‘Wish’ Star Ariana DeBose Finally Takes Center Stage
Due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, Wish star Ariana DeBose was unable to attend the world premiere of the film in which she stars.
As soon as the strike ended, however, DeBose was flying cross country to surprise audiences at an All-Guild screening and Q&A for the film.
The joy was palpable as DeBose joined songwriter Julia Michaels, directors Chris Buck and Fawn Verasunthorn, and producers Joan Pablo, Reyes Lancaster-Jones, and Peter Veccho to talk about the film for the first time.
“I got a phone call. They told me that I had this job and that I’d be playing Asha, and then they played ‘This Wish’ for me, and I began to panic because it was one of the most beautiful songs I had ever heard,” DeBose said.
Performing “This Wish”
The upcoming Wish will tell the story of 17-year-old Asha, an optimistic young girl who senses an evil in the kingdom of Rosas that no one else does. In her moment of need, she makes a plea to the stars. Asha’s wish is answered when a celestial body named Star descends to Earth.
Prior to the film’s November 22 debut, Disney has released a slew of tracks from Wish, including the showstopping “This Wish.”
The song was written by Julia Michaels and her songwriting partner Benjamin Rice. According to Michaels, the original pitch was a song about a selfless woman who wanted to do right by the people of her town.
DeBose told audiences that when it came to recording the song, she believed every word she was singing. She also called the recording process “one of the most beautiful experiences of my life thus far.” She added, “What I love about this music is we’re working with a gorgeous score that lifts everything up to just allow these lyrics to shine.”
Then, turning to Michaels, she said, “You have written the best lyrics, my queen, which is part of what makes this film so fresh. I haven’t done a ton of voice acting, I’m used to being able to support my acting with my face. It took me out of my comfort zone and required me to find a different sound.”
DeBose Breaks Down Her Performance
According to Lancaster-Jones, DeBose took the time to come in and meet the animators, collaborating with them on how Asha should move.
“She’s very physical. She’s a tour guide. But there’s a freedom to this girl, and movement to me is inherently freeing,” DeBose said of Asha. “She’s not afraid of her hips, and she’s not afraid of her movement. She embraces it. It is how she expresses herself.”
After the Q&A the panelists and DeBose then interacted with the attendees, taking selfies and chatting with fans.
With the strike now over, DeBose will become the face of Wish’s marketing campaign. So far, it sounds like she is doing a great job!
Wish will hit theaters on November 22.
Thanks for visiting MickeyBlog.com! Want to go to Disney? For a FREE quote on your next Disney vacation, please fill out the form below and one of the agents from MickeyTravels, a Diamond level Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, will be in touch soon!