8 New Facts About Tiana’s Bayou Adventure

By the D23 Team

We can’t help but sing “Almost There” when we think of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, opening at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Park in 2024. Today, our friends at the Disney Parks Blog shared more than half a dozen new details about the highly anticipated attraction.

First, the Disney Parks Blog shared that Mama Odie will reprise her role in the upcoming attraction! Check out the newly released rendering above for a first look at her role, where Mama Odie will joke with guests following a special display of her magic. The 200-year-old Bayou Fairy Godmother, with her eccentric belongings and “seeing eye snake” Juju, is comically eccentric, yet wise and all knowing, throughout the adventure. Jenifer Lewis, who voiced Mama Odie in Walt Disney Animation Studios’ The Princess and the Frog, is once again returning to her role for the attraction.

To help inspire the Imagineers’ creations, New Orleans artist and YAYA Arts Center alumna Sharika Mahdi has created the next installment in a four-part commissioned series: a tribute to our wise and whimsical keeper of the bayou. Along with The Princess and the Frog film, the Imagineering team continues to use Mahdi’s latest piece as inspiration for how Mama Odie will appear throughout the attraction. Guests may see evidence of this in the resemblance of the image below depicting Mama Odie.

Mama Odie isn’t the only familiar face joining the jamboree on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. Disney Parks has revealed even more new details about the highly-anticipated attraction, such as:

  • A brand-new cast of original Disney characters with distinct names and personalities
  • Dozens of entirely new Audio-Animatronics® figures
  • Adorable critters with incredible talent, bringing the diverse flavors of musical gumbo found in New Orleans
  • New, original music alongside favorite tunes from the film
  • The alluring scent of beignets being prepared for the party in the attraction queue
  • Familiar faces from the film such as Princess Tiana, Prince Naveen, Mama Odie, Louis, Eudora, Charlotte, “Big Daddy,” the King and Queen of Maldonia, and Prince Ralphie
  • Additional talent voices from the film reprising their roles, including Bruno Campos as Prince Naveen, Michael Leon Wooley as Louis, and the one and only Disney Legend Anika Noni Rose as Princess Tiana

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure builds on the story of Princess Tiana, a character whose pride and perseverance reminds us of a universal truth: within us lies the potential to make our dreams come true. This all-new adventure will bring Disney Parks guests into Princess Tiana’s world like never before when the attraction opens in Disneyland park at Disneyland Resort and Magic Kingdom park at Walt Disney World Resort in 2024.

To make room for this new magic, Splash Mountain at Disneyland park will be closed starting May 31, 2023, to begin the next phase of development for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.

Bread and Butterfly Toast

Magic is everywhere: One must simply just know how to cook it up. With a little imagination—and some creatively crafted bread—any breakfast can be a true morning glory. An ordinary dining table becomes an enchanted forest when loaded with plates of Bread and Butterfly Toast. After all, many things can be learned from the flowers—from sunrise straight through to the golden afternoon!

Discover more delectable Alice in Wonderland-inspired recipes in the Alice in Wonderland: The Official Cookbook, now available for purchase here.

4 to 6 servings

Vegetarian

6 brioche rolls or 1 brioche loaf

  • 1 cup milk
  • 1⁄2 cup half and half
  • 6 eggs
  • 4 tablespoons salted butter, melted, plus more for the pan
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons “I’m in a Jam” Homemade Strawberry-Lemon Jam (page 105) (optional)
  • 1 pound strawberries, hulled and sliced
  • 1⁄2 cup Mock Clotted Cream (page 103) (optional)

Have two baking sheets standing by. Preheat the oven to 225°F.

Slice each brioche roll into 1⁄4-inch slices, and place them in a single layer on the baking sheets. Gently toast the brioche slices until they just start to crisp (but not brown), about 5 minutes.

While the brioche is toasting, prepare the egg custard. In a wide low dish, thoroughly whisk together the milk, half and half, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and add a bit of butter as needed to prevent sticking. Place 1 or 2 slices of brioche into the egg mixture, turning gently to coat both sides. Do not let the pieces soak: Brioche is delicate and will fall apart. Add the slices to the skillet, and cook until they are brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side.

Transfer the cooked pieces back to the baking sheet, and keep them warm in the oven. Repeat with the remaining pieces.

If using the jam, whisk it to thin it a little, and add it to the sliced strawberries, to glaze.

To serve, place two pieces of French toast together, bottom side to bottom side, creating the butterfly shape. If desired, spoon a small strip of Mock Clotted Cream down the center, and decorate with strawberries. A few larger pieces of strawberry can be used to “lift” the wings by placing them underneath the brioche slices. If you are not using the Mock Clotted Cream, simply decorate the center of each butterfly toast with strawberries, and serve. The glazed berries make a delicious syrup, but feel free to serve with your favorite maple syrup as well.

Icons of Disney Storytelling: Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez

By Zach Johnson

Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez are always in harmony.

Not that they need any introduction, but the couple is the Academy Award®-, Emmy® Award-, and Grammy Award®-winning songwriting team behind Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Winnie the Pooh (2011), Frozen(2013), and Frozen 2 (2019); Pixar Animation Studios’ Coco (2017); Marvel Studios’ WandaVision (2021); and Hulu’s Up Here (2023). For the stage, the Lopezes wrote Finding Nemo: The Musical, which ran from 2006–2020 at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park at Walt Disney World Resort, and adapted Frozen for Broadway, which opened in 2018 and is now on tour across North America.

Graduates of Yale University and Williams College, respectively, Lopez and Anderson-Lopez now reside in Brooklyn, New York, with their two daughters. They joined D23: The Official Disney Fan Club for an expansive Q&A about telling stories through songs.

D23: What makes Disney the perfect home for storytellers such as yourselves?
Kristen Anderson-Lopez (KAL): Disney has a great tradition, from the very beginning, of using music to tell stories and deepen the audience’s connection to and understanding of the characters—and that is through every branch we’ve participated in at Disney. Whether it’s Marvel or Pixar or Disney or the parks, music is everywhere. So, it’s a wonderful place to work because we, as songwriters, feel very valued. They see our job as storytellers the same way that we see our job as storytellers. It’s story first, always, and the music just is an outgrowth of what the character wants and needs and is facing.

Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez pose at the Frozen 2 premiere.

D23: How has the legacy of Disney’s storytelling has impacted you as songwriters?
Robert Lopez (RL): When we first started working at Animation, we were working with Tom MacDougall, the president of Disney Music, as well as [Disney Legend] Chris Montan, who was sort of the emeritus. Tom was really nice to us and an amazing, amazing friend. He’s really the answer you’re looking for about what makes Disney such a great place for songwriters to work. Tom understands songwriters inside and out; he supported our process and was like our therapist through all that. When we were starting on Frozen, we turned in our first piece, and Chris said, “Can you give us something else that’s better? Because you really need to bring your best. What we do has the ability to last for centuries—for forever, for eternity. You don’t want to come to us with anything less than your A-game. Be sure you’re bringing your A-game every time you write.” That’s something that sinks in, especially when someone like Chris says it. It’s now something I think about every time I pick up a pen. I never think, “Well, it’s Tuesday.” I think, “This has the opportunity to last a lifetime. Let’s make it count.”

D23: That’s both inspiring and terrifying!
KAL: If you want to hear the voice in Bobby’s head, it’s Chris saying, “This has to last for centuries.” Sometimes it’s my job to say, “You know, it’s Tuesday. Let’s save the ‘it has to last for centuries’ until Thursday, and let’s just do the first draft on Tuesday.”

D23: Up Here debuted as a stage musical eight years ago, and now you’ve adapted it for Hulu. What was it like to revisit those songs and also executive produce the series?
KAL: When we were looking at rewriting a lot of it right after we opened in La Jolla in 2015, we couldn’t even wrap our minds around it. We were far too close; we had put too much of ourselves in it. And then we went on to do Frozen on Broadway, Frozen 2, Coco, and WandaVision—all these things. It was nice to be able to come back and go, ‘Oh, yeah! Remember that song? I like that song.’ The hook is the same, but almost every other lyric is rewritten for this character in this situation—and you can’t do that until you have some distance.

Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez smile on the set of Up Here.

D23: What would young Bobby and young Kristin think of the fact that adult Bobby and adult Kristin are getting to create such iconic songs for Disney, Marvel, and Hulu?
KAL: Well, young Bobby and young Kristin show up every single day we are at work. When we are in flow, we are two kids. We are best friends on a play date, pretending to be Elsa or Miguel or Lindsay. We are still those kids. The other thing is that young Kristen didn’t really know females could be songwriters or executive producers. So, even though she was doing this in her own backyard, the narrative she downloaded was that she had to be an actress. She hadn’t seen female songwriters. Now, I tell whomever I can that I am a songwriter and I love what I do. I also get to be married and have kids. You can be a woman leading a rich life and also create all these things.

D23: What are some common things the two of you hear about the songs you’ve written for the Walt Disney Company? Songs like “Let It Go” and “Remember Me,” for example, continue to resonate with fans of all ages, demographics, and experiences.
RL: In the documentary series about Frozen 2, Into the Unknown, there’s a scene where one of the animators shows the directors this letter about “Let It Go.” This girl shared her experience of having been really depressed and thanked Disney for changing her life and being her strength in a moment of need. That got me. We were trying to solve a story point! We were trying to put something that was meaningful to us out into the world. We never were trying to help a girl get through a tough time. But it turns out that’s the purpose of this. At its best, music can save people’s lives. It can help people get through rough times. That’s one of the functions of art. And God bless Disney for having the reach that it does, in terms of in terms of helping people all over the world.

KAL: I also just get a kick out of seeing a child wearing an Elsa backpack on the street as we walk home from the office. We’ll be like, “Look! She’s got Elsa shoes! Right on!”
RL: The older and more well-worn, the better!

Star Wars Day Comes Early on shopDisney

For Star Wars fans, May the 4th is more precious than Life Day! If you find yourself among those who are counting down the moments to that very special day, shopDisney has a treat for you: early access to merchandise celebrating Star Wars Day and the infamous Cantina!

Check out all the Star Wars merchandise shopDisney has to offer—and don’t forget to ensure that you use the same email for your account on shopDisney as you do for your D23 Gold Membership to take advantage of your discount! 

Greedo “May the 4th Be With You” 2023 Zip Hoodie for Adults
Greedo salutes Star Wars fandom by raising an intergalactic cocktail glass (or two) at the Mos Eisley Cantina with this commemorative zip hoodie release for May 4, 2023, direct from Tatooine. Bottoms up!

Star Wars Day “May the 4th Be With You” 2023 T-Shirt for Adults
“May the 4th be with you” on Star Wars Day 2023 while clad in this commemorative tee that’s sure to be a fan favorite. The front features a mouth-watering selection of colorful and creative refreshments with which to celebrate the annual event

Star Wars Day “May the 4th Be With You” 2023 T-Shirt for Kids
The Force is with the fandom when they’re wearing this commemorative cotton tee release for May 4, 2023, now known throughout the galaxy as Star Wars Day. Vivid full front art makes the most of your celebration.

Star Wars Day: “May the 4th Be With You” Tumbler with Straw
Celebrate the most galactic day of the year with refreshing sips from this Star Wars: “May the 4th Be With You” tumbler. Whether your bevy of choice is blue milk, Jawa juice, or something of the terrestrial variety, you’ll enjoy it all the more in the company of R2-D2, C-3PO, Chewbacca, Jawas, and other galactic revelers. Fill up this thirsty 37-ounce stainless steel tumbler and enjoy, and may the 4th be with you always.

Star Wars Day 2023: “May The 4th Be With You” MagicBand+ – Limited Edition
MagicBand+ lets you engage with Disney moments like never before as it reacts to select park interactions with lighting effects and gesture recognition. This special limited-edition design was created for Star Wars Day, the annual event celebrated in a galaxy not so far, far away!

Greedo “May the 4th Be With You” Star Wars Day 2023 Baseball Cap for Adult
You’ll forever debate who made the first move (Han or Greedo?) while wearing this traditional twill baseball cap with curved bill and woven Greedo appliqué featuring “May the 4th Be With You” Star Wars Day 2023 logo and embroidered accents.

Luke Skywalker 40th Anniversary Legacy Lightsaber Set – Star Wars: Return of the Jedi
Imagine yourself as Luke Skywalker battling to rescue Han Solo when holding this Legacy lightsaber collectible. Created in celebration of the 40th anniversary of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, this detailed reproduction of the lightsaber Luke wielded in Episode VI features a green light-up blade and motion and impact-activated sound effects.

Be sure to keep visiting shopDisney as they add to their Star Wars collection ! We hear there are some pretty special items launching in early May…

Solve a Mystery in an All-New Grid—TRON: Identity Launches Today!

Something has been taken… are you the one to illuminate the truth?

TRON: Identity releases today on PC and Nintendo Switch, and the mystery has only just begun.

Play as Query, a detective program called in to solve a crime and uncover secrets that could impact the mysterious Grid he calls home. The choices you make matter; forge partnerships, uncover clues, and determine your perilous path as you make your way through branching storylines and twisty outcomes.

To navigate through this puzzling mystery, you’ll need to, well, solve puzzles! Defrag the identity discs of those you encounter to unlock lost memories, with puzzle mini-games increasing in complexity as you progress through the storyline.

TRON: Identity provides hours of content and re-playability as you explore several different outcomes to your choices, with each play-through offering more to discover. Change your approach, encounter new scenarios, and impact the fate of the server. It’s up to you.

This novel adventure has much in store for fans of Disney’s TRON. The game is set in an all-new Grid that was left alone to evolve without User intervention, and the legacy of Flynn is everywhere. The large, new cast of TRON characters you’ll interact with—like Prinz, the devotee of the Users design, or Proxy, the renegade rival—have shaped their world around the stories of “The Founders.” Encounter lightcycles; vibe to a striking game soundtrack inspired by the world of TRON; and definitely avoid ending up on the wrong side of an identity disc!

Play TRON: Identity today, available on Nintendo Switch and PC.

Decoding the Grid: A Conversation with TRON: Identity Producer Heidy Vargas

By Reena Bassil

The time is nearly here! Step into the Grid and embark on a mysterious journey with TRON: Identity, the latest visual novel puzzle adventure game from Disney Games and Bithell Games. Disney Games Producer Heidy Vargas has defragged many Identity Discs in her day, but her true passion is creating immersive game worlds for players to get lost in. We sat down with Vargas to discuss her work on TRON: Identity, as well as her impressive career journey at The Walt Disney Company. Check out what she had to say below! 

D23: The Official Disney Fan Club:  We understand you’ve played a key role in the development of TRON: Identity. What can you tell us about that game?
Heidy Vargas (HV): TRON: Identity is an exciting visual novel puzzle adventure set within a mysterious new Grid. Fans can expect an immersive visual novel with branching storylines and action-based decisions that can impact your path and the world around you. You will defrag Identity Discs by solving entertaining puzzles, and each puzzle will help recover memories that get you closer and closer to solving the mystery.

D23: What made your work on TRON: Identity special to you?
HV: I’ve always found diversity and inclusion to be an important part of my everyday life. When working on TRON: Identity, it was key for the Disney Games team and Bithell Games to present this new Grid as a reflection of the real world that also represents our players with diverse and unique characters. My hope is that players will see a Program character that resembles themselves.

D23: TRON: Identity follows a different storyline than the franchise it is based on. Can you touch on the decision to create something new?
HV: Our team is always looking for new and exciting ways to extend the iconic storylines that our fans know and love. TRON: Identity allows fans to immerse themselves even deeper within the world of TRON and interact with original characters and stories – stories that they themselves shape through their own decisions.

Mike Bithell and Heidy Vargas riding on TRON: Lightcycle / Run, both on the lightcycle-style attraction vehicles and wearing excited expressions.

D23: What similarities and differences will fans see in comparing the game to the TRON: Legacy-inspired TRON: Lightcycle / Run presented by Enterprise at Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort?
HV: TRON: Identity builds on the established visual cues and iconography from the TRON: Legacy film. A few things will feel familiar, but you’ll also find something that isn’t found in the existing films or the attraction… our new Grid features trees.

D23: Disney and Bithell Games worked together to create TRON: Identity and clearly focused on unique and great storytelling. What was it like working with Bithell Games?
HV: Working with Bithell Games has been an extremely collaborative process. They are experts in all things TRON and they weren’t afraid to take this well-established franchise and create an entirely new world. The team was extremely confident in their ability to create a new gaming genre unique for this Disney franchise.

D23: How did you start working with Disney?
HV: I began my career with Disney a few weeks after graduating from UCLA. Through the Disney Professional Internship program, I was able to learn very quickly on the job and gain exposure to other divisions within Disney. I was able to transition to a full-time role, but I quickly found myself volunteering for playtest sessions with the Games Team. I really didn’t expect I would be here now!

A screenshot from TRON: Identity, featuring the player character walking towards a building, which is labelled “Imposing Building.” The character has its back to the viewer, so that we only see their coat (featuring glowing “TRON” lines) and their Identity Disc. The entire image is tinted an electric blue color often associated with the franchise. Below the screenshot is a text box, which contains the text, “ It’s a cold night in the city. Nothing new there. You pull your coat tighter. Feel the heat of its glow, a small comfort agains the brittle rain.”

D23: What example do you want to set for future generations of game developers?
HV: I hope to be a positive and encouraging presence for newcomers in the industry. Having worked with interns in the past, I always aim to share information and knowledge and create space for everyone. It’s important for those of us in the business to encourage unique voices and foster an environment that encourages diversity.

D23: There has been much more emphasis on inclusion in the workplace – tell us what inclusion means to you and what advice you have for allies to keep the conversation going.
HV: Inclusion helps cultivate a culture that welcomes people to be themselves, acknowledging our differences and how these differences can contribute and improve our work and organization. I joined our DE&I teams very early on, and it’s been amazing to see how many of our peers have prioritized and dedicated their time to continuing the conversation. There is so much room for improvement in terms of inclusion in the workplace because it is an ever-evolving conversation. My advice, think of yourself as a leader no matter what level you’re at, it’s important to lead by example. Practice inclusivity with confidence and others will feel inclined to do so too.

D23: Tell us about the importance of seeing diverse representation in games.
HV: As a Latina it was always a challenge to find characters that looked like me, and I was given little opportunity to customize my player avatar to look like anyone that resembled me. I grew up with such a love of games like the Sims because of the ability to customize my world and create my own stories. Because of this I knew I wanted to be a voice for more representation in the projects I contribute to.

D23: What other projects do you have in the works?
HV: I’m the lead Producer on Disney Emoji Blitz, which is celebrating its 7th birthday this year and is constantly adding new Disney and Pixar emojis and features. There are a few other projects in the works that I can’t mention yet, but of course, TRON: Identity is the start of Bithell Games’ collaboration with Disney on TRON-dedicated games. Players can expect more TRON titles to come in the future, but for now we are excited to bring you TRON: Identity on April 11!

4 Out-Of-This-World Moments from Star Wars Celebration Europe

By Jocelyn Buhlman

This past weekend, Star Wars fans from around the world gathered in London, England, for a convention of intergalactic proportions: Star Wars Celebration Europe, an annual fan experience celebrating all things from a galaxy far, far away. This year’s event was full of immersive exhibits, screenings, exclusive merchandise, celebrity guests, and so much more—including panels packed with exciting announcements and can’t-miss moments! With so much happening in the Star Wars galaxy, we decided to round up some of our favorite parts of the weekend so you won’t miss a minute of the action from this year’s epic event.

Logos for The Acolyte, Ahoska, Skeleton Crew, and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destinyall surround a bigger, silver logo for Lucasfilm LTD. All the logos sit on the black and green branding for Star Wars Celebration.

So Many New Trailers!

The Lucasfilm Studio Showcase is traditionally full of first looks and new trailers, and this year’s panel was no exception! The final trailer for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, releasing June 30, 2023, showed off even more of the action and adventure in store for our favorite explorer. See for yourself:

Possibly one of the most anticipated trailer drops from the panel was a first look at Ahsoka, and during the showcase it was revealed that the series will premiere in August 2023! Take a look at the trailer—and mark your calendar, because August is just a lightspeed jump away…

Those weren’t all the trailers revealed during the weekend; fans of Star Wars Visions rejoiced as a first look was dropped for Volume 2 of the series, which will feature nine new shorts from nine global animation studios:

For any younglings out there, this trailer is for you! The first trailer for Young Jedi Adventures, coming to Disney+ and Disney Junior on May 4th, was revealed over the weekend as well:

Rosario Dawson, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Lars Mikkelson, and Diana Lee Inosanto onstage during the Ahsoka panel at Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023 at ExCeL London on April 08, 2023, in London, England.

Thrawn RETURNS—Plus More Casting News

 A new trailer wasn’t the only Ahsoka intel we got from Star Wars Celebration Europe—a galaxy’s worth of stars was revealed for the series, including Lars Mikkelson as the menacing Gran Admiral Thrawn! Also joining the cast are Ray Stevenson, Ivanna Sakhno, Diana Lee Inosanto, and David Tennant.

Plus, the full cast of Star Wars Visions Volume 2 was revealed, including notable voice talent such as Cynthia Erivo, Daveed Diggs, Disney Legend Anika Noni Rose, Anjelica Huston, Daniel Dae Kim, and Denis Murin. You can check out the full cast list for each episode here.

Even MORE Star Wars at Disney Parks!

During the Walt Disney Imagineering panel, Imagineers Ann Morrow Johnson and Asa Kalama—along with Matt Martin from Lucasfilm—revealed that Star Tours – The Adventures Continue will be blasting off with new stories and new characters starting in 2024 at Disneyland Park in California, Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida, and Disneyland Paris in France. Plus, intergalactic pop heads can jam out no matter where they go, with a just-released new playlist from DJ R3X. To celebrate May the 4th, a Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiserplaylist will drop on streaming platforms, including songs from icon and superstar Gaya. Previously, only guests of the Halcyon starcruiser could hear this purple popstar perform—so we’re in for a real treat with this release!

Kathleen Kennedy, James Mangold, Dave Filoni, Daisy Ridley, and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy onstage at the Lucasfilm Studio Showcase at Star Wars Celebration Europe. Behind them are an array of Star Wars aliens and droids.

Three New Star Wars Movies Announced!

As if there wasn’t already enough excitement from Star Wars Celebration Europe, the Lucasfilm Studio Showcase also made a MAJOR reveal that we’re totally hype(rspace)d about! THREE new Star Wars films are in our future, to be directed by James Mangold, Dave Filoni and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. Mangold’s film will be set during the dawn of the Jedi, telling the story of early Force users, while Fionli’s film pulls together threads from recent Disney+ series. Obaid-Chinoy’s film comes with another surprise: Daisy Ridley joined Obaid-Chinoy to reveal that she’ll be returning as Rey to tell a story set 15 years after Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, centered around “rebuilding the Jedi Order and the powers the rise to tear it down.” Well, we know our moviegoing plans for the next few years!

5 Fantastic Things to Watch This Week

By Andie Hagemann

This week don’t miss the spectacular new content coming to your TV and assorted streaming devices. On Wednesday, watch all episodes of Rennervations on Disney+, followed by an all-new episode of ABC’s Not Dead Yet and the Season 2 premiere of Freeform’s Single Drunk Female. A new episode of Station 19 debuts Thursday on ABC, and on Friday, two episodes of Saturdays air on Disney Channel.

In a scene from Rennervations, actor Jeremy Renner stands in front of a chalk board during a presentation.

Rennervations—Wednesday, April 12, on Disney+
Jeremy Renner is ready to make some Renner-vations! The actor and Marvel Studios Super Hero, alongside his team of expert builders, use their skills to reimagine decommissioned vehicles and rebuild them into mind-blowing creations that serve communities around the world, proving every build has a purpose. The four-part Disney+ Original series follows Renner around the world, from his hometown of Reno, Nevada, and Chicago, Illinois, to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and Rajasthan, India. In each location, he teams up with a celebrity friend (Anthony Mackie, Vanessa Hudgens, Anil Kapoor, and Sebastián Yatra), all of whom share his enthusiasm and join him to deliver the finished vehicles to each organization. All episodes are available to stream at launch.

In a scene from Not Dead Yet, actors Angela E. Gibbs, Rick Glassman, and Gina Rodriguez look at a crystal orb.

Not Dead Yet—Wednesday, April 12, at 9:31 p.m. ET/PT on ABC
Cricket (Angela E. Gibbs) decides she is finally ready to spread Monty’s ashes and enlists help from Nell (Gina Rodriguez). Elsewhere, Sam (Hannah Simone) and Lexi (Lauren Ash) support Dennis (Josh Banday) as he chooses an egg donor. The new episode, which also stars Rick Glassman, is available to stream the next day on Hulu.

In a scene from Single Drunk Female, actor Sofia Black-D’Elia holds a small succulent plant with a sign that reads “Get Well Soon.”

Single Drunk Female—Wednesday, April 12, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Freeform
The hit series—intended only for mature audiences—returns for Season 2 with not just one, but two episodes! For the first time in forever, Sam (Sofia Black-D’Elia) thinks she has a life worth celebrating and throws herself a birthday party. Meanwhile, Brit (Sasha Compere) tries to convince everyone that she and Joel (Charlie Hall) have the “perfect divorce.” Then, in the second episode, Sam’s newfound self-confidence is shaken when she discovers her new boss is someone from her past. Elsewhere, Olivia (Rebecca Henderson) makes a life-changing decision and Felicia (Lily Mae Harrington) fails to properly congratulate her boyfriend on his new promotion. Episodes are available to stream the next day on Hulu.

In a scene from Station 19, actors Grey Damon and Jaina Lee Ortiz cook in the station’s kitchen.

Station 19—Thursday, April 13, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC
Emotions boil over at the station as the team disagrees with Theo’s (Carlos Miranda) leadership style. Meanwhile, Carina (Stefania Spampinato) enlists Ben (Jason George) and Maya (Danielle Savre) to help her with a patient in an uncomfortable position. Elsewhere, Natasha (Merle Dandridge) and Sullivan (Boris Kodjoe) hit a roadblock in their relationship. Stream the episode the next day on Hulu.

In a promotional image for Saturdays, actors Peyton Basnight, Danielle Jalade, and Daria Johns stand side by side.

Saturdays—Friday, April 14, at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT on Disney Channel
Two all-new episodes skate onto your TV this Friday! Ari (Peyton Basnight) hosts her first sleepover with her new best friends. However, the soiree is a flop when it falls the same night as Paris (Danielle Jalade) and Simone’s (Daria Johns) Chocolate Club. In the second episode, Paris rallies everyone to throw a block party, and in the process, the girls go to great lengths for a signature on the petition by visiting the scariest house on the block. The series also stars Omar Gooding, Tim Johnson Jr., Jermaine Harris, Missy Fierro, and Mirabelle Little.

How Hulu’s Tiny Beautiful Things Celebrates the “Beautiful Mess” in All of Us

By Zach Johnson

Based on Cheryl Strayed’s best-selling collection, the Hulu Original Tiny Beautiful Things—premiering Friday, April 7, with all episodes—follows Clare (Kathryn Hahn), a floundering writer who becomes an advice columnist while her own life is falling apart.

When audiences meet Clare, her marriage is on thin ice, her teenage daughter (Tanzyn Crawford) is icing her out, and her once-promising writing career is non-existent. So, imagine Clare’s surprise when an old writing pal asks her to take over as the advice columnist Dear Sugar. Strayed was just as surprised when real-life columnist Steve Almond offered her the very same gig years ago, when she was feeling much like Clare. “I wrote him a little fan letter saying, ‘I think this is great, but I wish you’d write it more,’” Strayed recalls. “He [later] got in touch with me and said, ‘I’m writing the column, but you’re Sugar. Will you take it over? The thing is, it doesn’t pay anything.  Nobody reads it, and it’s anonymous, so you will get no credit for your work.’ That pretty much described my writing career up until about then! And so, I said yes—and it became one of the most important yeses of my life. The beautiful thing about being paid nothing for your writing is that you can do whatever you want to do. And that’s what I did. I wrote the Dear Sugar column with all my intelligence, love, and humanity.”

Because Strayed’s columns had already been adapted into a book, a play, and a podcast, showrunner and executive producer Liz Tigelaar wanted to take a different approach for the series by treating it like “a nonlinear memoir.” In the early days, Tigelaar recalls, “I started to think, ‘What would it look like if Cheryl had never hiked the Pacific Crest Trail [which inspired her best-selling book, Wild]? What would it look like if Cheryl had never become the writer she always wanted to be—that her mother hoped and believed she could be? So, that started the foundation for building Clare.”

Clare, played by Kathryn Hahn, looks at her daughter, Rae, played by Tanzyn Crawford, who is covering her eyes. They are both lying on a blanket, outside, at night.

As such, much of Clare’s story is inspired by Strayed’s own. “The seminal experiences in Clare’s past were so important that they did, in some ways, have to match my life,” Strayed says. “From the beginning, we knew Clare isn’t going to be Cheryl, but many of her most important experiences—beautiful and ugly, painful and true—had to be mine. She had to have a mother who died young of cancer like I did. She had to have had gotten married scandalously young like I did. She had to have grown up poor and working class in the world environment like I did. Those are the things that made me, and those are the things that made Clare. Those pieces really did come from my life.”

Hahn found it easy to relate to Clare, calling herself far from perfect. “I don’t know a person on the planet that I particularly trust who says they have their [life] together. I think it’s an evolving process, being a human being,” she says. “We are constantly trying to figure it out. That’s the beauty of all these roles I’ve been lucky enough to play. It’s that journey we’re all on. This is the sweet spot for me. The place I love to be as an actor is in between that catch in your throat: ‘Is it going to be a laugh or a sob?’”

Sarah Pidgeon, who plays Clare in flashbacks, says getting to develop the character with Hahn was a dream collaboration. “I was lucky to be on set and see Kathryn embody Clare,” she shares. “It was like a cheat, seeing this incredible talent [at work].”

Young Clare, played by Sarah Pigeon, holds her baby daughter in one arm and a piece of paper in the other. Behind them are several unopened moving boxes.

Tigelaar says Hahn and Pigeon “so bravely inhabited” their shared role, especially after working with Kim Gillingham, who founded Creative Dreamwork as a way for artists to practice creating with the unconscious. “Kim said something in our first workshop that stuck with me the whole time; it still makes me want to cry. She said, ‘This show is not about perfection. This is not about you being perfect or playing these roles perfectly. Bring your mess. Bring your broken hearts.’ And that just embedded in me. This isn’t a portrayal of perfect people.... You can feel two completely opposing things at once equally and hold them. And I think that’s what the show is about. It really is both/and.”

That ethos is evident in the way Clare connects with her readers, her family, and herself. “Whenever we’d be on set, debating a scene at the last minute, we’d be like, ‘Wait, what is this about? Is it this or is it this?’” Tigelaar recalls. “[Ultimately,] we’d be like, ‘No, it’s both. It’s everything all at once. I think there’s a difference between being messed up and being a mess. We brought our own messiness, and that’s what everybody drew from. To me, that’s what made it so deep, and brave, and powerful.”

Star Wars Celebration Europe Can’t-Miss Panels and How to Stream Them

By the D23 Team

Star Wars Celebration Europe begins this Friday, April 7, and promises to be packed with enough fun to fill a galaxy far, far away—well, at least as far as London, anyway. If you’re interested in keeping up with all the Star Wars action, you can stream the event on StarWars.com or at YouTube.com/StarWars. Streams begin at 12:30 p.m. GMT / 5:30 a.m. PT on Friday, April 7; 12 p.m. GMT / 5:00 a.m. PT on Saturday, April 8; and 10:45 a.m. GMT / 3:45 a.m. PT on subsequent days. Whether you’re in London or Tatooine, check out the list below for some of the excitement to come.

Friday, April 7

Crash Course Into the Old Republic
Fri, Apr 7, 2023 • 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. GMT
Location: Fan Stage
Thousands of years before the Skywalker name was known throughout the Galaxy, there were the incredibly powerful Rakata, a massive Sith Empire, Mandalorian fleets pushing the Republic to the brink, ancient superweapons, and the redemption of one of the most infamous figures in Star Wars: Revan. Join panelists for a crash course in nearly 25,000 years of history and a chance to pick their brains. Stick around for discussions from both Old Republic lore experts and cosplayers of the Old Republic!

Lucasfilm’s Studio Showcase
Fri, Apr 7, 2023 • 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. GMT
Location: Celebration Stage [Streaming to Twin Suns & Galaxy Stages]
This panel is a pre-ticket event; there will be limited standby available.
Star Wars Celebration returns, launching with a must-see showcase that will kick the weekend’s festivities into hyperdrive. Lucasfilm’s current crop of live-action filmmakers will be joined by special guests to discuss the many current and upcoming Star Wars adventures, including The Mandalorian, Andor, and more!

Star Wars Mindful Matters with Ashley Eckstein
Fri, Apr 7, 2023 • 2:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. GMT
Location: Star Wars Kids Stage
Need a break from the busy show floor? Overwhelmed by all the jaw-dropping Star Wars news? Join Ashley Eckstein, voice of Ahsoka Tano in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels, at the Kids Stage as she leads a handful of Star Wars-themed mindfulness lessons.

The Making of Andor Season One
Fri, Apr 7, 2023 • 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. GMT
Location: Celebration Stage [Streaming to Twin Suns & Galaxy Stages]
Executive Producers Tony Gilroy and Diego Luna and their team of creatives recount the making of the epic first season of Star Wars: Andor.

Saturday, April 8

Ahsoka
Sat, Apr 8, 2023 • 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. GMT
Location: Celebration Stage [Streaming to Twin Suns & Galaxy Stages]
This panel is a pre-ticket event; there will be limited standby available.
Join Executive Producers Dave Filoni, Disney Legend Jon Favreau, and special guests for a look at the upcoming Disney+ series, Ahsoka.

Bringing Worlds to Life: The Concept Art of ILM
Sat, Apr 8, 2023 • 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. GMT
Location: Twin Suns Stage
Join host Clayton Sandell alongside Doug Chiang and Industrial Light & Magic Supervising Art Director Jason Horley as they take you behind the scenes to explore what goes into bringing a director’s vision to the silver screen. From the ILM Department’s work on the original trilogy to the Star Wars prequels, and to the latest films in the franchise and beyond, you’ll learn how iconic movie moments are made.

Star Wars: The High Republic
Sat, Apr 8, 2023 • 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. GMT
Location: Galaxy Stage
Centuries before the Skywalker saga there was The High Republic! Join luminous authors for an in-depth conversation about epic new tales spanning books, comics, audio, and beyond. Including all-new announcements and reveals from Star Wars: The High Republic Phase II, and a sneak peek of what’s to come in Phase III! Guests include authors Cavan Scoot, Charles Soule, Claudia Gray, Daniel José Older, George Mann, and Lydia Kang.

40 Years of Return of the Jedi
Sat, Apr 8, 2023 • 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. GMT
Location: Celebration Stage
Forty years ago, Star Wars: Return of the Jedi was the highly anticipated sequel that Star Wars fans had been waiting years to see, and the last Star Wars theatrical adventure to be released for the foreseeable future. Counted as a favorite episode by many, Star Wars: Return of the Jedi’s story, characters, settings and score still resonate with fans today, and its 40th anniversary offers the perfect opportunity to celebrate this time-honored classic. Join special guest host and Disney Legend Ming-Na Wen as she chats with Star Wars legends of the past, present, and future about the influence of this beloved chapter in the galaxy far, far away.

Clone Wars – 15 Year Anniversary Panel
Sat, Apr 8, 2023 • 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. GMT
Location: Galaxy Stage [Streaming to Twin Suns Stage]
Join Dave Filoni, Athena Portillo, Matthew Wood, Dee Bradley Baker, Ashley Eckstein, Matt Lanter, and James Arnold Taylor for a look back at the beginning of Lucasfilm Animation and how Star Wars: The Clone Wars came to be.

D23 Presents: Return of the Jedi 40th Anniversary Screening in London
Sat, Apr 8, 2023 • Screenings at 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. GMT
This event is SOLD OUT.
We have a very good feeling about this! D23: The Official Disney Fan Club is excited to join the festivities of Star WarsCelebration Europe 2023 with an exclusive screening of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi on April 8 in London!

Sunday, April 9

Villains of the Sequel Trilogy [Streaming to Galaxy Stage]
Sun, Apr 9, 2023 • 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. GMT
Location: Celebration Stage [Streaming to the Galaxy Stage]
This panel is a pre-ticketed event; there will be limited standby available.
The dark side of the Force is a pathway to many panels some consider to be… can’t-miss! Join host Amy Ratcliffe as she sits down with Ian McDiarmid (Emperor Palpatine), Andy Serkis (Supreme Leader Snoke), and Gwendoline Christie (Captain Phasma) as they discuss their villainous roles in the final chapters of the Skywalker Saga.

A Look Back at Obi-Wan Kenobi
Sun, Apr 9, 2023 • 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. GMT
Location: Celebration Stage
Take a look back at the hit limited series with Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen, Indira Varma, Vivien Lyra Blair, and executive producer/director Deborah Chow.

Star Wars Mindful Matters with Ashley Eckstein
Sun, Apr 9, 2023 • 2:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. GMT
Location: Star Wars Kids Stage
Need a break from the busy show floor? Overwhelmed by all the jaw-dropping Star Wars news? Join Ashley Eckstein, voice of Ahsoka Tano in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels, at the Kids Stage as she leads a handful of Star Wars-themed mindfulness lessons.

Disney Parks: Where Star Wars Comes to Life
Sun, Apr 9, 2023 • 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. GMT
Location: Celebration Stage
Join some of the creative minds from Walt Disney Imagineering and Lucasfilm for a special look at how Disney brings Star Wars to life in its parks and beyond. Discover more about immersive experiences from a galaxy far, far away, including Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser and more. Disney and Star Wars fans alike will be treated to the insights only these creators can provide.

Star Wars Animation Game Night
Sun, Apr 9, 2023 • 4:45 p.m. – 5:45 p.m. GMT
Location: Galaxy Stage
Star Wars Animation Game Night is a competition of galactic proportions starring voice actors from your favorite animated Star Wars series. Watch as Ashley Eckstein, Dee Bradley Baker, James Arnold Taylor, Matthew Wood, and Matt Lanter compete in feats of knowledge, skill, and luck to prove who is the ULTIMATE Star Wars fan.

Lucasfilm Publishing: Stories From a Galaxy Far, Far Away…
Sun, Apr 9, 2023 • 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. GMT
Location: Twin Suns Stage
From adult-aged novels to nonfiction, from kids comics to audiobook epics, Lucasfilm Publishing explores the stories from a galaxy far, far away. Featuring all-new announcements, exciting details and reveals for new and upcoming titles from the time of the High Republic to the time of the First Order, this panel is not to be missed! Guests include authors Adam Christopher, Cavan Scott, and Charles Soule.

Star Wars: The Bad Batch
Mon, Apr 10, 2023 • 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. GMT
Location: Celebration Stage [Streaming to the Twin Suns & Galaxy Stages]
This panel is a pre-ticket event; there will be limited standby available.
Join host Amy Ratcliffe as she invites Star Wars: The Bad Batch executive producer and supervising director Brad Rau, executive producer and head writer Jennifer Corbett, executive producer Athena Portillo, actors Dee Bradley Baker (the Bad Batch) and Michelle Ang (Omega) to discuss highlights from the second season of the acclaimed series!

Star Wars: Visions Volume 2
Mon, Apr 10, 2023 • 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. GMT
Location: Celebration Stage
Join host Amy Ratcliffe, Star Wars: Visions executive producers, and filmmakers from Aardman, Cartoon Saloon, D’ART Shtajio, El Guiri, La Cachette, Lucasfilm, Punk Robot, Studio Mir, Triggerfish, and 88 Pictures for an exclusive first look at Star Wars: Visions Volume 2.

Doug Chiang: Designing Obi-Wan Kenobi and The Mandalorian
Mon, Apr 10, 2023 • 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. GMT
Location: Galaxy Stage
Obi-Wan Kenobi and Star Wars: The Mandalorian Production Designer and Lucasfilm’s Vice President and Executive Creative Director Doug Chiang will present an in-depth talk about designing the characters, spaceships, and worlds for Obi-Wan Kenobi and Star Wars: The Mandalorian Season 3. He will share the challenges they faced in revisiting iconic Star Wars characters like Obi-Wan and Darth Vader.

Closing Ceremony
Mon, Apr 10, 2023 • 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. GMT
Location: Celebration Stage [Live on the Celebration, Galaxy, Twin Suns, & Star Wars Celebration LIVE! Stages]