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Tag: Encanto

  • EXCLUSIVE: Diane Guerrero on How Mental Health Played a Role in Joining ‘Encanto’

    EXCLUSIVE: Diane Guerrero on How Mental Health Played a Role in Joining ‘Encanto’

    Disney is about to embark on a new kind of animated adventure with Encanto. The story of an unlikely family with powers explores the different dynamics that come to play when one of them stands out for one simple reason: she doesn’t have any. It allows us to explore a very different kind of dynamic, as the family must face an unlikely challenge. It features an all-star cast that includes Stephanie Beatriz in the leading role, John Leguizamo, Angie Cepeda, Adassa, and many more. Among them, of course, is Diane Guerrero, who made a name for herself in the DC comics-inspired series Doom Patrol. 

    Our very own Hunter Radesi got a chance to sit down with the actress to discuss what drew her to the role of Isabel Madrigal. Along with discussing what drew her to the role, she explained how different it is from her previous work. Guerrero revealed most of her work and the roles that interest her are all about mental health. With Encanto, that was partly what drew her to the project, but she also liked that it explores the family dynamic.

    I’m a huge fan of Disney and the roles that I play, I care about them aligning with my values. I care about mental health, I care about family, I care about mental wellness in family And this film addresses something that we, you know, rarely talk about, especially, in family films. We have family films, they talk about family dynamics but rarely do we see the sacrifice and the ancestral trauma that comes along with some of some of those trials and tribulations that, you know, what it actually took to get you here.

    Diane Guerrero

    It’s quite interesting to learn how she approaches her roles, especially with the glimpse of what Encanto will explore once it hits theaters. The trailers tease the importance of family and the challenge of sticking out from the rest of the family. It puts a lot of pressure on someone, and it’s not easy for everyone to take in without it weighing them down. So, it’s great to see Guerrero‘s put her very values at the forefront when choosing roles.

    Encanto hits theaters on Nov. 24th.

  • EXCLUSIVE: John Leguizamo Wishes New ‘MARIO’ Film Was More Inclusive

    EXCLUSIVE: John Leguizamo Wishes New ‘MARIO’ Film Was More Inclusive

    In September, Nintendo shocked the world when it announced Chris Pratt would be taking the iconic role of Mario in a new animated Super Mario Bros. film adaptation. The casting quickly became a hot topic on social media, mixed with discussions surrounding the reveal of popular names like Jack Black, Seth Rogan, and Anya Taylor-Joy in supporting roles. Now, the actor who played Luigi in the original live-action Mario film is weighing in.

    During an exclusive interview with Murphy’s Multiverse, John Leguizamo was asked about his thoughts on the new movie. He responded by explaining his mixed feelings about a new take on the story and its casting process:

    Y’know, Super Mario Bros. holds a special place in my heart. It’s twenty-five years, I think, since it was made, and they’re remaking it. So I’m glad that the movie was good enough that they want to make a remake. That’s a good sign. I wish they would have been more inclusive and had more Latinx in it, like as innovative as the first one was.

    The Ice Age actor is referring, of course, to the casting of a Latinx man like himself as the traditionally Italian Luigi. The role will be occupied by Charlie Day when the new animated film arrives. However, Leguizamo does seem open to the idea of returning to the franchise in another form. Of course, the decision ultimately belongs to executives at Universal. When asked if he would participate in the new Mario or a potential sequel, he responded:

    Yeah, I think I know how to fix what didn’t work in the original. I think I’ve got all the secret sauce. If they come to me, I’d be willing to help out.

    Leguizamo is historically a big proponent for Latinx representation in the film industry. He can next be seen in Disney’s next big animated feature Encanto when it hits theaters on Nov. 24.

    Along with the release of Encanto, Leguizamo is set to make his comic book writing debut with PhenomX, hitting shelves later this month.

  • EXCLUSIVE: John Leguizamo Talks New Comic ‘PhenomX,’ Hopes to See Adaptations

    EXCLUSIVE: John Leguizamo Talks New Comic ‘PhenomX,’ Hopes to See Adaptations

    John Leguizamo is a talented multi-hyphenate, best known for his work as a comedian, film star, and voice actor. By the end of the year, fans will also be able to refer to him as a comic book writer. His new comic, a collaboration with Spawn creator Todd McFarlane titled PhenomX, debuts on Nov. 10. The story centers around protagonist Max Gomez, who is wrongfully imprisoned and agrees to become the subject of government experimentation to regain his freedom. Gomez finds himself with incredible shape-shifting abilities, which he uses to survive a superhuman war on the streets of New York.

    Leguizamo was asked about the project during an exclusive interview with Murphy’s Multiverse, and his response was ecstatic:

    Oh my God, I’m so excited about PhenomX. I mean, yeah, I didn’t see any Latin superheroes and I felt like, y’know, we have them in real life. I mean, half the Mets are Latinx, half of the Astros who went to the World Series are Latinx, and the Braves are Latinx. You have AOC, half the MMA. We have real life heroes, why aren’t they in comic books? So, I wrote this character and I took it to Todd McFarlane, the greatest comic book maker in the world, and he fell in love with my story and he’s going to publish it November 10 at Image Comics.

    Leguizamo previously worked with McFarlane when he played the villain known as Violator in 1997’s live-action Spawn film. Now, it appears he’s using the connection to further his work towards Latinx representation in the mainstream. When asked if he’d be interested in any adaptations of PhenomX, the star of Disney’s upcoming Encanto film revealed he’s hoping for much more:

    Y’know I’ve got big hopes. I have hopes that it’ll be turned into games, video games, movies, animation. Everything. I hope I can get it across the board, just make it everywhere.

    Read PhenomX on November 10, and then catch Encanto in theaters on Nov. 24.

  • Maluma Joins Disney’s Animated Film ‘Encanto’

    Maluma Joins Disney’s Animated Film ‘Encanto’

    It looks like Disney is ready to kickstart its advertising for the upcoming animated film Encanto. They’ve shared a little video on Twitter to promote Latin superstar Maluma joining the voice cast of the film. Of course, the Colombian singer will also lend his singing voice to the upcoming film. He’ll play the character of Mariano. He’s the soon-to-be fiancé of Mirabel’s sister Isabela. He had the following to share on his casting in the film.

    Encanto is such a magical movie. I’m from Colombia and the story is about a Colombian family. I’m proud to be part of this beautiful story. It means so much to me as I’m very passionate about sharing my country’s cultural values and story globally

    Maluma

    You can check out the video and first look at his Encanto character here:

    Juan Luis Londono Arias, better known to fans as Maluma, made a name for himself in the last ten years across the world. With six albums released, his work on “#7DJ – Seven Days in Jamaica” put him on the map with Billboard, Latin Billboard Awards, VMAs, and the Latin GRAMMYs. He’s also set to appear in the upcoming film Marry Me featuring Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson. Given his experience as an actor and singer, he’s a great addition to Encanto which is eyeing a November 24th release. The film also features songs by Hamilton‘s Lin-Manuel Miranda and is directed by Zootopia‘s Jared Bush.

    Source: Twitter

  • We Got an Early Look at Disney’s ‘ENCANTO’

    We Got an Early Look at Disney’s ‘ENCANTO’

    Walt Disney Animation Studio may be on its 97th year and 60th film but there seem to be no signs of it slowing down. Its 60th outing, Encanto, comes out later this year and we at Murphy’s Multiverse got to see 30-minutes of footage from the film. What we saw wasn’t long but was enough to convince us that this movie is worth anticipating.

    As the setup for the movie goes, The Madrigals are a family that’s been blessed by an Encanto, bestowing their line with powers unique to each family member. The family lives in a fantastical home and uses their abilities to keep their town prosperous. However, a mysterious dark force seems to be after the Madrigals, putting their house and powers in jeopardy. It all falls on Mirabel, the one family member without powers, to solve this sinister mystery haunting her family.

    In the press junket for Encanto, co-director Charise Castro Smith talked about how each power a Madrigal family member has corresponded to family dynamics we’re all familiar with.

    It’s special in a way that is a nod to family dynamics that we can all relate to.  So there’s a strong, dependable child who’s the rock of the family.  There’s the perfect golden child whose happiness blossoms.  There’s a quiet kid who’s not so comfortable talking to people, so he talks to animals.  And there’s the worrywart who can see the future, but only sees the bad things.  So as we thought about that, we had a big breakthrough, because we realized that the family’s house didn’t have to be just a house, because in an Encanto the house itself could have powers too.

    On the foreground of Encanto is a very Nancy Drew-esque tone that draws you in. The beats of Mirabel trying to piece together information about the family’s past and her investigations within the fantastical realms in their house evoke that of a young adult detective story, with the film’s fantastical titular subject matter serving as the background. The curious nature of Mirabel, on top of her status as the normie in the family, already makes her the quintessential underdog detective. Director Jared Bush had this to say about her:

    Mirabel really carries this story.  It is about her,and she goes on this journey. She’s funny and human and empathetic, deeply emotional and quirky, and I think literally unlike anything we’ve ever put on screen before.  And Stephanie [Beatriz] not only nailed all of that, she brought her own personality to the character, ad libbed a ton of lines, and really elevated both this character and our movie considerably.

    The Madrigal family home is a character in and of itself, in many ways serving as the crux of the family’s identity. Director Byron Howard spoke about the importance of the family’s mystical place of refuge not only as a storytelling device but also as a thematic anchor.

    So we played with the idea of the physical as a literal representation of the family and their emotional connections.  If the family’s happy, the house is healthy.  If the family’s being playful, the house may be playful.  But if the family is going through struggles, the house cracks Byron Howard

    To respectfully remain true and genuine towards the cultural material they’re adapting, the Columbian Cultural Trust was formed. Composed of experts in Columbian music, anthropology, culture, architecture, and botany, this group was crucial in the development of Encanto. According to Jared Bush:

    They’ve been part of the film, literally since the beginning, probably even before the beginning, reviewing early scripts, participating in every screening, and meeting with us weekly.  That’s a lot of meetings to help ensure that the creation design look and feel of our world is on point.  We are enormously indebted to them and all of the experts who formed our Columbian Cultural Trust. 

    Walt Disney Animation president Clark Spencer praised the work of directors Jared Bush and Byron Howard, who helmed the hit Zootopia a few years back, and their newfound collaborative partner Charise Castro Smith during the junket, saying:

    One of the things I love so much, Byron and Jared, and then when Charise joined, was this creative world that the audience is going to fall in love with.  And we had so many of those components. During my nearly 20 years of producing, I never had the chance to produce a Disney musical.  So when the opportunity presented itself to work with Byron Howard, Jared Bush, and Lin-Manuel Miranda on Encanto, I jumped at the chance.  And while it might seem crazy to run a studio and to continue to produce a film at the same time, I just couldn’t step away from a project I loved so deeply.