Angelique Cabral Added to Voice Cast of Disney Animation’s Feature Film “Wish”

Angelique Cabral’s wish has come true…

The 44-year-old part-Mexican American actress will star in the Disney Animation feature Wish.

Angelique CabralShe’ll voice Queen Amaya opposite Chris Pine, who stars as King Magnifico, ruler of the magical kingdom of Rosas, where wishes really do come true.

Wish follows Asha (Oscar winner Ariana DeBose), a sharp-witted idealist who makes a wish so powerful that it is answered by a cosmic force: a little ball of boundless energy called Star. Together, Asha and Star set out to prove that when the will of one courageous human connects with the magic of the stars, wondrous things can happen. Alan Tudyk also stars as a talking goat, Valentino Hall.

The film opens in theaters on November 22.

Oscar-winning director Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn are directors, with Peter Del Vecho producing and Juan Pablo Reyes co-producing. Allison Moore is also a co-writer.

Original songs are by Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Julia Michaels and Grammy-winning producer-songwriter-musician Benjamin Rice, with a score by Dave Metzger.

Cabral most recently recurred on Season 3 of ABC’s Big Sky in the role of Carla. Her other notable television credits include Fox’s Enlisted, CBS’ Life in Pieces and Prime Video’s Undone.

Her film credits include 2011’s The Perfect Family alongside Kathleen Turner and Emily DeschanelFriends with Benefits that same year opposite Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake; 2017’s Band Aid; and All About Nina in 2018. In 2021, she starred in How It Ends written, directed and produced by Daryl Wein and Zoe Lister-Jones.

Disney Animation Releases First Trailer for Ariana DeBose’s “Wish”

Ariana DeBose is looking to the stars…

Disney has dropped the first trailer for Wish, the Disney Animation film, featuring the 32-year-old Afro-Puerto Rican Oscar-winning actress voicing the lead role.

Ariana DeBose“Imagine a place where wishes come true,” starts the trailer, which introduces 17-year-old Asha, played by DeBose, the powerful King Magnifico (Chris Pine), Asha’s pet goat Valentino (Alan Tudyk), and Star, a celestial ball of boundless energy that Asha’s wish calls down from the sky.

It also features DeBose’s princess belting out a powerful anthem, “So I Made This Wish” as she swirls around underneath a starry sky. It’s one of several new songs written by Julia Michaels and Benjamin Rice for the film.

The film is set in Rosas, a fantastical land located off the Iberian Peninsula. “Our heroine, Asha, lives in Rosas, known as the kingdom of wishes,” said director Chris Buck, who helms the film with Fawn Veerasunthorn. “People come from everywhere to give their wishes to a magical king who promises to grant their deepest desires—someday. Only he can decide which wishes will come true and when.”

Added Veerasunthorn, “We have been inspired by so many iconic films over Disney Animation’s 100 years, especially stories where we explore the power of someone with a wish, combined with the conviction to make that wish come true. Being able to honor that legacy with this incredible story and these amazing characters has been a joy for our entire team.”

In Wish, Asha, a sharp-witted idealist, makes a wish so powerful that it is answered by a cosmic force—a little ball of boundless energy called Star. Together, Asha and Star confront a most formidable foe—the ruler of Rosas, King Magnifico—to save her community and prove that when the will of one courageous human connects with the magic of the stars, wondrous things can happen.

The film is produced by Peter Del Vecho and co-produced by Juan Pablo Reyes. Jennifer Lee executive produces and serves as writer with Allison Moore. The score is composed by Dave Metzger.

Wish debuts in theaters on November 22.

Disney+ to Release New Original Special “Encanto at the Hollywood Bowl,” Featuring Lin-Manuel Miranda, in December

Lin-Manuel Miranda is preparing for an Enchanting night in Southern California…

Disney+ has announced its new original special Encanto at the Hollywood Bowl, with an introduction by the 42-year-old Tony Award-winning Broadway star, will launch on Wednesday, December 28, on the streamer.

Lin-Manuel MirandaThe two-night concert event will take place at the Hollywood Bowl on November 11 and 12. The special comes from Disney Branded Television and will be produced by Fulwell 73 Productions.

The original voice cast of “Encanto” will reunite at the Bowl, including Stephanie Beatriz (as Mirabel), Adassa (as Dolores), Carolina Gaitán (as Pepa), Jessica Darrow (as Luisa), Diane Guerrero (as Isabela), Mauro Castillo (as Félix), Angie Cepeda (as Julieta) and Olga Merediz (as Abuela Alma).

The event will also feature special guests, including Colombian stars Carlos Vives and Andrés Cepeda. The live-to-film concert experience, including an 80-person orchestra, 50 dancers and special effects, will center on the characters and songs of Disney Animation’s Encanto.

Encanto at the Hollywood Bowl will be directed by Chris Howe and Jamal Sims with production design by Misty Buckley. Sally Wood is Fulwell 73 Productions’ creative showrunner, with Gabe Turner, Emma Conway and Lou Fox serving as executive producers.

The Hollywood Bowl’s visual transformation into the Casita is handled by NorthHouse.

The concert event is produced by Fulwell 73 Productions, Live NationHewitt Silva and Disney Concerts, along with AMP Worldwide.

Conductor Anthony Parnther will lead the full orchestra performing the film’s score and songs live-to-picture, along with the cast and special guest artists performing the film’s songs live. A Colombian band, featuring musicians from the original soundtrack, will accompany the orchestra.

Disney Offers First Look at Ariana DeBose’s New Animated Film “Wish”

Ariana DeBose’s wish has been granted…

Disney has offered a sneak peek at its new animated musical “Wish,” starring the 31-year-old half-Puerto Rican Oscar-winning actress, singer and Broadway star.

Ariana DeBose,DeBose will star alongside Alan Tudyk in the film, which focuses on how the iconic Wishing Star came to be.

The Disney Animation Studios film will be directed by Oscar-winning Frozen helmer Chris Buck and Raya and the Last Dragon alum Fawn Veerasunthorn.

Wish will feature songs by Grammy nominee Julia Michaels. DeBose performed a song from the film titled “More for Us.”

DeBose stars as Asha, the 17-year-old heroine who’s driven, incredibly smart and an optimist, a sharp-witted leader in the making who sees darkness that others do not. She’s navigating a Kingdom of Wishes, where wishes can literally come true. Asha makes an impassioned plea to the stars, wishing for guidance and help, and ends up bringing an actual star — a cosmic force that’s a literal ball of energy and communicates through pantomime — down from the sky.

Tudyk voices Valentino, a goat.

They’ll face a villain described as one of most formidable foes in Disney history.

The filmmakers said the film blends timeless watercolor style with 3D CG animation.

“Fawn and I both grew up on Disney classics and fell in love with them,” Buck said. “Truly is no greater power in the universe than someone with a true wish in their hearts.”

Jennifer Lee, who heads up Disney Animation, is co-scripting, with Peter Del Vecho & Juan Pablo Reyes producing.

“The film means so much to all of us at the studio and has been an incredible collaboration across all the generations,” Lee said onstage.

An animation test was shown to the room, which featured animators experimenting with character movement.

Lin-Manuel Miranda Wins Advanced Imaging Society’s Lumiere Award for “We Don’t Talk About Bruno”

Lin-Manuel Miranda is AIS-ing it…

The Advanced Imaging Society has revealed the winners of its 12th annual Lumiere Awards, with the 42-year-old Puerto Rican multi-hypenate among the honorees.

Lin-Manuel Miranda Miranda won Best Original Song for his record-breaking, chart-topping single “We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” which he penned as part of the soundtrack for Disney Animation’s Encanto. The animated film won the award for best animation

The Lumiere Awards are given to honor distinguished creative and technical achievement in film and television.

The ceremony took place during a gala luncheon at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

Guillermo del Toro, whose Nightmare Alley from Searchlight Pictures won for Best Audio – Theatrical, also was there to receive the Gene Kelly Visionary Award.

Here’s a complete list of winners:

Best Feature Film – Live Action
Dune (Warner Bros.)

Best Motion Picture – Musical
West Side Story (20th Century Studios)

Best Documentary
The Beatles: Get Back (Disney+)

Best Feature Film – Animated
Encanto (Disney)

Best Original Song
“We Don’t Talk About Bruno” from Encanto (Disney Animation)

Best Musical Scene or Sequence
West Side Story, “The Dance at the Gym” (20th Century Studios)

Best Scene or Sequence in a Feature Film
No Time To Die (MGM/UA Releasing)

Best Use of High Dynamic Range – Live Action
Dune (Warner Bros.)

Best Audio – Theatrical
Nightmare Alley (Searchlight)

Best Episodic – Live Action
Squid Game (Netflix)

Best Episodic – Animated
Arcane (Netflix)

Best Use of High Dynamic Range – Episodic
Foundation (Apple TV+)

Best Audio – Episodic
WandaVision (Disney+)

Best Use of AR
Expo Dubai Xplorer

Best Use of VR
Machu Picchu and the Spirit of the Condor

Best 2D to 3D Conversion
Shang Chi: The Legend of the Ten Rings (Disney)

Governor’s Cinema Award
Spider-Man: No Way Home (Sony / Marvel)

Sir Charles Wheatstone Award
Epic Games’ Unreal Engine

Voices For The Earth Award
Adam McKay, Don’t Look Up

Gene Kelly Visionary Award
Guillermo del Toro

Harold Lloyd Award
Denis Villeneuve