What drew you to this project?
Wish celebrates 100 years of Disney magic, and I grew up as a Disney kid. I am still a fan. So, the minute they asked, I said yes. I was packing to go home for Christmas when I got the call telling me that I had the job. I cried like a baby.
Tell us about your character.
Her name is Asha. She’s a 17-year-old girl and an all-new character, who wishes on a star in a desperate bid to save her kingdom from evil. At the beginning of every Disney movie, there’s a star. It’s part of Disney lore involving just about every character, ever. Asha is a big part of where that star came from. So she makes this wish, calling the star down for help. This boundless, magical ball of energy supports her as she takes on the evil King Magnifico, voiced by Chris Pine, who makes for such a great Disney villain.
How different was it to sing and act for an animated movie as opposed to something like West
Side Story?
Quite. The songs were a challenge because it’s Disney, and I’m actually a nervous vocalist. I’m working every day on building my self-confidence, and making this movie and working with the music team was freeing for me.
It’s surprising to hear that you are nervous about singing given how you won an Oscar for your performance in West Side Story.
The thing is that while I know I can sing, I don’t particularly like the sound of my voice. But, Wish has helped me reinstate my faith in my own voice.
How did the Oscar win change you?
Not at all, I hope. I’m still the same old me. Winning an Oscar was incredible, but I have never lost sense of who I am and where I have come from. I think if you let that stuff go to your head, that’s when it all starts falling apart.
What makes Wish different from other Disney animations?
It’s different in how it celebrates the Disney magic over the last 100 years. It’s also a multi-cultural project, made by individuals from different backgrounds, who came together to create something that represents all of us.
Do you have a favourite Disney movie?
Tarzan. But it’s hard to choose because different movies have been special to me at different moments in life. They haven’t always reflected on my cultural background like Wish does, but there is something inherent about each of them that I understood. Whether it was the message to follow your dreams or to never give up, they all stayed with me like they have for many people around the world.
Is there a Disney character you were obsessed with while growing up?
My grandmother would say it was Jasmine from Aladdin, but I think it was Belle from Beauty and the Beast. Now, I love Maleficent. I just love how she is both good and bad.
What was your biggest wish as a child, and has it come true?
It has actually, but this is beyond anything I wished for. My big wish was just to be able to be a dancer. I wanted to be Madonna’s backup dancer (laughs). That still hasn’t happened, but I’m fine with it.
And what would you wish upon a star for now?
Just to keep doing what I am doing. I feel lucky to be able to do something I love. To be part of a Disney movie and the incredible legacy is amazing.
I have watched so many Disney films throughout my life, and each one has reminded me about the importance of believing in yourself. I never thought I would be living a wish, and more.
- Asia Features