(Left) Amanda Seyfried as Nina Winchester in ‘The Housemaid’. Photo: Daniel McFadden/Lionsgate. (Center) Tramell Tillman in ‘Severance’, now streaming on Apple TV+. (Right) Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird in ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.’ Photo Credit: Murray Close.
Preview:
Amanda Seyfried, Rachel Zegler and Tramell Tillman will appear in musical adaptation ‘Octet’
Lin-Manuel Miranda is directing the movie.
It follows people struggling with digital dependence.
Going full speed ahead on musical adaptation ‘Octet’, director Lin-Manuel Miranda (no stranger to stage work himself), has found the cast for the movie version.
The New York cast of stage musical ‘Octet’. Photo: Joan Marcus/WNYC Studios.
With a script and score by Dave Malloy, directed by Annie Tippe, the show follows an octet of people struggling with digital dependency, charting their compulsions using only the analog vibrancy of their own voices. With witty lyrics, shimmering harmonies and virtuosic solos, ‘Octet’ sings of connection, redemption, hope — and how we can be truly present with each other.
It opened off-Broadway on May 19, 2019, at the Signature Theatre in New York City, before ending its run on June 30. That was followed by a west coast premiere with a five-week run at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre in 2022.
Here’s Miranda’s statement on tackling the musical for the screen:
“I haven’t stopped thinking about ‘Octet’ since I saw Annie Tippe’s premiere production in November of 2019. Dave Malloy’s score is versatile, brilliant and grows more relevant with each passing year. It won’t leave me alone so here we are.”
Lin-Manuel Miranda will direct a movie version of ‘Octet’.
It’ll be based on Dave Malloy and Annie Tippe’s show.
It follows people struggling with digital dependence.
While off-Broadway musical ‘Octet’ didn’t enjoy the longest run on stage back in 2019 (more on that below), its fortunes certainly appear to have changed on the movie adaptation front.
No less a stage/film icon than ‘Hamilton’ creator/star Lin-Manuel Miranda is attached to direct a film of the show.
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It would mark the talented musician/actor and filmmaker’s second time adapting a musical following his version of Jonathan Larson’s ‘Tick, Tick… Boom!’ in 2021.
The New York cast of stage musical ‘Octet’. Photo: Joan Marcus/WNYC Studios.
With a script and score by Dave Malloy, directed by Annie Tippe, the logline is as follows an octet of people struggling with digital dependency, charting their compulsions using only the analog vibrancy of their own voices. With witty lyrics, shimmering harmonies and virtuosic solos, ‘Octet’ sings of connection, redemption, hope — and how we can be truly present with each other.
It opened off-Broadway on May 19, 2019, at the Signature Theatre in New York City, before ending its run on June 30. That was followed by a west coast premiere with a five-week run at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre in 2022.
‘Octet’: Lin-Manuel Miranda talks
Here’s Miranda’s statement on tackling the musical for the screen:
“I haven’t stopped thinking about ‘Octet’ since I saw Annie Tippe’s premiere production in November of 2019. Dave Malloy’s score is versatile, brilliant and grows more relevant with each passing year. It won’t leave me alone so here we are.”
Catherine Laga‘aia is playing the title character in the live-action ‘Moana’.
Dwayne Johnson is reprising his role as Maui.
‘Hamilton’ director Thomas Kail is behind the camera.
We’ve known since April that, in addition to the animation sequel headed to theaters this Thanksgiving, Disney is hard at work on a live-action version of 2016’s animated hit ‘Moana’.
But while that announcement included word that Dwayne Johnson would be reprising his role as demi-god Maui, there was no indication of who might be inheriting the title role of the young Pacific Islander who sets sail on a quest, as Auli’i Cravalho, who voiced Moana in the animated version, is instead just a producer on this one.
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What’s the story of Moana?
Walt Disney Studios Animation’s ‘Moana.’
The original movie follows the young woman rebelling against the insular nature of her island community and embracing her destiny as an adventurer, helping to sort out a huge problem in the process.
Along the way, she meets Maui, the mischievous, shape-shifting demi-god who is initially a thorn in her side but ends up a trusted companion.
Who is appearing in the ‘Moana’ live-action movie?
Frankie Adams.
Here’s what Catherine Laga‘aia had to say about getting the role:
“I’m really excited to embrace this character because Moana is one of my favorites. My grandfather comes from Fa‘aala, Palauli, in Savai‘i. And my grandmother is from Leulumoega Tuai on the main island of ‘Upolu in Samoa. I’m honored to have an opportunity to celebrate Samoa and all Pacific Island peoples, and to represent young girls who look like me.”
She’ll be joined in the cast by Auckland, New Zealander John Tui as Moana’s no-nonsense father, Chief Tui; Samoan-New Zealand actress Frankie Adams portrays Moana’s playful and strong-willed mother, Sina; and Rena Owen, who hails from Bay of Islands, NZ, was cast as the revered Gramma Tala.
Thomas Kail, who directed the theatre sensation ‘Hamilton’ (and on TV made the likes of ‘Fosse/Verdon’ and ‘Up Here’), is behind the camera for the new ‘Moana’.
This is his statement on tackling the new movie:
“I am thrilled to have met Catherine, Rena, Frankie and John through this casting process. I am humbled by this opportunity, and I cannot wait to all be on set together. And there’s no better pair to be in a canoe with than Catherine and Dwayne — actually, trio: Heihei is ready, too.”
In case that last name has you saying “whowho?”, Heihei is Moana’s extremely dim chicken friend from the animated pic.
Jared Bush, who co-wrote on the original ‘Moana’, has crafted the new script alongside Samoan writer Dana Ledoux Miller. And Kail’s old friend, ‘Hamilton’ creator/actor Lin-Manuel Miranda (who also wrote songs for the animated movie) is a producer on this one.
When will the live-action ‘Moana’ be in theaters?
Disney has planted a flag in July 10th, 2026, as the release date for the new movie.
(L to R) Leah Sava Jeffries, Walker Scobell and Aryan Simhadri discuss Disney+’s ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians.’
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Walker Scobell, Leah Sava Jeffries and Aryan Simhadri about their work on the series, Annabeth and Percy’s relationship, Percy’s friendship with Grover, the novels the series is based on, and what fans will think of the new show.
(R to L) ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ stars Walker Scobell as Percy Jackson, Leah Sava Jeffries as Annabeth, and Aryan Simhadri as Grover. Photo: Disney.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Scobell, Jeffries and Simhadri, as well as executive producers Jon Steinberg and Dan Shotz.
Moviefone: To begin with, Walker, what has it been like for you playing the iconic role of Percy Jackson in this new series?
Walker Scobell: I’m very excited and at the same time, I’m a little nervous. I don’t know what people are going to think and I hope they like it.
Leah Jeffries in ‘Percy Jackson & The Olympians.’ Photo: Disney/David Bukach.
MF: Leah, can you talk about the relationship between Annabeth and Percy? How would you describe it in your own words?
Leah Sava Jeffries: I feel in this first book, it went from stranger enemies, basically. I feel they were already enemies before they even knew each other. It was like when I first saw him, I was like, “You’re already getting on my nerves.” That’s how Annabeth kind of was though. It was always like, “Are you going to keep talking or are we going to go on the quest now?” It was very much like that, and I felt at the end, going into the second book, that’s when it starts to build into a friendship, and that’s what it was like when we were filming. But TV shows aren’t really filmed all together in unison. Sometimes we film episode eight, and then sometimes we go all the way back to one. So, when we had to film it, we had to change very quickly. So, at the end, it was a little bit closer than the next day. They’re like, “Okay, we’re going all day back to episode three.” Then I’m like, “Can you shut up please?” Then I go all the way back down to, “You’re not so bad.” So, it definitely builds though, but that’s basically how it is.
Aryan Simhadri in ‘Percy Jackson & The Olympians.’ Photo: Disney/David Bukach.
MW: Aryan, can you talk about Percy and Grover’s friendship and how that is depicted in this series?
Aryan Simhadri: Grover plays a lot of different roles when it comes to helping Percy adjust. He helps him adjust to real human life. It’s hard to imagine someone who’s not human, who ages twice as slow can help someone who is human. But I think Grover is a very emotional character. He has a very deep understanding of how people are feeling around him, and I think that’s what helps Percy on both sides of the mist, I guess.
Walker Scobell in ‘Percy Jackson & The Olympians.’ Photo: Disney/David Bukach.
MF: Walker, do you think fans of the books will enjoy the new series?
WS: I really hope they’ll like it. I think we’ve given them everything they need to like it. It’s very faithful to the books, which I think is very important for this, but I really hope they like it. I don’t know though. Hopefully. I think they will.
Leah Jeffries in ‘Percy Jackson & The Olympians.’ Photo: Disney/David Bukach.
MF: Leah, had you read the books before shooting the series, and what do you think about the direction the show is taking the source material?
LSJ: Yes, I did read the books, and I was familiar with them before I had got the part. I also had watched the movie a lot. When I do auditions, they always tell me what the name is. When they first told me they were like, “For Percy Jackson.” I was like, “Wait, they’re making it again?” I was like, “Is it a remake or something?” At first, I didn’t know if it was a series or if it was a movie, so I was like, “Wait a minute, what’s happening here?”
(R to L) ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ stars Walker Scobell as Percy Jackson, Leah Sava Jeffries as Annabeth, and Aryan Simhadri as Grover. Photo: Disney.
MF: Finally, Leah, do you think the series gives you more time to explore these characters than a film would?
LSJ: Yeah, it does because trying to fit everything into a two-hour movie, and then say you’re trying to fit everything into an eight-hour-long series if you try to watch it all together, it’s a difference. But I think they are two different types of details that make up the same thing, basically.
Walker Scobell in ‘Percy Jackson & The Olympians.’ Photo: Disney/David Bukach.
What is the plot of ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’?
12-year-old demigod Percy Jackson (Walker Scobell) is accused by the Greek god Zeus of stealing his thunderbolt.
Who is in the cast of ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’?
Sometimes, movies just can’t contain the story when it comes to a novel series adaptation. Such appeared to be the case when 20th Century Fox (in its pre-Disney days) released two films based on Rick Riordan’s ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ books.
Even with Chris Columbus –– who had helped launch the hugely successful ‘Harry Potter’ film franchise –– at the helm of the first, the movies didn’t deliver the way studios and fans had hoped for, and the on-screen version only managed two entries: 2010’s ‘The Lightning Thief’ and 2013’s ‘Sea of Monsters’ (directed by Thor Freudenthal).
Hopes are higher for the TV version which, thanks to Disney buying Fox, finds itself on Disney+, with the sort of budget and, potentially, running time that fans are hoping can do justice to the stories.
Of course, it’ll still have to connect with wider audiences to avoid the creeping trend for streaming services that wipe unsuccessful shows from their servers after a season or two, which is something that has happened with Disney+ as much as any other.
What’s the story of ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’?
Walker Scobell in ‘Percy Jackson & The Olympians.’ Photo: Disney/David Bukach.
The new show tells the fantastical story of a 12-year-old modern demigod, Percy Jackson (Walker Scobell of ‘The Adam Project’), who’s just coming to terms with his newfound divine powers when the sky god Zeus (the late Lance Reddick who died shortly after the season wrapped) accuses him of stealing his master lightning bolt.
With help from his friends Grover (Aryan Simhadri) and Annabeth (Leah Jeffries), Percy must embark on an adventure of a lifetime to find it and restore order to Olympus.
Who else stars in ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’?
(R to L) ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ stars Walker Scobell as Percy Jackson, Leah Sava Jeffries as Annabeth, and Aryan Simhadri as Grover. Photo: Disney.
Walker Scobell in ‘Percy Jackson & The Olympians.’ Photo: Disney/David Bukach.
Riordan, who is serving as an executive producer and head writer on the show, seems confident in the new version.
Here’s what he told Entertainment Weekly (in an interview conducted before the start of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes) about the process of bringing the series to life:
“We have been involved in the series since its inception, since the very, very earliest conversations about what a new Percy adaptation might look like, how it would be sketched out, whether it would be episodic. So, I feel comfortable telling fans of the books who have been waiting — in some cases, decades — for this kind of faithful adaptation, that this is the one you’ve been waiting for. We are involved and I think you’re gonna love it.”
‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ launches with its first two (of eight) episodes on Disney+ on December 20th.
Walker Scobell in ‘Percy Jackson & The Olympians.’ Photo: Disney/David Bukach.(L to R) ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ stars Walker Scobell as Percy Jackson, and Leah Sava Jeffries as Annabeth. Photo: Disney.Leah Jeffries in ‘Percy Jackson & The Olympians.’ Photo: Disney/David Bukach.Leah Jeffries in ‘Percy Jackson & The Olympians.’ Photo: Disney/David Bukach.Aryan Simhadri in ‘Percy Jackson & The Olympians.’ Photo: Disney/David Bukach.Aryan Simhadri in ‘Percy Jackson & The Olympians.’ Photo: Disney/David Bukach.(R to L) ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ stars Walker Scobell as Percy Jackson, Leah Sava Jeffries as Annabeth, and Aryan Simhadri as Grover. Photo: Disney.
Other Movies Similar to ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’:
The official synopsis for ‘The Little Mermaid’ is below:
“The youngest of King Triton’s daughters, Ariel is a beautiful and spirited young mermaid with a thirst for adventure. Longing to find out more about the world beyond the sea, Ariel visits the surface and falls for the dashing Prince Eric. Following her heart, she makes a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, to experience life on land.”
(L to R) Jonah Hauer-King, Jacob Tremblay, Melissa McCarthy, Halle Bailey, Rob Marshall, Javier Bardem and Daveed Diggs attend the UK Premiere Of Disney’s ‘The Little Mermaid’ at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on May 15, 2023 in London, England. Photo by StillMoving.Net for Disney.
‘The Little Mermaid premiered at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles on May 8, 2023. The film was released domestically on May 26, 2023.
After auditioning hundreds of actors for the role of Ariel, Halle Bailey was cast in the lead role.
Director Rob Marshall recounts her audition,
“I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I just thought she’s so deeply connected to what she was singing about. It’s so emotional. It’s so beautiful. And I thought, [laugh] Oh my gosh, we’ve been doing this for five minutes. Have we found Ariel? And we had.”
Landing this role was a dream come true for the actress, as Ariel was her favorite Disney princess growing up. Bailey’s powerhouse voice delivered an emotional rendition of ‘A Part Of Your World’ that brought audiences to tears. Her performance was a joy to watch as she captured the essence of Ariel – her curiosity about the human world and her drive to explore undiscovered places.
Ursula the Sea Witch is a fan-favorite Disney Villain, most notable for her song ‘Poor Unfortunate Soul’. McCarthy’s performance as Ursula delighted critics and audience alike, calling her a “scene stealer”. She matched the villain’s attitude, voice, and laughter while using her comedic skills to make the role her own.
During the filming of the movie, McCarthy confessed that her feet never touched the ground which made her performance even more impressive.
“I slid down the clamshell occasionally, on my back, but I was never literally on my feet. We were either up in rigs or, you know, there were all different magical things. You know, if you were diving, it was one rig. If you were spinning, it was another. But no, never on the ground.”
Director Rob Marshal teams up with Award-winning composer Alan Menken, who worked on the original animated movie for the live-action adaptation to create new music for the film. Fan favorite songs such as ‘A Part of Your World’, ‘Under The Sea’, ‘Kiss The Girl’, and ‘Poor Unfortunate Soul’ all made it into the movie. A few new songs were added as well, including ‘For The First Time’, ‘Wild Uncharted Waters’ and ‘The Scuttlebutt’.
‘For The First Time’ is performed by Halle Bailey after she receives her legs from the sea witch Ursula. How does she sing if Ursula has taken her voice? Think of the song as an internal monologue for Ariel. She is seeing the human world for the first time, and the song is paired with a montage of Ariel experiencing brand new things in the Above World.
‘Wild Uncharted Waters’ is sung by Jonah Hauer-King. While Prince Eric didn’t have a song in the original animated feature, the filmmakers felt that the prince needed a moment where he can talk (or sing) about his passion to be out in on the open sea. This ballad helped flush out Eric’s story and character.
Finally, ‘The Scuttlebutt’ is a song that was performance by both Awkwafina and Daveed Diggs. Written by Lin-Manuel Miranda (‘Hamilton’, ‘Mary Poppins Returns’), this upbeat song and rap is about Scuttle overhearing the gossip of Prince Eric’s plan to propose.
Originally, there was a song for Javier Bardem’s King Triton as well but the song ultimately didn’t make the final cut.
The film was released theatrically in the United States on May 26th, 2023 and is currently playing in theaters. Be sure to check showtimes on Moviefone. below.
Watch the official trailers for ‘The Little Mermaid’ below:
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As this a Disney movie, it will end up on the studio’s streamer Disney+ once it’s ready for streaming. In the past, Disney has followed a 90-day theatrical window which means ‘The Little Mermaid’ may arrive on Disney+ by late August or early September.
Walt Disney Studios kicked off the first day of D23 Expo 2022 in style today with tons of advance looks at what the House of Mouse has in store for fans in the coming days, months, and years. You can watch Moviefone‘s exclusive backstage interviews by clicking on the video player above.
The first D23 Expo in three years began with the president of Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production, Sean Bailey, revealing the first-ever footage from ‘Hocus Pocus 2’.
Bailey was joined by the wacky Sanderson Sisters themselves – stars Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy – who appeared via video to show how their characters are back for the first time since 1993 for more soul-stealing Halloween action.
Battling them this time around are aspiring witch Becca (Whitney Peak) and magic shop owner Gilbert (Sam Richardson).
But the audience’s biggest applause went to the original film’s Billy Butcherson (‘The Shape of Water’s Doug Jones) upon his return from the grave. ‘Hocus Pocus 2’ hits Disney+ on September 30th. The trailer is in the video player above.
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Next up on the panel was another eagerly anticipated sequel, ‘Disenchanted’. Returning stars Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, Idina Menzel, and James Marsden took the stage, alongside Maya Rudolph, the film’s new villain. ‘Disenchanted’ finds Adams’ Giselle and hubby Dempsey moving to the suburbs with their infant and teenage children.
“I was a huge fan of the original,” said Rudolph. “I can’t believe I got to be part of this… It’s not easy being mean to Amy Adams.” The new teaser trailer for the sequel is in the video player above.
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As far as live-action remakes of Disney animated classics go, ‘Peter Pan & Wendy’ was the first on deck today: with star Jude Law (Captain Hook) flanked by newcomers Alexander Molony (Peter Pan), Ever Gabo Anderson (Wendy), and Alyssa Wapanatâhk (Tiger Lily).
Expect more empowered female characters this time around, including at least one Lost Girl among Peter’s Lost Boys.
“Disney has worked very hard to give her more depth and a lot more character,” said Anderson of Wendy. “She and Peter are equals in this film.”
Law added that Hook and Pan’s prior relationship is also fleshed out. “We got to mine their back story a little bit more. You get to understand their past,” he said, hinting that the two were once friends.
“I got to make sure all the little details, all the Easter eggs are there. Because I’m a nerd,” confessed Simien. He then joined another of the film’s stars – scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis – in a Doom Buggy rolling across the D23 Expo stage.
Few Disney films are so beloved as 1994’s ‘The Lion King’. And fans will get more of the film’s animal kingdom in the 2024 prequel ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’.
Director Barry Jenkins appeared to explain how “Mufasa is the origin story of one of the greatest kings of the Pride Land… It’s the real story of how Mufasa found his place in the circle of life. What you learn is that Mufasa is great because of the family and the friends he has with him.”
Of course Disney Studios wouldn’t exist without its very first animated classic, 1937’s ‘Snow White’.
Director Marc Webb is tackling the live-action 2024 remake, featuring Gal Gadot as the Wicked Queen and Rachel Zegler as its eponymous heroine. The two were touched by the warm response they received as they presented a first look at their characters.
“Just your reaction means the world to us,” said Gadot.
A visibly moved Zegler explained that, “Snow White is the girl you remember, but she’s definitely made for the modern age,” stating the film redefines what it means to be the fairest of them all.
Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot at Disney D23 Expo 2022 Getty Images
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While ‘Snow White’ is Disney’s first animated feature, 1989’s ‘The Little Mermaid’ is responsible for the studio’s renaissance. As well as its renewed dedication to musicals, as Rob Marshall, director of May 2023’s live-action adaptation, reminded fans today.
“It was very important for us to honor the original. We went to Alan Menken, who was divine to work with, and also our dear friend Lin-Manuel Miranda. They had never worked together before… There are four new songs. We still retain the beauty of the original score, written by the late great Howard Ashman as well.”
Fans were treated to the film’s entire “Part of Your World” number, featuring a note-perfect Halle Bailey, who appeared on stage with Marshall.
“Three days of filming ‘Part of Your World,’” said Bailey, “that was the most beautiful experience of my life. Just getting to sing a song I’ve loved since I was a child was so exciting.”
“The camera loves you,” Marshall told Bailey. “But it’s more than that. [It] loves what’s inside. [It] loves what you bring.”
The two then unveiled a teaser that recalled ‘Finding Nemo’ in the color and detail of its underwater world. You can find a teaser version of the clip in the video player at the top of the page.
It was then time for Pixar Animation Studios’ turn in the spotlight, with chief creative officer Pete Docter introducing next summer’s ‘Elemental’.
Director Peter Sohn spoke of how the film’s Element City was inspired by the culturally mixed New York of his childhood. Footage shown depicted the star-crossed romance of its fire-based heroine Ember (Leah Lewis) and her watery boyfriend Wade (Mamoudou Athie).
Pixar also unveiled its first original long-form series in the form of ‘Win or Lose’, each episode of which follows the perspective of a different character connected to a co-ed softball team, the Pickles.
With this year’s ‘Lightyear’, Pixar returned to the science fiction of ‘Wall-E’. Expect more in this vein soon, starting with ‘Elio’.
Announced today at D23 with star America Ferrera on stage, the film’s title character is an 11-year-old boy who doesn’t feel like he fits in his world. His mom (Ferrera) runs a top-secret military project, which inadvertently results in Elio making first contact with alien life and becoming our planet’s ambassador to the rest of the universe. It’s due out in spring 2024.
Last but by no means least on the Pixar slate – ‘Inside Out’ star Amy Poehler made a surprise appearance alongside Docter to announce ‘Inside Out 2’.
“Joy and the emotions are back for an all new adventure inside Riley’s head,” said a fittingly ebullient Poehler. “Only this time she’s a teenager!”
New emotions will also appear in the film, as Kelsey Mann takes over the directing chores from Docter, with Meg LeFauve returning to write the summer 2024 release.
To cap off the panel, Disney Animation’s chief creative officer (and Oscar-winning ‘Frozen’ director) Jennifer Lee greeted the D23 Expo audience to show what’s in store for the studio’s 100th anniversary next year.
But first, Disney’s fan-favorite 2016 ‘Zootopia’ will get a spin-off series this November on Disney+. And attendees got an advance look at the aptly titled ‘Zootopia+’, consisting of six short ‘Zootopia’-style spoofs of everything from ‘The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ to ‘The Godfather Part II’.
Perhaps Disney’s most unique offering at the Expo was ‘Iwaju’. Coming this year to Disney+, it finds the animation studio partnering for the first time in its long history with an overseas animation studio – Africa’s Kugali. Its three founders appeared today, describing their Afrofuturism fable and its characters as a love letter to their hometown of Lagos, Nigeria.
More sci-fi arrived with a new look at ‘Strange World’, described by Lee as “a film about family, legacy, and what we leave behind for the generations that follow.” Director Don Hall explained how the film chronicles three generations coming together on an alien planet in order to save their world.
Stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Dennis Quaid, and Lucy Liu introduced a rip-snorting clip of an exciting chase through ‘Strange World’s creature-packed planet.
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The Disney Animation segment, and indeed entire panel, concluded with the revelation of the studio’s 100th anniversary feature film – ‘Wish’. The tale of the star upon which so many Disney characters have wished throughout the past century, ‘Wish’ is co-directed by the attending team of Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn.
Buck, who co-wrote the film with Lee, explained how ‘Wish’ explores a kingdom of wishes, in which wishes can literally come true. Offering a lush, animated watercolor style coupled with CG animation, it stars newly minted Oscar winner Ariana DeBose as 17-year-old Asha, who pleas to the heavens for help, and gets an actual star from the sky, named Star, who communicates through pantomime.
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Disney “good luck charm,” actor Alan Tudyk appeared with footage of his character, a goat named Valentino who wishes to communicate with people. Finally, DeBose saw fans off with a sizzling live performance of “More for Us,” one of the film’s songs by Grammy winner Julia Michaels.
Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It (directed by Mariem Pérez Riera)
Rita Moreno as seen in ‘Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It’
Beginning her career at the age of 9 playing the lead in Jane Morrison’s ‘Los dos Mundos de Angelita,’ Mariem Pérez Riera decided early on that she wanted to become a film director. In 2005, she founded her own production company, Maramara Films. Riera has directed episodes of the television show ‘Chamacas,’ plus several documentary features and shorts, as well as co-directing the 2007 romantic comedy ‘Maldeamores’ starring Luis Guzmán.
Riera finished the final cut of this new documentary on March 13th, 2020, just as the world was headed into quarantine. Post-production took place during the following year, and the film had its debut at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. Originally conceived by long-time television creative Norman Lear and Broadway’s Lin-Manuel Miranda, Riera was brought on board as a producer, editor and director in 2019.
Using archival footage, film clips, and new interviewers with Rita Moreno and those she inspired, the documentary traces her career in Hollywood over seven decades. Ultimately a story about persistence in the face of discrimination, the film exposes the festering wounds of Hollywood’s racist past to show the systematic issues, like colorism, that are still in play today. Moreno is frank about her early days in the biz, being relegated to bit parts – mostly in brown face and with stereotypical accents.
Even in her Oscar-winning role as Anita in West Side Story, Moreno wore dark makeup and, as an immigrant character, once again a stereotypical accent. She is incredibly open and vulnerable about her struggles with insecurity, with sexual harassment, and with her tumultuous (and ultimately toxic) relationship with Marlon Brando. While the film does not shy away from the lows of Moreno’s career, it really shines when she shines, showcasing the work she did that made her an EGOT – Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony winner – so early in her career.
The title of the doc comes from a t-shirt bedazzled with the phrase JUST A GIRL WHO DECIDED TO GO FOR IT that Moreno had picked up in Boston and decided to wear to the Television Critics Association Gala, in which she received a lifetime achievement award. Like the shirt itself, Moreno is now able to be inarguably her brassy self at all times. Something to which we can all aspire.
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‘Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It’ is in theaters now and will air on PBS’s American Masters some time in the future.
Jane Fonda In Five Acts (directed by Susan Lacy)
Jane Fonda as seen in ‘Jane Fonda in Five Acts’
In 1986, filmmaker Susan Lacy created the PBS documentary series known as American Masters. Over the last 35 years, the program has helped produce some of the greatest documentaries about American artists and creators. Titles include ‘Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise,’ ‘James Baldwin: The Price of the Ticket,’ ‘Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool,’ ‘No Direction Home: Bob Dylan,’ and more. Lacy served as executive producer of the series until 2012. She said the concept for the series began with her Master’s degree in American Studies, her belief that American culture should be looked at through the broadest context, and the lack of a true biography series on PBS at the time.
In 2012, Jane Fonda attended the premiere of ‘Inventing David Geffen’. It blew her mind, and she knew exactly who she wanted to tell her story. She sought out Lacy to work on the project that eventually became ‘Jane Fonda In Five Acts.’ Debuting at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, the documentary landed on HBO, rather than American Masters. It was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special, although it did not win.
Lacy immediately knew she wanted to take Fonda’s incredibly complicated life story and look at it through the lens of a five act play. Lacy stated she feels that Jane’s final act is as exciting as her first, and you can feel that vision in the documentary itself.
The first four acts are named after influential men in her life: ‘Henry’ for her father Henry Fonda, ‘Roger’ for her first husband Roger Vadim, ‘Tom’ for her second husband Tom Hayden, and ‘Ted’ for her third husband Ted Turner. Early on in the first act she describes having an aversion to her mother, who on the surface was a perfect mid-century housewife, but like many women who are stifled, was riddled with anxiety and mental illness.
Fonda recalls as a youth that she felt closer to her dad, stating, “My team is the winning team, my team is the winning team, my dad.” In exploring the ways in which each of these men affected her personal and professional growth, the film highlights her pattern of modeling herself to be whatever the men in her life wanted her to be.
Handled deftly with the privilege of hindsight, these sections not only illuminate Fonda’s life, but in a way also explore similar struggles many women of her generation felt in a country that was rapidly changing. The final act, entitled ‘Jane,’ looks at where she is now, and the all-too-human contradiction of how each of these men both impeded her and helped her grow.
A stunning profile of a complex person, ‘Jane Fonda In Five Acts’ excels at capturing all the intricacies that make us who we are and inspires us to keep working on our own unfinished self-portraits.
Disney+ has just released a trailer for the highly-anticipated version of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s smash hit musical that will be coming to the subscription service on July 3.
This performance of the musical was filmed at the Richard Rogers Theater in June of 2016, and features the original Broadway cast. And in case you’ve managed to totally miss that this was a Tony Award®- and Pulitzer Prize-winning production, and you have no idea what the fuss is about, the press release has a good summation:
An unforgettable cinematic stage performance, the filmed version of the original Broadway production of “Hamilton” combines the best elements of live theater, film and streaming to bring the cultural phenomenon to homes around the world for a thrilling, once-in-a-lifetime experience. “Hamilton” is the story of America then, told by America now. Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B and Broadway, “Hamilton” has taken the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton and created a revolutionary moment in theatre—a musical that has had a profound impact on culture, politics, and education.
The success of Hamilton made Lin-Manuel Miranda a star, and its exciting to see that this filming happened while he was still performing the title role. If you missed the chance to see the original Broadway production, this filmed version has you covered:
Filmed at The Richard Rodgers Theatre on Broadway in June of 2016, the film transports its audience into the world of the Broadway show in a uniquely intimate way. With book, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda and direction by Thomas Kail, “Hamilton” is inspired by the book “Alexander Hamilton” by Ron Chernow and produced by Thomas Kail, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jeffrey Seller, with Sander Jacobs and Jill Furman serving as executive producers. Filming was produced by RadicalMedia. The 11-time-Tony Award®-, Grammy Award®-, Olivier Award- and Pulitzer Prize-winning stage musical stars: Daveed Diggs as Marquis de Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson; Renée Elise Goldsberry as Angelica Schuyler; Jonathan Groff as King George; Christopher Jackson as George Washington; Jasmine Cephas Jones as Peggy Schuyler/Maria Reynolds; Lin-Manuel Miranda as Alexander Hamilton; Leslie Odom, Jr. as Aaron Burr; Okieriete Onaodowan as Hercules Mulligan/James Madison; Anthony Ramos as John Laurens/Philip Hamilton; and Phillipa Soo as Eliza Hamilton.
Hamilton will premiere on Disney+ on July 3, 2020.
The latest addition to the film adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda‘s Broadway hit “In the Heights” … Lin-Manuel Miranda!
The show’s creator, who’s been sharing the latest casting news via Twitter, just tweeted today that he will in the movie after all.
He tweeted, “See you on set.” and “One last bit of casting. [Rolls piragua cart on set…]”#InTheHeightsMovie
He’s playing the bit part of Piragüero, whom EW describes as “the owner of a piragua (Puerto Rican shaved ice dessert) stand who Mister Softee is trying to shut down.”
Miranda wrote and starred in the original musical as Usnavi, but in the film that role will be played by Anthony Ramos, the actor who originated the dual roles of John Laurens and Phillip Hamilton in Miranda’s other Broadway hit, “Hamilton.”
The movie, directed by Jon Chu of “Crazy Rich Asians,” will arrive in theaters on June 26, 2020.
