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Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald {Review and Cast Q&A}

Lolli — Wed, 14 Nov 2018 21:41:08 +0000

My son and I were invited to a very special screening and Q&A with the cast of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald – the second of five all new adventures in J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World. The movie opens in theaters this weekend, November 16, 2018 and is rated PG-13.

This review and the following Q&A are spoiler-free, so read on without fear of ruining the movie! Many thanks to Warner Bros. Entertainment for the opportunity to see the movie ahead of time! Amazon affiliate links are used below. All thoughts are my own. #WandsReady

If you haven’t seen the trailer for Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, let’s start there. But really…if you haven’t seen this yet, where have you been hiding the last few months?

About Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

At the end of the first film, the powerful Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp) was captured by MACUSA (Magical Congress of the United States of America), with the help of Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne). But, making good on his threat, Grindelwald escaped custody and has set about gathering followers, most unsuspecting of his true agenda: to raise pure-blood wizards up to rule over all non-magical beings.

In an effort to thwart Grindelwald’s plans, Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) enlists his former student Newt Scamander, who agrees to help, unaware of the dangers that lie ahead. Lines are drawn as love and loyalty are tested, even among the truest friends and family, in an increasingly divided wizarding world.

The film features an ensemble cast led by Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Ezra Miller, with Jude Law and Johnny Depp. The cast also includes, Zoë Kravitz, Callum Turner, Claudia Kim, William Nadylam, Kevin Guthrie, Carmen Ejogo, and Poppy Corby-Tuech.

“Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” is directed by David Yates, from a screenplay by J.K. Rowling. The film is produced by David Heyman, J.K. Rowling, Steve Kloves and Lionel Wigram.

My Reaction

If you are a fan of Harry Potter (or any part of J.K Rowling’s Wizarding World) then this movie is a must-see. Fantastic Beasts And Where to Find Them (yes, we totally had to order it on Amazon last month so we’d be ready for Crimes of Grindelwald) was a fun, well-made movie, but the second installment tied Fantastic Beasts and Harry Potter together so well. It was the ultimate backstory, giving as a peek into where our beloved Harry Potter characters were before we met them.

I love how this trailer focuses on the connections between Fantastic Beasts and the Harry Potter stories:

This movie is much darker than the first, as we get to know Gellert Grindelwald and his plans. However, in my opinion, if your kids have seen any of the Harry Potter movies, they should be just fine seeing Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.

My 13-year-old Son’s Experience

My youngest is a huge Harry Potter fan. He creates hand-made replica wands in his free time. So when I received the invitation to go to the screening, AJ told me “If you can bring someone, it HAS to be me.” He spent the morning before the screening re-watching Harry Potter/Fantastic Beasts videos from two of his favorite YouTubers, Super Carlin Brothers. On our way to the theater, he actually wondered out loud if they would be sitting in a theater somewhere at the same time seeing a screening that day, too.

Imagine his shock when he saw them in OUR theater.

I challenged him to go up to the brothers and talk to them before the movie. They were kind enough to suggest taking a picture together, and AJ supplied them each with a wand for the shot.

AJ loved the movie, especially the addition of the new characters, and he’s already excited to see it again. He’s also eager for his friends to see it so he can finally talk about the movie with someone other than me.

Q&A with the Cast

I have to start off by saying that the Fantastic Beasts Q&A was broadcast live in our theater and dozens of other theaters throughout the US. The actors were at Universal Studios Hollywood and I was sitting in a theater in Virginia. And, while I did take notes throughout the Q&A session, I don’t have a recording or a transcript of the interview, so quotes are not necessarily word-for-word accurate. It’s still fun to hear the actors’ reactions to the movie.

Eddie Redmayne spoke about what it was like to return to the magical world in his second Fantastic Beasts movie. He said, “I had so much fun on the first film, and then they got some fresh blood and they raised the game.” Newt Scamander is (and always has been) an outsider, but you see him opening up in this film. “Love is what bring him to Paris. Love opened him up.”

Zoë Kravitz, who played Leta Lestrange, was one of those newcomers to the Fantastic Beasts franchise. She commented that she was “nervous, like the first day of school. The best moment is when they give you your wand. The worst day is when they take it away.”

Speaking of wands, the “newbies” let us know that the actors were each given the chance to choose their own wands (except for Gellert – his was already chosen for him!). Before even getting to the set, Jude Law spent time on a family vacation “practicing” wand work with a twig. After all of his practice, he only got to use one spell in the entire movie!

Callum Turner (Theseus Scamander) apparently could have used some extra wand practice. He broke his wand the very first time he used it.

Jude Law addressed the pressure and responsibility of portraying a younger Professor Albus Dumbledore. He said he felt the great responsibility of playing Dumbledore, but appreciated that he was given the freedom to interpret his character himself. He spent a lot of time with author J.K. Rowling before filming the movie, which I’m sure helped

Eddie chimed in, referring to the first time he saw Jude on the set, “Jude encaptured in one look everything Dumbledore is.” He said that Jude had the Dumbledore “twinkle” in his eye.

I agree: Jude was a perfectly magical Dumbledore!

Are you excited to see Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald?

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Woody Harrelson is Beckett in SOLO: A Star Wars Story #HanSoloEvent

Lolli — Fri, 25 May 2018 16:11:12 +0000

Many thanks to Disney for inviting me on an expense-paid trip to Los Angeles to attend the #HanSoloEvent and #ABCTVEvent in exchange for coverage on my blog. No other compensation was provided. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Solo: A Star Wars Story is finally out in theaters, and I can’t wait for you to see it!

Meet TOBIAS BECKETT

There is no question that Beckett is a survivor. Seasoned, taciturn, and all-business, Beckett quietly works out all the angles to come out ahead. He’s put together a team of specialized thieves to carry out risky but profitable heists, which he carefully plans and executes.

That’s the official character bio for Woody Harrelson’s new character. But how would he describe his character, Tobias Beckett?

Woody Harrelson is Beckett in SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY.

Woody said, “Well, I think in some ways, he’s complicated in the sense that he’s not always as chummy as he could be, but I’d say he’s a survivor who really also does have this image of life, wanting to be done with this life of Criminality, and ultimately, just be playing the valachord, living on a remote planet somewhere.”

In what ways is Woody Harrelson like his character, Beckett? Apparently, not much.

Woody Harrelson is Beckett and Alden Ehrenreich is Han Solo in SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY.

Woody explained, “I don’t think I’m that (much) like Beckett. He’s a bit of a hardass, and he’s kind of tough on Han. I think it’s probably good if you’re gonna want to try to make someone into a very street smart Survivor in that Universe, maybe that’s how he had to be. But I wouldn’t be like that. I’m like the most….I can’t even discipline my own child. I don’t know how to do it because I always say to myself, ‘Well, I would do that. So how can I be telling her…?'”

I loved that he was such a tough love mentor to Han in the movie. We asked, “In real life, who has been that kind of tough love mentor to you?” Woody responded, “I feel like to some degree, Jack Nicholson. He lives not far from where I have a place here in LA, even though I live in Maui but the kids didn’t want to ever give it up. I still have it and it’s not far from Jack’s and I would go over quite a bit to his place and sit and reason, and talk story, and he did….he’s given a lot of cool advice.”

Woody Harrelson – Photo courtesy of Louise Manning Bishop / MomStart.com

Do you remember the first time YOU saw Star Wars? Woody Harrelson remembers the first time he saw the original Star Wars movie in the theater. He said, “Yeah, I remember it ’cause, you probably won’t believe this, but I was alive in 1977 and you know, it was a huge thing at the time like everybody was all about Star Wars. It became a sensation. And so I just remember going to see it and it was so original, so different from anything else and all of it (was) great.”

I’m sure the opportunity to enter the Star Wars universe was an incredible experience!

When asked which character from the original Star Wars Trilogy he would have loved to be, Woody replied, “Who wouldn’t want to be Solo, man? Such a good–but I mean also, it was written really well, obviously. Lucas created these great characters but I guess what Harrison brought to it and now what Alden is bringing to it is making that character just so special, so fun, and funny.”

Thandie Newton is Val, Woody Harrelson is Beckett and Alden Ehrenreich is Han Solo in SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY.

I could tell that Woody had a ton of respect for Alden Ehrenreich, who played Han Solo in the movie. Despite Woody’s experience in Hollywood, I love that he was able to find things to learn from the younger actor.

Woody said, “Love Alden, love him, awesome, awesome guy. Really hard worker. I mean, very hard worker, ’cause there would be these humungous sets and then there would be these little spots, it’s like a little cloth room. You might have something to lay down on or chair, makeup thing, whatever. So we’d all have our little cubicles and he was next to me and he’d be in there like taking piano lessons. He’d be in there reading novels. I’m over there playing Speed Chess online. Screaming. The whole set’s like ‘What the he(ck)? He just lost his queen.’ I really admire his work ethic and I think just the way he cultivates himself as a human, he’s an extraordinary guy. He’s not just like a silly dopey party animal like some actors coming up or like I was coming up.”

Woody Harrelson – Photo courtesy of Louise Manning Bishop / MomStart.com

Woody Harrelson has certainly created a legacy of amazing and diverse roles during his time in Hollywood. But we were curious what HE wanted his personal legacy to be.

His response, “Well, I hope just generally, it’s a smiling type of legacy instead of a frowning type. I mean, I do prefer comedy (even though) I’ve gotten into a little bit of a Drama bubble. I would like to make people laugh, and hopefully, they’ll think of me and laugh.”

Woody Harrelson – Photo courtesy of Louise Manning Bishop / MomStart.com

Speaking of leaving a legacy of happiness, one of our group members complimented Woody by saying, “You always seem so happy” and asked, “What is your life-hack for happiness?”

Woody, with his perpetual smile, said, “Well, thank you for saying that. I do feel like a pretty genuinely happy person. And I think a big part of it is just gratitude. I’m very grateful for the life I have. I feel like all of us who do movies and probably all of you who write about movies, we’re breathing a bit of a rarified air. And I feel really lucky because there was a point in which I kind of gave up and it was early on. I hadn’t even got a job yet and I just was like, I think I can’t do it. And I don’t know how to crack it. And so yeah gratitude. Life-hack.”

Group photo with Woody Harrelson – Photo courtesy of Louise Manning Bishop / MomStart.com

Be sure to catch Woody Harrelson as Beckett in SOLO: A Star Wars Story, in theaters everywhere!

Website: https://www.starwars.com/films/solo

Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/starwarsmovies

Follow our exclusive coverage by checking out hashtag #HanSoloEvent on social media or click HERE to see all of my Han Solo Event coverage.

Phoebe Waller-Bridge is L3-37, The New Droid on the Block #HanSoloEvent

Lolli — Thu, 24 May 2018 19:40:09 +0000

I am so thankful to Disney for inviting me on an expense-paid trip to Los Angeles to attend the #HanSoloEvent and #ABCTVEvent in exchange for coverage on my blog. No other compensation was provided. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Meet L3-37

L3-37 is Lando’s co-pilot and a self-made droid assembled from astromech and protocol parts. Despite her make-up, L3-37 is an enlightened navigator who cares deeply about droid rights.

L3-37 (and Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s superior acting and stellar personality) stole the show for me. She was my favorite new character, and full of laughable moments. You are going to LOVE L3-37!

Phoebe Waller-Bridge – Photo courtesy of Louise Manning Bishop / MomStart.com

A New Star Wars Fan is Born

Did you know that Phoebe Waller-Bridge was not only NOT a Star Wars fan before working on this movie, but she had never seen a Star Wars movie before. She said, “Yeah, I hadn’t seen any of the films. I think there’s like five of us in the world. Which I think in some ways might’ve worked in my favor, especially from the droid perspective, because I was very loose in the audition with the idea of what a droid was.”

After being physically “loose” in her audition and said that the people conducting the audition said, “Wow, you’re taking the story thing very lightly.” Phoebe responded, “Oh, is she not a person?”

Of course, she loved the film and is totally obsessed with Star Wars now.

Donald Glover is Lando Calrissian and Phoebe Waller-Bridge is L3-37 in SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY.

Interestingly, Phoebe was actually in costume and acting along with the other characters. When we asked her to explain that process, she said, “Well, I had loads of fittings. I mean, the weirdest thing is, you get a kind of scan at the very beginning. I got a scan of my whole body, and then they build a complete replica of your body. And then they’d build this suit around it, so it fits perfectly. And so I had this green suit, skin-tight, really attractive green leggings and leotard. And then, on top of that, I had the kind of legs drilled onto me, and the arms, and the chest plate, and then the head.

“But it was the first time that they’d created a droid that could kind of move properly and be more flexible. And I could move all of my joints. Because she’s a self-made droid, so she created herself to be as flexible, bigger, faster, stronger, than any other droids that she would’ve met.”

Phoebe Waller-Bridge is L3-37 in SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY.

L3-37 is such a warm and humorous character that it’s easy to forget that she’s a droid. We asked Phoebe how she was able to bring such heart and humor to a character that’s not even flesh and blood, she responded with a smile.

“Aw, well, I can’t take full credit for that. The script does that. But I think you have to sort of start at the heart, with any character, no matter what they’re made out of. And I felt like she had a huge amount of heart and passion, and even though she sort of wakes up halfway through the film to what her passion is, and it’s nice, knowing you’re building to something like that as well. And humor as well. Where there’s humor there’s heart and I think she’s got a lot of it.”

Phoebe Waller-Bridge – Photo courtesy of Louise Manning Bishop / MomStart.com

On preparing to play a droid, Phoebe said, “I was ready to do all sorts of preparation for that. I was like, “Do you want me to work out? So I can carry the suit stronger?” And they were just like, “no, no, that little weird awkward walk you’re doing is actually perfect”. And the same with the voice. I think the vision that John Larry had from the writing point of view, and then you know, carrying on through the whole production. Because she’s created herself, she’s built herself to be more — not like, more human, but more relaxed, in her voice, and her body, and everything. I would offer something droid-y, they would be like ‘Stop that, pull it back. Be more natural.’”

Phoebe Waller-Bridge – Photo courtesy of Louise Manning Bishop / MomStart.com

We were curious how much ad-libbing Phoebe was able to do with her character. Phoebe explained,

“We were allowed to go off-beat — once we got the script, then there’d be a kind of little pass around with John and he’d be like, ‘Does anyone else have any ideas’ or ‘Let’s just kind to be a bit looser with the scene.’ And so we did get to do that a few times. And then if anything good came out of it, then they would do a take of that. It was really fun. I mean, the whole atmosphere on set was just so fun. And encouraging. And everyone was just so excitable, and it was just like, ‘Ooh, that’s a good idea, let’s do that.’ It was really nice.”

What about L3’s sass? Is Phoebe sassy in real life? Phoebe knocked that one down pretty quickly, “No, I’m afraid not, no. I can dream of being sassy though.”

Phoebe Waller-Bridge is L3-37 in SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY.

When asked about L3-37’s stance on droid awareness, Phoebe said, “It’s so cool that she’s got a cause, you know. She’s like a social justice warrior, and she’s a droid with an agenda that goes beyond her own existence, and that’s very unique. It’s good to have a message.”

Advise from the Set

Working with such legendary filmmakers and actors must be an incredible experience, and we wanted to know what Phoebe took away from the experience.

On working alongside Donald Glover and Ron Howard, said said, “It was more sort of hanging out — I mean, they are both so relaxed and such consummate professionals. But there’s a real sense of just being able to be really present with both of them, and I really learned that from them. Just letting go of everything and letting your instincts speak first.”

She went on to say more about working with Ron Howard, “I mean, he’s a master. But also, I was sort of ready to meet Ron Howard, you know, the king. And then he comes in, and he’s just like, ‘Hey. How’s it going?’ So friendly, and makes everyone feel so relaxed, and you can just feel instantly why people just want to work with him over and over again. Because he’s so clear. His eye is so brilliant, and he’s incredibly kind and very, very clever. So you feel very safe.”

Phoebe Waller-Bridge – Photo courtesy of Louise Manning Bishop / MomStart.com

Despite the fact that she didn’t start out a Star Wars fan, Phoebe certainly ended as one. And she recognized the importance of her involvement in a Star Wars movie. Two main moments stuck out to her:

She said, “…there was the scene in the Falcon, that was a big one when you involuntarily scream, and I did that when I saw the Falcon, and I did that when I met Chewie. But the big one really came, like, two weeks after we’d wrapped, and then I was just on a bus going to go and get a sandwich for my love somewhere in London. And I suddenly just went, ‘What just happened?’ I called my sister. And I was just like, ‘Was I just in a Star Wars movie?’ She’s like, ‘Yeah, Love, yeah. We came to set. We saw the whole thing.’ My God. How did that happen?”

Phoebe left us with a wonderful message that she hopes everyone watching Solo: A Star Wars Story leaves with.

“It’s a film celebrating individuality and individual causes and having courage of your own convictions. But also there are so many amazing relationships in it, and I think it’s inspiring, and the trust it takes to partner up with somebody, and I hope that inspires them as well.”

Group Photo with Phoebe Waller-Bridge – Photo courtesy of Louise Manning Bishop / MomStart.com

Be sure to catch Phoebe as L3-37 in SOLO: A Star Wars Story, opening in theaters everywhere on May 25 (yes, that’s tomorrow!)!

Website: https://www.starwars.com/films/solo

Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/starwarsmovies

Follow our exclusive coverage by checking out hashtag #HanSoloEvent on social media or click HERE to see all of my Han Solo Event coverage.

I Kill Giants – Exclusive Interview with Madison Wolfe

Lolli — Sat, 24 Mar 2018 14:58:27 +0000

Last week, I had the opportunity to interview Madison Wolfe, the star of the new movie I KILL GIANTS, in select theaters and On Demand now. I was not compensated in any way for this post. Amazon affiliate links are included.

About I KILL GIANTS

From the acclaimed graphic novel by the same name comes an epic adventure about a world beyond imagination. Teen Barbara Thorson (Madison Wolfe, The Conjuring 2) is the only thing that stands between terrible giants and the destruction of her small town. But as she boldly confronts her fears in increasingly dangerous ways, her new school counselor (Zoe Saldana, Guardians of the Galaxy) leads her to question everything she’s always believed to be true. I Kill Giants is an intense, touching story about trust, courage and love from the producers that brought you Harry Potter.

Based on the acclaimed graphic novel by Joe Kelly and Ken Niimura

From the producer of Harry Potter, Chris Columbus

Academy award-winning director, Anders Walter

I Kill Giants is in select theaters and On Demand, plus you can find it on iTunes. Available on Amazon, too!

Meeting Madison Wolfe

When Madison joined our conference call, it was difficult to remember that she was only 15 years old. Her responses were so well put together. I left the call wishing she could come hang out with my teens (I think they’d get along great!).

If you’re not familiar with the story, I Kill Giants addresses the issues of dealing with loss, the power of friendship, the value (and pitfalls) of using imagination to escape problems, and the effects of bullying. Barbara’s on-going battles with giants and titans mirror what is happening to her internally (I’ll stop there to keep this interview as spoiler-free as possible).

Question: What the biggest challenge would be in portraying Barbara and the most fun part about portraying her?

Madison Wolfe: “I think that the biggest challenge for me I knew was going to be that Barbara has so many layers. On the inside she’s really vulnerable, but on the outside she’s super, super tough. That was definitely the biggest challenge. And funnily enough, it was also the best part of it. I love a good challenge, so it was really fun.”

Question: “What do you hope young viewers, especially teenagers, take away from the film?”

Madison Wolfe: “I just hope people take away the message that they’re stronger than they think. It’s one of the last lines that Barbara says, and I think it’s a really common theme throughout the novel and the movie as well. I think that if young teenagers, or really anybody, just keeps that in mind in times of struggle that they’ll be able to get through it.”

Question: “What made you initially excited to work on this film?”

Madison Wolfe: “I think I was really excited because I knew it was going to be a challenge. I knew that it was going to surprise people, because when you see the trailer or if you hear about the storyline, it doesn’t really do the actual movie justice, in my opinion, because it’s so much more than just Barbara and her imagination and her giants. It’s about a teenage girl who has so many struggles and just is so tough and is able to get through those struggles.”

Question: “Did you relate to Barbara at all, or did you see yourself in her character, and how?”

Madison Wolfe: “Yes, definitely. I think that, despite kind of looking like an outcast, Barbara is a very relatable girl, you know? Everyone faces struggles in their life, whether they be big or small. I’ve had struggles in my own life, and I feel like I was tough enough to be able to get through them. And I think that she’s a great character to show that.”

Question: “How do you think Barbara’s character is a good role model for girls today?”

Madison Wolfe: “I think that she can definitely be a role model because in a way she doesn’t really care what other people think. She dresses how she wants. And even though everyone is telling her you’re crazy for believing in these giants, she still continues to do it and do what she really believes in and kind of stand up for herself. I think it’s a really beautiful kind of arc during the film, because in the beginning she’s just completely in denial of what’s really going on. And by the end, it’s a learning process for her. And she really grows up and kind of gets through all of her struggles.”

Question: “Barbara’s friendship with Sophia and her relationship with the guidance counselor play big roles in helping her overcome her “giants.” What do you want other girls to learn about how they can help others that might be dealing with something bigger – their own giants?”

Madison Wolfe: “Absolutely. The relationships that Barbara develops is such an important factor in her being able to overcome her “giants.” I just hope that it brings awareness to the fact that you never really know what people are going through. And if you just take a second to talk to them and break through their shell, you might end up really, really building a strong friendship with them and really, really helping them in the long run.”

Question: “Do you have anything that you do personally to alleviate stress in your life? Any tips for other teens?”

Madison Wolfe: “Whenever I’m really stressed, I really like to just play my guitar, my piano or something, and just do something that I find comforting. And just talking to my friends and playing music and just taking a second to breathe really helps me, I think, whenever life is stressful.”

That’s some advice that we can ALL use!

I just loved the message of I KILL GIANTS – we are all stronger than we think. We can get through hard things…but we don’t have to get through them alone. I think it’s a fantastic movie for parents and older kids/teens to not only watch, but also discuss together. Find I Kill Giants in a theater near you, or get it On Demand and watch it at home. You won’t regret it!

Connect with I KILL GIANTS: Instagram | #IKillGiants #IKillGiantsMovie #StrongerThanWeThink

Exclusive Interview with Rick Riordan {Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard: The Ship of the Dead}

Lolli — Fri, 06 Oct 2017 22:18:19 +0000

I was invited to the Library of Congress in Washington DC this week to visit with author Rick Riordan before he kicked off his national tour for his newest book, Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard: The Ship of the Dead (Book 3). No compensation was received, but I did get to take home a copy of the book and a t-shirt…plus, he autographed my copy of The Hammer of Thor (book 2)! Amazon affiliate links are used within this post.

I was running a little late on my day trip down to the City. I blame the Metro (which always seems to take longer for my than it should) so by the time I got to the Library of Congress, it was just about time for my interview slot. Thank goodness Rick Riordan is a friendly, approachable person, because I admit I was a little flustered! He put me at ease as soon as we sat down together.

I started off our interview telling Mr. Riordan about my oldest son’s experience with the Percy Jackson series. My son – now 16 – was very anti-reading in elementary school until he got hooked on the Percy Jackson books. He read the 5 Percy Jackson novels cover to cover and then started over again from the beginning…multiple times. Since then, he has been an avid reader and always has a book with him.

Rick Riordan’s series – from Percy Jackson and the Olympians to Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard to The Kane Chronicles and more – delve into the myths of many different cultures – from Greek to Roman to Egyptian to Norse mythology. I have enjoyed reading each series myself, and learning more about the mythologies and cultures of different people. In The Hammer of Thor, Magnus Chase jokes that “if somebody told me – surprise! – the Aztec gods were alive and well in Houston, and my second cousin was the granddaughter of Quetzalcoatl, I would totally believe them.”

I wondered when I read that if Rick Riordan had plans to write more series based on the myths of any other cultures. He told me that he could only write about mythologies that he personally knew, and since he was not an expert in other world mythologies, that he would rather find other authors who could write those stories with authority. That’s where the idea for the imprint, Rick Riordan Presents, was born. Rick was excited to introduce several new books with stories based on Hindi, Mayan, Korean mythology and more.

“It’s amazing stuff and it deserves to be better remembered,” he said.

Another thing that we chatted about was the idea that it’s impossible to write about a character that is not partly yourself. He said that there’s a part of himself in every character – even the villains. He says that Magnus Chase and Percy Jackson are most like him. He relates the most to Magnus because his cynical personality is just just like his own.

I asked Mr. Riordan what kind of research went in to writing his stories, since they were not “simply” works of fiction, but needed to work within the historical stories and traditions. While each series does require research – delving deeper into the myths – I was struck with the fact that he really has been preparing his whole life to write these stories.

Rick Riordan has always loved telling stories. He told stories to his students while he was a middle school English and History teacher, and he told stories to his children at home. His first book for children, Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, was begun from stories that he would tell his son before bed. Poseidon has always been his favorite Greek god because he loves the ocean, so it was natural to make Poseidon Percy’s father.

Mr. Riordan said that he enjoys writing about Greek mythology the most simply because there is so much to write about. So many of the stories of other world mythologies have been lost because they weren’t written down. He has known Norse mythology the longest – he became fascinated with the myths of the Vikings while he was in middle school, and his fascination has only grown with age.

I’m excited to finally read The Ship of the Dead, and I can’t wait everything that is coming soon from Rick Riordan!

About the Book

The Ship of the Dead (Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard #3)
By Rick Riordan
Young Adult Fantasy
Published by Disney-Hyperion
In Stores October 3rd, 2017

Magnus Chase, a once-homeless teen, is a resident of the Hotel Valhalla and one of Odin’s chosen warriors. As the son of Frey, the god of summer, fertility, and health, Magnus isn’t naturally inclined to fighting. But he has strong and steadfast friends, including Hearthstone the elf, Blitzen the dwarf, and Samirah the Valkyrie, and together they have achieved brave deeds, such as defeating Fenris Wolf and battling giants for Thor’s hammer, Mjolnir. Now Magnus faces his most dangerous trial yet. His cousin, Annabeth, recruits her boyfriend, Percy Jackson, to give Magnus some pointers, but will his training be enough?

Loki is free from his chains. He’s readying Naglfar, the Ship of the Dead, complete with a host of giants and zombies, to sail against the Asgardian gods and begin the final battle of Ragnarok. It’s up to Magnus and his friends to stop him, but to do so they will have to sail across the oceans of Midgard, Jotunheim, and Niflheim in a desperate race to reach Naglfar before it’s ready to sail. Along the way, they will face angry sea gods, hostile giants, and an evil fire-breathing dragon. Magnus’s biggest challenge will be facing his own inner demons. Does he have what it takes to outwit the wily trickster god?

About the Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard Series

A new demigod is born—this time from Norse mythology. Join Magnus Chase, a homeless boy from Boston, on wild adventures throughout the Nine Worlds that have him meeting gods, giants, elves, dwarfs and more as he discovers his true identity.

Connect with Rick Riordan and Magnus Chase

Visit ReadRiordan.com
Follow Read Riordan on Twitter and Instagram
#ShipoftheDead

Kaya Scodelario as Carina Smyth in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales

Lolli — Tue, 30 May 2017 16:30:22 +0000

I recently had the pleasure of chatting with Kaya Scodelario, who played Carina Smyth in the new Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (along with 24 of my fellow bloggers). This spoiler-free interview was part of the Pirates red carpet premiere and press event. Travel and accommodations were covered by Disney but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

**Note: Interview photos are courtesy of Louise Bishop of MomStart.com. Movie stills are courtesy of Disney.**

When a gorgeous woman like walks into the room and the first thing she does is admit she’s got a “really good pair of Spanx” underneath her beautiful dress, you can’t help but love her. Kaya was instantly relatable, as was her character, Carina, in the newest Pirates movie. Carina is a headstrong and smart girl – a unique combination for her time, which makes her stand out as odd. In fact, the movie starts out with Carina in jail for witchcraft and scheduled for execution. It’s impossible for the men of her day to accept her intelligence and curiosity and independence as anything but sorcery.

For those of you who have not yet seen Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead men Tell No Tales in the theater, I’ve left out any specific plot spoilers so that you could enjoy the movie surprises just as much as I did. Here are just a few of the things we talked to Kaya about.

“PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES”..The villainous Captain Salazar (Javier Bardem) pursues Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) as he searches for the trident used by Poseidon..Pictured L to R: Carina Smyth (Kaya Scodelario) and Henry Turner (Brenton Thwaites)..Ph: Film Frame..© Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Did wearing period costumes make you feel any different or help motivate you for scenes?

Kaya responded, “Yeah, there’s something really cool about a corset, it does feel quite empowering actually, because you have to sit up strong. The first day is awful. I’d get my husband to secretly loosen it up at lunchtime so that I could eat. But it does feel very strong and I like that Carina’s dress, it isn’t perfect, it’s actually tattered and old and ripped up and dirty as that helped me understand a bit of her back story. think this is a dress that she’s held onto because it’s the only one she has, and she’s managed to make it as practical as possible to her.”

What is it like working with a male-dominated cast (again!)

“PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES”..The villainous Captain Salazar (Javier Bardem) pursues Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) as he searches for the trident used by Poseidon..Pictured L to R: Carina Smyth (Kaya Scodelario), Henry Turner (Brenton Thwaites), Pike (Delroy Atkinson), Cremble (Adam Brown), Gibbs (Kevin McNally), Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) and Scrum (Stephen Graham)..Ph: Film Frame..© Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Pirates of the Caribbean is not Kaya’s first male-dominated cast. She agreed that she’s been very lucky. She said, “The guys have never made me feel like the only woman, especially on Maze Runner and again with this. They always treat me exactly the same. I’ve never felt like, you know, I’ll walk on the set and they’re like, ‘the girl is here, we have to stop farting.’ They continue to do that anyway. I’ve grown up with guys; I love them. My best friends are guys and I like that energy. I think that once they get over you being a woman, it can actually be kind of bonding and nice. But yeah, it was interesting.”

We then asked her what it was like coming in as a brand new character for the franchise and as a really strong feminine character. It was refreshing to see a woman that could hold her own among the Pirates!

Kaya responded, “With every role, I look for a woman that I would have liked to have seen at thirteen on the big screen. It’s a huge responsibility because people forget in blockbusters that we’re not simple, there are multi layers and there’s a lot going on and Carina has a lot of that. I mean, she’s an orphan, she’s a survivor. She’s also stubborn and argumentative and she’s also funny and flirty and there’s so much to her. And I’m grateful that they wrote her this way.

Because usually with a film this size, unfortunately there isn’t time to layer out a character too much. Because there’s so much going on. I made a real effort with her to try and hit all those beats. It’s something that I hope my son grows up watching and respects in women and understands in women, that we aren’t just the Disney princess or the love interest or the damsel in distress; and Carina’s certainly not any of those things.”

There was a lot of action and stunts in this film; do you do your own stunts?

Kaya actually does a lot of her own action and stunts. She said, “I do; I really love to do all that stuff. Because they’re not things you do every day in life, you know. If you get the opportunity to do it, especially when you have a great crew where you know it’s going to be safe and it’s going to be done the proper way. But I actually injured my shoulder…I popped out something in there on the Black Pearl of all places. And so afterwards it was kind of tough; we had about four weeks of filming still so I had to wear a sling in between takes and I had to go quite easy on it.

“But I did all the swimming; I swam in the Australian ocean with the sharks and every other thing that can kill you there. It was a lot of fun; I love having the opportunity to do that stuff.

What tips would you give kids or young adults with dyslexia that are interested in theater?

Kaya shared a little about being dyslexic and how her struggles could hopefully help and inspire other kids with dyslexia to not let that stop them in pursuing their dreams. I think her advice is helpful for kids pursuing anything, not just acting.

She said, “The biggest thing for me was just knowing that I wasn’t the only one. I remember when I was twelve and I was diagnosed, I was really freaked out by it because I didn’t understand what it was. For me it meant I’m dumb, that’s all I knew, I thought, ‘Well this just means that I can’t ever achieve what other people can.’ And then they had a poster up in my school saying Tom Cruise has dyslexia.

“And that instantly to me was like, ‘oh okay, well he’s doing all right. Maybe I’ll be okay.’ It’s just about having an open conversation about it. There are great resources out there; my school was wonderful, they gave me extra time in exams, I had a one to one teacher in classes for my reading because that’s where I really struggled. I recommend having an open conversation about it and then finding support groups and making sure that the school also understand what it is. Because it’s kind of a taboo subject, we don’t really know much about it. So the more we can discuss and the more resources we can bring into schools, I think the better.”

Kaya said that she only had about 3 weeks between being cast and starting to film, and her dyslexia makes it harder for her to learn lines, so she didn’t have as much time as she would have liked to study up on astronomy for her character. She would actually like to continue to learn more about astronomy now that the movie is over.

Carina and Jack Sparrow have a lot of fun scenes together, what was it like working with Johnny?

Kaya smiled and said, “It’s wonderful. I mean when you watch the movie, you get to see the one take that’s selected. We get to see the fifty five other ones that he comes up with on the spot. He’s just a genius; he really is. There’s a reason why he’s so successful. And he’s good at what he does. And his improvisation is just- I mean my first day on set with him, I had to be really serious in a scene, and I just laughed and laughed and laughed and I was like I’m going to get fired, there’s no way they’re going to put up with me. He just brings it every single time.

“PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES”..The villainous Captain Salazar (Javier Bardem) pursues Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) as he searches for the trident used by Poseidon..Pictured L to R: Carina Smyth (Kaya Scodelario), Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) and Henry Turner (Brenton Thwaites)..Ph: Film Frame..© Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

How much input did you have into your character? Any improvisation?

Kaya said, “What’s on the page is always the best thing possible and we have these incredible writers that know what works for these movies. But I am very instinctual, and that’s how I like to work, I like to improvise and I like to make sure that the dialogue fits my voice and my character’s voice and they were really great about it. The directors are really open; every morning we’d sit down, run through what we were going to do for the day. They’d ask if I had any issues with any of the dialogue, if there’s anything I felt would work better. There was a day where Johnny actually came into my trailer beforehand and reworked an entire scene with me, which I was amazed at, that they still do let you have that creative freedom.”

What do you hope movie goers take away from the film?

Kaya said, “I hope that they understand that this is an adventure for the whole family and it’s something that should be seen on the big screen and the best technology possible. We spent six months making this and two years in post production for a reason. That’s how it should be seen and that’s how the whole family will enjoy it at its best.”

I agree! Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales is in theaters everywhere now. Make plans to see it in the theater soon (and I highly recommend seeing it in 3D or IMax!). Be sure to check out the rest of my Pirates posts (more coming!).

The Queen of Katwe Family: Lupita Nyong’o, Madina Nalwanga and Martin Kabanza #QueenOfKatweEvent

Lolli — Tue, 27 Sep 2016 16:35:09 +0000

I was invited to Los Angeles to attend a press day and the red carpet premiere of Disney’s Queen of Katwe (see my experience HERE and my movie review HERE). Travel and accommodations were covered by Disney, but all thoughts are my own. Movie photos courtesy of Disney. Interview photos courtesy of Carol Jones / All Mommy Wants.

The time we spent chatting with Lupita Nyong’o, Madina Nalwanga and Martin Kabanza was one of my favorite Hollywood celebrity experiences ever, and certainly one of the most emotional. If you take nothing else away from this interview, take this – the on-screen love and emotions portrayed in Queen of Katwe were real. It was an honor to see these three together.

Lupita, Madina, and Martin: An Instant Bond

When Lupita walked into the room, full of grace and natural beauty, she was holding on to the hands of her on-screen children, Madina and Martin. They looked like a family, and through the interview their love for each other shown through.

When asked what it was like to work with each other on Queen of Katwe, Lupita said, “We like each other. And we had a lot of fun together. I met them before we started shooting. Once Madina was cast, I walked into a rehearsal workshop where they had my whole (movie) family there and I walked in and she said, “Hi, Mom!”

They still call her Mama.

Madina said, “Ever since I was young and ever since I left my mom because she wanted me to go to school (at age four), I’ve never had anyone else that I’ve ever called Mom up to last year, so she was the first one to be called mom from my mom and it was so, so nice for me to call her mom.”

I loved hearing how Lupita stepped into that role of mother for Madina and Martin. None of them ever questioned the instant relationship that they formed. They called her Mom, and she responded as a mom. Madina went on to say, “When I called mom for the first time, she replied to me, and I got touched inside my heart. Okay, so I can call her mom and she will say yes…”

Martin made Lupita and the rest of us cry when he said, “Look, I was raised by my grandparents. My mother left me when I was three months, so my first time to say mom in my mouth (was when I said it to her).”

Not a dry eye.

Getting Into Character

I think one of the most interesting things about Queen of Katwe is that they cast local children with no acting experience. It became clear after talking with Madina and Martin, and later with the real Phiona Mutesi and Robert Katende, that these young actors did not need to “get into character” because they had lived through everything they were portraying on screen.

Lupita commented that, “They’re really hungry and curious and present as actors and it was so lovely for me to have that immediate condition to work in.”

Since neither Madina nor Martin had any previous acting experience, Lupita not only became their mother figure, but their mentor as well. Martin said, “It was my first time acting, but I never knew anything about acting, but she taught us how to get into character. You know, we used to copy everything she do. We tried to do it (like her), she was so good. She was a good mom.”

With a smile on her face, Madina said, “I really used to copy her and I named myself ‘Copycat’ because every time I could see her getting ready, getting into character and then I do what she was doing in quiet ways and she can’t see me, but she was really good and she really helped me in some of the hard scenes that are really hard because I could not really cry because you’ll never find dancers sad.”

Most Memorable Scenes

When asked about their most memorable, favorite, or most touching scenes, each one of the actors surprised me with their responses. Not only did they mention the happy scenes or the scenes that were the most fun to shoot, but they each brought up a scene or two that elicited emotion.

Lupita’s response was profound to me. She said, “What wasn’t touching? I do remember once we were about to shoot the eviction scene, where we all get evicted and I was sitting in our tent where we’d wait and these two were very quiet. They were quite pensive and I asked them how they felt.”

“And they both mentioned how this was their life. They both experienced evictions in their past and I just remember being really moved at how this, the artifice was reflecting a real life in Phiona, but also a real in both of them and that they were having this chance to tell their story and to bring it to a larger audience that would understand the challenges of poverty, but also the triumph of people who live through it and the fact that poverty is not one’s definition, and that they were going to have this chance to put that experience of their past into very good and immediate use in the scene were about to shoot.”

“I come from a very different background. I come from a background of privilege and so I was very humbled in that moment. Because here I am playing the mother and being the shepherdess of these two going through this experience and yet, I was learning so much from them. I was just humbled by that moment and being able to take their lead as we went to do that scene.”

Martin said that one of his favorite scenes was Boda (where the kids go for their first chess competition with other children). He loved having to eat all of that chicken, since chicken was not something that he got to eat very often, if ever, growing up.

They kids had to learn that when they put food in front of you for a scene, you can’t eat it all at once. Lupita said, “We had a scene where we had to eat this stew and the art department made this stew so good, so all the kids were just scarfing it down and I was like, guy, you’ve got to slow down because you’re not going to make it! By the time we’re shooting the thing, they’re pushing it away. They didn’t want anything to do with it.”

Madina’s favorite scene was the “Cat and Dog” story. She said, “My favorite part in the movie was seeing David (Oyelowo) running around doing the cat and dog scene because not in my life (have I ever) had someone who has time for me, who has time for all of us. He had time for us, so he could do the cat and dog playing for us. It was fun for me. I liked it, but I felt it because I felt it because for all of my life, I’ve never had someone like that. And he had time for us, so I respected him, his time and I enjoyed watching what he was doing for us and it was so amazing to see him jumping. Jumping over the bed, collapsing on the floor, so that was my favorite.”

Martin added another favorite scene. He said, “Another scene that I liked in the movie is the flood scene. I liked Mama doing it. She was so real and me, I didn’t have that power of crying, but she made me cry in that scene because she was so real.”

Lupita explained what went on behind that emotional scene: “It was really cold and we shot that in South Africa over four days and it was the winter time, so it was a little shy of thirty degrees and so we would get to set, get into our costumes, go into a hot tub, get wet and then go into this freezing cold water all day. Every time they said, “cut” we’d run to this hot tub and just sit in and then we got all muddy because of the mud in the water. We’d just sit there and sing and talk and play until we had to go again.”

Since Martin added another favorite scene, Madina had to add her second favorite scene to shoot. She said, “This scene where Brian is to be knocked by a boda boda. It was so bad for me because I’ve never experienced that because it has ever knocked me. I had an accident with a car when I was little, so I saw a human being knocked down, so I knew it happens and how it feels to see someone in that much pain. So it was so bad for me and to make me remember the conditions that I was in when I was knocked down by a car, so that was my favorite one.”

Lupita On Portraying Strong African Women

Lupita was brilliant in her role as Harriet, Phiona and Brian’s strong mother, which is a testament not only to her acting ability, but also her ability to connect with her fellow actors and movie-goers. She said, “I love playing roles that stretch me and help me to learn something new and deep about the human experience. It was not by design that I set out to play African women, but how happy I am to have had these opportunities because I think Africa all too often is just a blanket statement. There’s so specificity. It’s very general wash of ideas.”

“I know, being from there, that it is many splendored (place) and so to be able to bring to the forefront stories, particular and specific stories about African women in their variety is so exciting to me because I’m a child of global popular culture. I grew up watching Mexican, Brazilian, Australian, English, American TV.”

We are all grateful that Lupita has taken on these roles and taught the rest of the world how beautiful and vibrant African women can be.

If you’re lucky enough to live somewhere where Queen of Katwe was released early, then don’t wait to see it in theaters. For the rest of us, Queen of Katwe is in theaters everywhere on September 30, 2016. Please go see it!

Follow Queen of Katwe

Like QUEEN OF KATWE on Facebook: Facebook.com/QueenOfKatwe/

Follow QUEEN OF KATWE on Twitter: @queenofkatwe #QueenOfKatwe #QueenOfKatweEvent

Flash from Zootopia Has Advice For New Drivers #ZootopiaBluray

Lolli — Mon, 06 Jun 2016 18:03:47 +0000

While I was in Los Angeles for the Zootopia Bluray press day, I had the opportunity to sit down not only with Raymond Persi, the voice behind Flash from Zootopia, but with Flash himself! What a fun (albeit SLOW) experience! Zootopia is coming to DVD/Bluray/Digital this week (June 7)! My travel, accommodations, and activities were provided by Disney, but all thoughts are my own. Affiliate links are used in this post.

If you had the chance to sit down with Flash (ie, the fastest sloth at Zootopia’s DMV, of course), what would you ask him? I admit I was a little out of my comfort zone when I sat down with Flash to interview him on camera last month, but it was an experience I wouldn’t have traded for anything. I mean…it was Flash. He clearly stole the show with his winning personality (how can you not smile when Flash speaks?).

See what Flash from Zootopia had to say about teenage drivers (I’m sure he has seen a lot of them at the DMV):

We also had the chance to chat with Raymond Persi, the voice behind Flash, as well as a story artist for Zootopia. Before coming to work with Disney, Raymond was a director on The Simpsons. Director Rich Moore asked him to be one of the story artists on Wreck It Ralph several years ago, and he has since worked on Frozen and the shorts Get a Horse and Feast.

He described to us how he landed the job of voicing Flash: “A lot of times when we are creating our rough versions of the films, we don’t really know who’s going to be cast yet. We don’t even know if characters are going to stay in the film. They’ll bring in a lot of artists and other people to come in the recording room. So, you might be at your desk working, and all of a sudden, (they want you to) be a gorilla now. Every now and then they like what the voice sounds like and they’ll stick it in there. In my particular case, I got to be that little annoying brat Gene from Wreck It Ralph and then the zombie from Wreck It Ralph and then in Get a Horse I was another little annoying character, the horn…”

He continued, “And then for Frozen, I just had one little line in there, but the guy talking, his wife calls after him and she says, ‘Faster, Persi!” so they used my last name which is a fun little treat for me.”

And then came Flash. “When you’re asked to do a sloth, what’s your first instinct? You think, I’m going to talk slowly, but Rich Moore and Head of Story, Jim Reardon, had a different idea. They wanted him to speak normally, but with just a lot of pauses in between, so that was fun. I sat down and we recorded scratch for half an hour or so and then I guess my voice sounded stupid enough because they kept it in.”

I wouldn’t say stupid enough. I think he was absolutely perfect as Flash!

Raymond’s role as Flash has extended beyond the workplace, although he has been afraid to use Flash’s voice around friends for fear that they’d hit him. Ha! He said, “For the first time, I think my mother understands what I do for a living. And my nephews and my nieces, they like (the fact that I am Flash). What’s great (is that) they’re really hyper, but when I go there, they want to walk really slowly. It’s a great game for me because then I don’t get tired.”

Photo @Disney

Flash’s DMV scene is still one of my favorite parts of Zootopia! I can’t wait to see which roles Raymond will end up playing in the next Disney animated films. I have a feeling we’ll be hearing more from him!

Zootopia is coming to Disney DVD, Bluray, and Digital download on June 7, 2016. Order it now!

Alice Through the Looking Glass Director James Bobin

Lolli — Fri, 03 Jun 2016 16:32:56 +0000

This exclusive interview with Director James Bobin on the new movie, Alice Through the Looking Glass, was part of the #ThroughTheLookingGlassEvent press trip with Disney. All travel, accommodations, and activities were provided by Disney, but all thoughts are my own. All interview photos are courtesy of Jana Seitzer / MerlotMommy.com. Amazon affiliate links used in this post.

Exploring a Childhood Classic

Director James Bobin grew up in England, where he says that Alice is part of every child’s life. He read Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland as a kid. His parents read it to him. His grandparents read it to him. And now he has done the same with his own children.

He said, “When I found out we were doing Alice Through the Looking Glass, I was really excited because, when you know something (as well as I know Alice) it’s a quite good way for starting it. You think you have a clear idea of who she’s going to be in the film, and who I felt Alice was to me growing up.”

James mentioned that he has always appreciated Lewis Carroll’s witty language and style of writing. One of the first things he wanted to do when he began work on the movie was to bring some of the British comedy back a bit, compared to the first Alice in Wonderland that Tim Burton worked on.

This new film has a slightly different feel compared to Alice in Wonderland. The color palettes are a bit brighter. The world is more Victorian (a decision based on James’ childhood memories of his Alice in Wonderland books which were illustrated by John Tenniel). The story line is very much about human and family relations.

Photo ©Disney

James said, “I think sequels need to be different. It’s nice to pay tribute and make sure you respect the origins of the story and the characters. But people want to see something which is a progression or something new or a different sight, feel or tone.”

He also said that, “…even as a kid I realized that Lewis Carroll wasn’t that concerned with narrative. He liked imagery, ideas. And the book kind of falls in on itself deliberately. Things happen. And then other things happen. And they seem very consequential. It’s only cause and effect. And so I knew that for a film would make an interesting avante guarde movie.”

He continued, “The book’s incredibly important. And Lewis Carroll is very important to me. So I wanted to take elements of the book like the backwards room and the looking glass and the characters and the spirit of Lewis Carroll, the idea of something which is fairly complex but not so complex that (a child would not understand it). It’s important you understand the story. But also I remember as a kid, I liked working stuff out in a movie. I didn’t want to be given it all straight away. And so this is kind of a puzzle plot in a way.”

James Bobin began working on Alice Through the Looking Glass in 2013 – from the initial planning stages to shooting in Shepperton Studios in London in 2014 to finalizing the last shots about a month ago (just in time!). He mentioned that, “it’s so nice for me to show the film to people because I lived with it for a very long time by myself in a small room in Burbank. It’s a funny thing where you live with it for so long, it (becomes) a part of you. And it’s just a nice part of it is to kind of let it go and show people the thing you’ve been doing all this time.”

The Character of Time

I loved Sacha Baron Cohen’s character, Time. James said that he was excited to work with Sacha again, and thought he was a perfect match for the new character.

Photo ©Disney

James said, “When you work with someone as brilliant as Sacha, you always try to think of ways of getting him back involved in things you’re doing. He and I worked years ago on Borat and Ali G and Bruno.” He knew that Sacha would be able to play a very good “confident idiot,” as he put it.

James found the idea of Time as a person directly from Lewis Carroll.

He said, “Lewis Carroll talks about time as a person in the book Alice in Wonderland. Hatter says, when he first meets Alice at the tea party, he’s kinda stuck and he says to her ‘I’ve been stuck here since last month where Time and I quarreled.’ And I thought that was a brilliant idea for a character. In Wonderland Lewis Carroll thinks Time is not just an idea but a man, a person. It felt very right for the movie to have a new character and that it would be Lewis Carroll’s idea.”

I love the fact that they did not create another “bad guy” since, as James put it, “we have a really lovely bad guy in the Red Queen. We don’t want to do that again. It gets confusing.”

Photo ©Disney

So instead of being an evil character, Time is simply an obstacle. He stands in the way of Alice’s goals.

Interestingly, they choose Time’s accept very deliberately. Because the Swiss are known as clock and watch makers, and since both French and German are spoken in Switzerland, they chose a spin off of a German accent.

Photo ©Disney

Learning from Alice

One of James’ major objectives in making this movie was that he would create a world where movie-goers would be happy to spend an hour and a half of their time. It makes him sad that there are so few things in the world these days that you do for an hour and a half. “I really wanted to make sure everyone was very happy and you sure must be sad to leave at the end.”

The concept of Time, whether it be James’ goal to help viewers get “lost” in time while in the theater, or the more complex themes can be found throughout the movie. I loved all of the powerful quotes (as well as the silly jokes) about time. James said, “It’s very important that (Alice) learns that time gives as much as he takes. For me the book, Through the Looking Glass, is really a book about Alice growing up and about the passage of time. But it’s really a metaphor for Alice Liddell who, by that time, had grown into a woman. So for Lewis Carroll it was the idea of the passage of time. And it made him kind of sad. The book is sad. The book ends with a really beautiful poem, which is a poem about the time he wrote the book for her when she was a little girl. It’s him remembering the golden afternoon in the water. It was like really beautiful. And if you look at it, it’s what’s called an acrostic poem, which means that the first letter of each line adds up to the name Alice Pleasance Liddell down the side. So it’s a very clear dedication to the girl, which is lovely.”

James continued, “It’s got a very sort of melancholy feel. In my personal life I feel too the passage of time can sometimes be a sad thing. And the way I overcome that is to appreciate the time that you’re in and the people you’re with. You can’t have regrets because you did your best to appreciate it at the time. And that for me is the brilliant message for your life. Alice kind of learns that in this film — she does learn to appreciate time and the fact that her father has passed. That was the past. And she’ll deal with that. But her mother is still here. If you can appreciate the time you have then that’s the thing to go away with.”

James ended our interview with a funny piece of insider news that he just recently learned. Did you know that Helena Bonham Carter, as the Red Queen, wears bloomer with hearts sewn into them. Despite the fact that no one will ever see them, James still thinks it’s brilliant. “She knows they’re there. And that is so brilliant for a character — as an actor, you are completely the character once your underwear is also for that character.”

If you haven’t already seen Alice Through the Looking Glass, head out to theaters to see it now!

See my other Alice Through the Looking Glass Posts:

Interview with Producer Suzanne Todd (and the story of her blue Alice shoes!)
10 things to love about Alice Through the Looking Glass

Interview with Mia Wasikovska (Alice Kingsleigh)

Alice Through the Looking Glass Red Carpet Experience
Alice Through the Looking Glass Activity Pages and Coloring Sheets
My announcement post!

More coming soon!

Chatting with Zootopia Animators Renato dos Ajos & Chad Sellers

Lolli — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 23:28:01 +0000

While I was in Los Angeles last month on my latest Disney press trip, I had the opportunity to sit down with Renato dos Anjos, head of animation, and Chad Sellers, an animation supervisor for Zootopia, which is coming to DVD/Bluray/Digital on June 7!

Writing a story, I get. Performing lines, I also get (although actor, I am not). But animating an animated feature film? It still astounds me how much time, talent, and detail goes into that. Talking with two of the head Disney animators that worked on Zootopia was fascinating!

The Inspiration for Zootopia

One thing that both Renato and Chad mentioned was that Zootopia was a very complicated (and unique) movie to animate because of the large number of species that they had to animate. Instead of making each of the characters move and act like humans, they spent quite a bit of time and energy researching how each animal moved and behaved. In fact, they said that they chose to use life (ie, real, live animals) as their main source of inspiration.

Renato dos Anjos said, “When we were working on Tangled, for instance, and on Frozen, once you learn to animate a person, you can use some of that knowledge when you’re animating that. But when you’re animating a mouse, and then you have to animate…

Chad Sellers broke in, “An elephant.”

Renato agreed, “An elephant, for instance, is very different, and there’s not much that you learn from one character that you can use onto another. So, it really became a very complex film from an animative perspective because, you’re constantly having to learn something new, and you can never really use something that you learned on one character onto another.”

Finding Direction in Kenya

The 11-night research trip that the entire team took to Kenya was a huge key to developing the vision for Zootopia. They thought they had done a lot of research before their trip (watching video footage, spending time at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Florida, and more), but once they arrived in Kenya, they realized that they had only scrathed the surface.

Renato explained, “One thing that I wasn’t expecting is how this trip changed our vision for the film. This really set the tone for the movie. We were the working on the movie for about a year and a half (at that point). We thought that we had seen everything that we could see. We watched every documentary we could find, we went to all these different places, and we really thought we had done our homework. But as soon as we landed, within days of being there, it really felt that we were really only scratching the surface.

These animals are free – they’re going to move differently, but there’s a certain aspect to their behavior that’s very, very different and unique, and also the fact that they’re interacting with different species, as well, is something that you don’t see (anywhere else). So that really set the tone and changed our perception on the movie.”

It Takes a Village To Make a Movie

There were about 75 animators in the animation department working 60-68 hours per week. Chad mentioned, “You’ve gotta like the people you work with,” because they end up eating breakfast, lunch and dinner together most days. It’s a big commitment to work on a film like this. They both said that you end up becoming like a family (although it does stink that you don’t get to see much of your actual family while animation is at its peek).

We were curious about how the story evolved – and which came first, the animation or the voice acting. Renato and Chad shared with us that it was a constantly-evolving process. of course, they always start with a story and they build around that basic story.

Renato explained that what happened a lot with Zootopia was that, “the schedule to be so hectic where the story kept evolving, and as the story evolved, some of the work didn’t really apply anymore; some new characters needed to be built like the yak – he came in very late. He’s super funny but, you know, it was totally worthwhile, but he came in kinda late.” Other characters that they thought would have a larger part in the movie just didn’t end up working right, so they were either eliminated from the story or moved to more minor characters.

Photo ©Disney

Chad said, “I feel like (animators are) observers for a profession. We really are. We get so lost in something. We look at the interesting way that something moves. It could be a person; it could be an animal, whatever. The weirdest things can inspire you.”

John Lasseter’s Tiny Cake

I wish that I had the clip that we watched to share with you! Chad and Renato told us the story of how John Lasseter acted out the scene at the wedding where Nick ate a tiny piece of Shrew wedding cake. John had a very specific vision for that shot, and his portrayal was hilarious. They used the footage of John acting out that scene to animate what we see in the movie. How cool is that?

Photo ©Disney

BONUS: Did you know? Clawhauser has a hidden Mickey on his cheek?

Zootopia is coming to Disney DVD, Bluray, and Digital download on June 7, 2016, but you can preorder it HERE!