzan would just leap and fly, grabbing branches wildly like in a tornado and Glen Keane has captured that movement in his scenes.”

Tarzan 20th anniversary

4. Disney developed a new technology to help Tarzan swing through his animated jungle
The filmmakers’ desire to integrate the tree-surfing Tarzan into sweeping jungle backgrounds led to the development of a 3D painting and rendering technique known as Deep Canvas, a term coined by artist/engineer Eric Daniels. This technique allows artists to produce CGI backgrounds that look like traditional paintings, according to art director Daniel St. Pierre. Following Tarzan, Deep Canvas was utilized in such films as Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001) and Treasure Planet (2002). In 2003, Disney received an Academy Award for developing the Deep Canvas technology.

Tarzan 20th anniversary

5. The Tarzan Filmmakers Went on a Very Special Safari
In March 1996, the Tarzan directors and a group of artistic supervisors embarked on an African safari. Touring the animal reserves in Kenya, visiting the mountain gorillas in Uganda, and observing Bwindi’s “Impenetrable Forest” proved to be invaluable background for the filmmakers. So overwhelming and enveloping were such locales as the Bwandi Forest that the Disney artists conceived Tarzan’s jungle as an all-encompassing environment, almost a character in itself. One of the trip’s highlights occurred when the group visited the Sweetwater Chimp Sanctuary and park manager Vince Smith’s five-year-old son, Oliver, played with a family of chimps that roamed freely on the property. “The trip to Africa was life-changing for those of us who went and a critical step in developing the film,” Chris Buck recalled. “I don’t think we could have made this movie if we hadn’t gone. It gave us a tremendous appreciation for the beauty of the jungle and a sense of the special family relationships that exist among the gorillas.”

Tarzan 20th anniversary

6. Minnie Driver “drove” the character development of Jane
In defining Jane Porter, the Victorian lady who impresses Tarzan with her creativity and enthusiasm, the Disney artists were inspired by real-life jungle conservationists Jane Goodall and Dian Fossey, who both lived with and studied gorillas and chimpanzees. But it was the vocal performance of Minnie Driver, the English actor who is perhaps best known today for the ABC comedy Speechless, that truly inspired supervising animator Ken Duncan. “She would have a lot of exaggerated mouth shapes and her eyes would light up,” says Duncan. “She was really expressive and we took that and put it into the design.” The scene where Jane describes meeting Tarzan to her father was improvised by Driver, resulting in Duncan animating one of the longest animated scenes ever. The scene took seven weeks to animate and 73 feet of film.

Tarzan 20th anniversary

7. Phil Collins had to be convinced he was the music man to drum up the songs for Tarzan
For the film’s score, Lima and Buck decided to emphasize percussion as a way to distinguish their jungle-set film from the choral sound of The Lion King (1994). Feeling that the percussion-driven music of Phil Collins was a perfect fit, Lima, Buck and Disney executive music producer Chris Montan flew to Switzerland to persuade the reluctant Collins to sign on. The singer/songwriter/drummer was apprehensive about writing story-telling songs needed for a Disney musical. However, once the filmmakers assured him they wanted the “Collins touch,” he agreed to try. Finding Burroughs’ book a revelatory inspiration, Collins begin writing almost immediately and soon, he had composed “loads and loads of music” including three songs heard in the final film (“Son of Man,” “Trashin’ the Camp” and “Strangers Like Me”). “You’ll Be in My Heart” was written during Christmas dinner at a neighbor’s house, where the composer scribbled the chords and melody on a piece of wrapping paper. “You’ll Be in My Heart” won the Academy Award for Best Song, while the Tarzan Original Soundtrack Recording was awarded a Grammy as Best Soundtrack Album.

Meet Your Favorite Disney Channel Stars at D23 Expo 2019

by D23 Team

Calling all Disney Channel-obsessed kids, tweens, and families! Your favorite Disney Channel stars are headed to the Anaheim Convention Center in August for the D23 Expo this year! With special appearances scheduled daily, fans are invited to stop by the Walt Disney Television booth on the Expo show floor to meet and take pictures with their favorite stars.

Got some little princes and princesses in your family? Don’t worry, Disney Junior will also be there with Fancy Nancy and Vampirina, who are excited to meet your youngest royalty!

But that’s not all: You’ll also be able to hear all about the Disney Channel series Amphibia and Big City Greens, with a special Q&A session with some of the cast and the creators/executive producers of the shows, with a special appearance by the world’s most famous amphibian himself, Kermit the Frog!

There will also be limited-edition merchandise so you can represent your favorite Disney Channel shows in style. The special collection of T-shirts will feature Disney Channel classics such as High School Musical, Hannah Montana, and Camp Rock, and will be available for purchase exclusively to D23 Expo attendees in the Walt Disney Television booth.

Here’s a sneak peek at all the Disney Channel events at the event:

Friday, August 23
Meet the young stars of Raven’s Home and the cast of Disney Channel’s newest series Just Roll With It.

Saturday, August 24
Over at Stage 28, Amphibia stars Disney Legend Bill Farmer (Hop Pop), Amanda Leighton (Polly), and Justin Felbinger (Sprig) and series creator/executive producer Matt Braly will join Big City Greens cast members Marieve Herington (Tilly) and Bob Joles (Bill), creator/executive producer Chris Houghton (Cricket) and creator/executive producer Shane Houghton for a lively Q&A session featuring the one-and-only Kermit the Frog.

Over at the Walt Disney Television booth, cast members from Disney’s DuckTales, Sydney to the Max, and Coop & Cami Ask the World will be on hand to meet and take pictures with fans.

Sunday, August 25
Meet the stars of the Emmy® Award-nominated Big Hero 6 The Series, based on Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Academy Award®-winning feature film, as well as cast members from the Disney Channel Original Movie ZOMBIES and fan-favorite Disney Channel series BUNK’D.

Here is the complete schedule* of all the stars making special appearances at the Walt Disney Television booth throughout the weekend:

Friday, August 23
9 a.m. Fancy Nancy character appearance
10 a.m. Vampirina character appearance
12 p.m. Just Roll With It stars Suzi Barrett, Tobie Windham, Ramon Reed, and Kaylin Hayman
3 p.m. Raven’s Home stars Navia Robinson, Issac Ryan Brown, Jason Maybaum, and Sky Katz

Coop & Cami Ask the World Cast

Saturday, August 24
9 a.m. Vampirina character appearance
10 a.m. Fancy Nancy character appearance
11 a.m. Sydney to the Max stars Ruth Righi, Ava Kolker, Jackson Dollinger, and Christian J. Simon
12 p.m. Coop & Cami Ask the World stars Dakota Lotus, Ruby Rose Turner, Olivia Sanabia, Albert Tsai, Paxton Booth, and Rebecca Metz
5 p.m. DuckTales stars Bobby Moynihan and Toks Olagundoye

Sunday, August 25
9 a.m, Big Hero 6 The Series stars Genesis Rodriguez and Brooks Wheelan
10 a.m. ZOMBIES stars Meg Donnelly, Kylee Russell, and Carla Jeffery
1 p.m. BUNK’D stars Miranda May, Mallory James Mahoney, Raphael Alejandro, Will Buie Jr., Shelby Simmons, Scarlett Estevez, and Israel Johnson
3 p.m. Vampirina character appearance
4 p.m. Fancy Nancy character appearance

*Schedule subject to change.

 

Eva Longoria Invites You to Check into Grand Hotel on ABC

By Zach Johnson

In the new series Grand Hotel, premiering tonight at 10 p.m. on ABC, scandals and secrets hide beneath the picture-perfect exterior of a family-owned hotel in Miami Beach. The magnetic Santiago Mendoza (Demián Bichir) owns the hotel, while his glamorous second wife, Gigi Mendoza (Roselyn Sánchez), and their adult children enjoy the spoils of success. The hotel’s staff round out a contemporary take on an upstairs/downstairs story—one where wealthy, beautiful guests lounge in luxury, unaware of the behind-the-scenes drama surrounding them.

Grand Hotel is an adaptation of a Spanish series that ran from 2011 to 2013. “I was obsessed with the original format,” says executive producer Eva Longoria. “It had all these amazing characters, and they dealt with a lot of great themes. It was a murder mystery, and I was like ‘This is so good! We’ve got to get the rights to this in English.’ Then, once we did, we went to ABC, and they said, ‘We love it. Just make it contemporary.’ We’re like, ‘Oh, OK… Where do we put it if it’s modern day?” And then we thought, ‘Miami! Let’s do that. It’s going to be fun!’ Miami itself is a character in the series. It’s beautiful, sexy and mysterious. It’s a total escape!”

Grand Hotel

The primetime series also stars Denyse Tontz as Alicia Mendoza, Bryan Craig as Javi Mendoza, Wendy Raquel Robinson as Mrs. P, Lincoln Younes as Danny, Shalim Ortiz as Mateo, Anne Winters as Ingrid, Chris Warren as Jason, Feliz Ramirez as Carolina and Justina Adorno as Yoli. Brian Tanen, Ben Spector, Bill D’Elia, and Bob Daily also serve as executive producers, alongside Ramón Campos and Teresa Fernández-Valdés, who were executive producers of the Spanish series. “The original was a period drama,” Younes says, “but we’re very lucky because we had Ramón and Teresa, the original creators, along with Eva, Bill, Ben, Bob and Brian. They collaborated and created a whole new life for the show, the characters and the story. I think they did it justice.”

Longoria describes Grand Hotel as “dramatic, funny and juicy,” while Sánchez calls it “intriguing” and “mysterious.” Bichir hopes the show will help viewers “escape from reality,” saying, “This isn’t a story of one Latin family; this is a story of human beings in one microcosm.”

“The show doesn’t take itself too seriously,” Tontz adds, “which is important.”

Luckily, the cast and crew don’t take themselves too seriously, either. “It was a pretty weird setting filming the pilot, because it was spring break, it was Ultra Music Festival, it was at the Fontainebleau—and it’s Miami! So, we had a lot of things going on at the time,” Younes recalls. “We would wake up at 4 a.m. to go to set and there would be people still partying in the foyer!”

Adds Tontz, “That’s when I realized there is no hotel like a Miami hotel!”

Andi Mack Stars Look to the Future as the Series Finale Draws Near

By Zach Johnson

Prepare yourselves, Space Otters, because Disney Channel’s groundbreaking series Andi Mack will start airing its final episodes Friday, June 21, at 8 p.m. To celebrate all three seasons, D23 talked to stars Peyton Elizabeth Lee (Andi Mack), Lilan Bowden (Rebecca “Bex” Mack), and Joshua Rush (Cyrus Goodman) about their favorite memories of making the hit comedy/drama.

“It’s a lot of mixed emotions,” Bowden said at Disney Channel Fan Fest in Disney California Adventure Park. “We have a lot of very passionate fans and they’re just as sad as we are that it’s ending. But also, they have a lot of love for us, so we’re sharing that joy with them as well.”

Andi Mack

Created and executive produced by Terri Minsky, Andi Mack debuted on Disney Channel in 2017 and went on to win a Television Academy Honor, a GLAAD Media Award, and a US-Asia Institute honor, among other accolades. The series, hailed for inspiring social change, has been a labor of love for everyone involved. Lee, for one, told D23 she is especially proud that Andi Mack is centered on a biracial, multigenerational family. “I think it’s really important that everyone is represented in the media,” argued Lee, who will appear alongside Skylar Astin in Secret Society of Second Born Royals, a contemporary story that will premiere on Disney+. “Seeing someone who looks like you or someone you connect with onscreen is very important.”

Andi Mack

“For me, it’s been twofold,” added Rush, whose character made television history earlier this season. “Being able to play this gay character has been absolutely incredible. It’s something a lot of older people did not have when they were growing up. And for these kids out there who are just having that realization in their own minds and are maybe internalizing it, I’m excited to give them an opportunity to see themselves portrayed. The other side of it is Cyrus being a Jewish character—a strong Jewish character. Because for me, when I grew up, Passover, or Pesach, was ‘Jewish Easter,’ and Chanukah was ‘Jewish Christmas.’ And it’s great to have a character out there who shows that Judaism is its own thing and that we are our own people.”

Andi Mack

Bowden shared her co-stars’ sentiments, as the coming-of-age story is known for exploring complex issues. “It’s wonderful to be on a show that normalizes so many things we don’t see a lot of represented in the media,” Bowden said. “We have the gay storyline, we have an Asian American family on TV, and the show is led by the three female characters. And on top of that, we have learning disabilities, we have a deaf character… Bex is a teen mom! For us to show so many different kinds of issues that real children and families face is so meaningful, because I can tell when I talk to our fans that it means everything to see themselves represented on TV.”

Fans won’t be disappointed when Andi Mack airs its final episode July 26. “There are so many wonderful storylines that wrap up in such a beautiful way—and I’m talking visually as well as emotionally,” Bowden said. “So, I can’t wait for fans to experience that.” Rush, meanwhile, doesn’t see the series finale as the end of Andi Mack and its colorful characters. “I’m excited for fans to get to imagine a future for the characters,” the actor told D23. “The way the show ends is really wonderful in that Cyrus, Andi, Buffy (Sofia Wylie), Jonah (Asher Angel), Bex, and Cece (Lauren Tom) are going to keep living in their own world. I’m really excited for fans to see that.”

Sofia Wylie Scores Goals on Disney Channel in Back of the Net and Andi Mack

By Jim Frye

You’d be forgiven for thinking that Sofia Wylie is a lot older than her 15 years. That’s because her resume is already stuffed with fan-favorite projects, her passport is filling up fast, and her ambitious schedule and sophisticated conversational style make her seem like a seasoned veteran of TV and film. And, in a way, she is.

Wylie is perhaps best known for her role as Buffy Driscoll in Disney Channel’s critically-acclaimed Andi Mack, which begins airing its final episodes on June 21 (8–8:30 p.m. ET/PT). She is currently filming the role of Gina in the upcoming High School Musical: The Musical: The Series for the direct-to-consumer streaming service Disney+. She is also the voice of Riri Williams (AKA Ironheart) in the animated series Marvel Rising: Heart of Iron and made her music debut with the single “Side By Side,” part of the animated special Marvel Rising: Chasing Ghosts. Wylie also has her own production company, AIFOS, and a newly launched IGTV series Dancing with Sofia Wylie, where she shares her love of dance with her 1.5 million followers.

Up next is the Disney original movie Back of the Net, debuting Saturday, June 15, at 8 p.m. EDT/PDT on Disney Channel and DisneyNOW, where she stars as Corey Baily, an ace science student who eagerly sets out for Sydney to embark on a semester at sea aboard an advanced research vessel. But when she lands in Australia, the wrong bus and a missed boat put her at Harold Soccer Academy, where she’s stuck for the summer despite her disinterest in soccer. Corey, undeterred by conflicts with mean girl Evie, is able to apply her unique strengths in science to end her team’s losing streak—and she just may make some friends along the way.

D23 caught up with Wylie to find out all about her favorite moments from the film, saying goodbye to Andi Mack, and which Disney characters she’d choose for her soccer team.

D23: How does it feel to be involved with so many great Disney projects?
Wylie: Really incredible. I have always been a big fan of Disney. When I worked with them for the first time on Andi Mack, it was like a dream come true. They’ve been so welcoming and the whole Disney community has become like my family, so I wanted to work with them as much as possible and I hope to continue to.

D23: Where did you film Back of the Net?
Wylie: It filmed in Australia, which was the cherry on top of being able to film a movie, first of all. I’d been to Australia once before, but the cast was super-welcoming and they taught me all the phrases that they use. It was really fun and such a beautiful place.

D23: Tell us a little about Corey Baily, your character in Back of the Net.
Wylie: Corey is a girl who only sees herself as a science geek, who’s always in her books. She’s flying to this semester at sea, which is the most exciting thing for her. What I love about her is that she realizes throughout this movie that she could be so much more than she thought she was. With the help of her friends, maybe a possible love interest, and competition, she realizes that she can do anything she puts her mind to. She doesn’t have to be in just one specific box. I learned a lot from her. She’s a real fun character and I can’t wait for everyone to fall in love with her.

D23: How does science help Corey with her soccer skills?
Wylie: That was such a cool part of the movie, because so many people think that sports and school can’t go hand-in-hand. There’s so much that education can do to help with sports and dance… and everything is kind of numbers in a way, so she’s able to help her team out and make calculations and equations about what soccer is. It’s a combination of athletic abilities plus what’s in her brain, and making the calculations to get the ball and make it curve. And she’s able to help her team. She gives so much to her team—she may not be the most athletic girl, but everyone has a place, has their niche.

Back of the Net

D23: Did you play soccer before this film?
Wylie: I played when I was about 5 years old, so basically, I had no soccer experience. But most of the characters I’ve played have been very athletic. On Andi Mack, I was a basketball player and a track runner at one point. Most have had athletic abilities, so going into this where Corey is not very coordinated was a lot of fun for me. I was learning things as much as Corey was, so it was fun.

D23: What can viewers take away from Back of the Net?
Wylie: That you cannot go at it alone. Corey’s never had real friends before. Having that group of people who can support you during the tough times is always important. Realizing that you can be anything and that you don’t need to be in the same category your whole life. If you’re intelligent, you can also play sports. If you’re an athlete, you can also be very intelligent. You can be a fashionista and also be a tomboy as well. There’s no one way that anybody is supposed to live.

D23: How is Corey different that than Gina, the character you play in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series?
Wylie: The characters are very different. I think Corey definitely finds her voice throughout the movie, but Gina comes into High School Musical: The Musical: The Series with that voice completely in place. Gina is the prima donna of the school, and she has this huge performing experience that she comes into the auditions with. She is confident like no other, and that’s something that Corey struggles with, is her confidence.

D23: How do you feel about saying goodbye Buffy, your Andi Mack character?
Wylie: It was very difficult. I grew up with Buffy for the past three years. It’s been a very formative time of my life. Being with anything that long, it’s very difficult. I cried, and we all cried together, and we cried even more. But I think we’re all very excited about the next stuff we get to do. I’m so excited for all my castmates—they’re all doing incredible things. I’m very happy that Andi Mack will be able to live on forever. Those three amazing seasons will never go away. I love Buffy, and I hate to say goodbye, but I’m excited to say hello to many new characters.

D23: Which Disney characters would you choose to be on your soccer team?
Wylie: Oooo, okay. I think I would have to go with Mickey Mouse, because he’s just the boss of all bosses. I’d have to have him on my team. My next character might not do very well, but she’s my favorite Disney princess of all time—Ariel. She doesn’t know how to walk when she first gets on land, but I think with enough time she would definitely be a pro soccer player. I think I would want Buffy on my team—she’s just mega-competitive. And lastly, I would definitely go with Ant-Man, because he would be super-small, and nobody would know how or why the ball was moving.

Disney Previews Frozen 2, Premieres Three Animated Shorts at Annecy

By Zach Johnson

Walt Disney Animation Studios wowed the Annecy crowd in France Friday by offering a first look at Frozen 2, presented by the film’s Head of Animation Becky Bresee and Head of Effects Animation Marlon West, and also by unveiling three new shorts from the experimental Short Circuit program, which will stream on Disney+ in Spring 2020. Natalie Nourigat, Brian Menz, and Jerry Huynh premiered the shorts Exchange Student, Just A Thought, and Jing Hua, respectively. Learn more about Frozen 2 (debuting in U.S. theaters November 22, 2019) and the three shorts:

Frozen 2

Frozen 2
Why was Elsa (voice of Idina Menzel) born with magical powers? The answer is calling her and threatening her kingdom of Arendelle. With the help of her sister Anna (voice of Kristen Bell), Kristoff (voice of Jonathan Groff), Olaf (voice of Josh Gad), and Sven, Elsa will set out on a risky and extraordinary journey. In Frozen, Elsa feared her powers were too much for the world. In Frozen 2, she must hope they are enough. Frozen 2 was directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee.

Short Circuit Program

Exchange Student
Life is hard enough for an exchange student at a new school, but as the only Earthling at a school for Aliens, the central character in this fanciful story is the ultimate outsider and must prove her worth to be accepted by her unusual new classmates.

Short Circuit Program

Just a Thought
An awkward 12-year old boy named Ollie experiences “bubble trouble” when his infatuation for a girl is embarrassingly revealed as his innermost thoughts take the form of a physical thought bubble. When the bubble takes on a life of its own, Ollie struggles to keep his thoughts under control and hidden from his seventh grade crush.

Short Circuit Program

Jing Hua (Flower in the Mirror)
Using Chinese-style landscape paintings as a visual inspiration, this film follows the story of a grieving woman who pays tribute to her recently departed teacher by creating a painted world using a magical form of kung fu.

Chill Out with Brand-New Frozen 2 Trailer—Plus More in News Briefs

By Courtney Potter

Anna and Elsa return to the big screen, and Chip ‘n’ Dale bring new adventures to Disney+… See more, along with other news from around Disney, in this week’s news briefs!

Stay Cool with New Frozen 2 Trailer and Poster

Can you believe we’re already around halfway through the year?! Time flies when you’re having fun! (And we are always having fun at D23!) So it should come as no surprise that the further adventures of Arendelle’s most beloved sisters, Anna and Elsa, are really just around the corner—with the release of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Frozen 2 this fall. Check out the brand-new and positively chill-rific official trailer, above.

Frozen 2 poster

But that’s not all: Take a gander at the film’s new poster, above, featuring the sisters as they set out beyond the gates of Arendelle. Frozen 2 is the highly anticipated sequel from Oscar®-winning directors Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck, producer Peter Del Vecho, and songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez—and it’ll follow Elsa (voice of Idina Menzel) as she searches for the source of her magical powers. Assisted by Anna (voice of Kristen Bell), Kristoff (voice of Jonathan Groff), Olaf (voice of Josh Gad), and reindeer Sven, Elsa will venture far outside the kingdom of Arendelle and embark on a journey to uncover the truth about her past… See Frozen 2 in theaters beginning November 22.

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

D23 and Walt Disney Archives
June 13, 2019
Mickey Mouse’s Roller Disco Party
June 15, 2019
Celebrate Toy Story 4 with D23 Shopping Mixers
June 20, 2019
Celebrate the Induction of Disney’s Cinderella into the National Film Registry!
June 22, 2019
The Official Walt Disney Studios Tour – Presented by D23
August 23-25, 2019
D23 Expo 2019
Parks
August 16, 20, 23, 27, 30; September 2, 6, 8, 10, 13, 15, 17, 20, 22, 24, 27, 29; October 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20, 21, 24, 25, 27, 29, 31, 2019
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom park
August 29, 2019
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Opening at and Walt Disney World Resort
August 29—November 23, 2019, 2019
November 8, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21, 22, 24; December 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19, 20, 22, 2019
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom park
2019 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival
November 29—December 30, 2019, 2019
2019 Epcot International Festival of the Holidays
Studios
June 21, 2019
Toy Story 4 opens in U.S. theaters
July 19, 2019
The Lion King opens in U.S. theaters
October 18, 2019
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil opens in U.S. theaters
November 22, 2019
Frozen 2 opens in U.S. theaters
December 20, 2019
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker opens in U.S. theaters
Television
June 21, 2019
Final episodes of Andi Mack begin airing (8 p.m. EDT/PDT)
August 2, 2019
Descendants 3 premieres on Disney Channel and DisneyNOW (8 p.m. EDT/PDT).

Go Nuts Over New Chip ‘n’ Dale Series for Disney+

Two favorite Disney characters—who happen to be small mammals adept at getting into all sorts of hilarious shenanigans—are coming to Disney+ with a brand-new original series. Read up on what to expect from Chip ‘n’ Dale (created by Disney’s London-based animation team and an award-winning French production studio) right here at D23.com.

Marvel Entertainment and Square Enix Assemble New Marvel’s Avengers Game

Every June, gamers around the world wait with bated breath to hear the latest news out of the E3 Expo, the world’s premiere event for computer and video games and all their related products. Marvel Entertainment, and their friends at Square Enix, got in on the E3 action earlier this week when they offered up a first look at Marvel’s Avengers—an incredible new action-adventure game that combines cinematic storytelling with single-player and co-operative gameplay. See the trailer for the game, above!

Developed by Crystal Dynamics in association with Eidos-Montréal, Nixxes Software, and Crystal Northwest, Marvel’s Avengers will release simultaneously for PlayStation®4, Xbox One devices, Stadia, and PC on May 15, 2020. The adventure begins on A-Day, where Captain America, Iron Man, the Hulk, Black Widow, and Thor are unveiling a high-tech Avengers Headquarters in San Francisco—including the reveal of a new helicarrier powered by an experimental energy source. (The trailer, created from in-engine footage, is narrated by a young woman who meets the Avengers on A-Day.) Sadly, the celebration turns deadly when a catastrophic accident devastates the city. Blamed for the tragedy—in which Captain America perishes—the Avengers disband. Five years on, with Super Heroes outlawed and the world in jeopardy, the only hope is to reassemble Earth’s Mightiest Heroes… Register for updates about Marvel’s Avengers, and pre-order for “beta access,” at playavengers.com. 

Walt Disney

Coming Soon: New Animation Experience at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

If you happen to be adventuring over to Disney’s Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort this summer, look for some brand-new enhancements in celebration of the 25th anniversary of The Lion King.

As we previously reported, Rafiki’s Planet Watch—as well as Affection Section and the Wildlife Express Train—will be reopening next month, and it will include a cool new encounter. Drawing on Disney’s rich heritage of wildlife animation, The Animation Experience at Conservation Station will feature a talented animator offering step-by-step instructions on how to illustrate a popular Disney character, including The Lion King’s Simba, Zazu, Pumbaa, and Timon… which, in turn, invites guests to discover how live animals inspired some of the most iconic characters from Disney films! Since each 25-minute class will be different, guests are encouraged to come back often in order to complete their collections. Luckily, Disney FastPass+ Service is being offered for The Animation Experience, and selections can be made now. So don’t miss this whole new way to experience a bit of “Hakuna Matata”!

Paris Train Station Enjoys Surprise Preview of The Lion King and Jungle Festival

Imagine you’re in Paris (that’s a nice daydream already), and you’re at the Gare de Lyon train station. Now imagine you hear the opening strains of “Circle of Life,” sung by an incredible singer, right in the middle of the station. Suddenly, an entire cast of performers joins him—and you realize you’re witnessing something very special…

That’s just what happened last week, when members of the cast of “The Lion King: Rhythms of the Pride Lands”—part of Disneyland Paris’ The Lion King and Jungle Festival, beginning later this month—surprised Gare de Lyon travelers with a surprise preview. The whole thing was captured on video; check out the amazing clip, above.

The Lion King and Jungle Festival at Disneyland Park brings guests closer than ever to the beating drums and unforgettable songs of the savannah during “The Lion King: Rhythms of the Pride Lands.” But wait, there’s more: The festival will also feature Baloo and Friends in “The Jungle Book Jive” show, and Timon will entertain young and young at heart over in Adventureland with Timon’s “MataDance.” See it all beginning June 30!

Disneyland fireworks

“Disneyland Forever” Fan-Fave Fireworks—Back at Disneyland Resort!

There’s a ton of summer fun to be had at the Disneyland Resort (besides visiting Batuu, of course)… and just in time, a fan-favorite fireworks spectacular is back! Yes, “Disneyland Forever” has returned to the skies above Sleeping Beauty Castle.

The “street-to-sky” festivities, which first debuted during Disneyland’s 60th Anniversary Diamond Celebration, feature tons of pyrotechnics, colorfully immersive projections, and a host of other effects—taking guests on a breathtaking, up-close journey through timeless Disney stories. And there are multiple viewing locations, including Main Street, U.S.A., the Rivers of America, and near it’s a small world. It’s truly a “must see” item for your summer Disneyland to-do list.