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Disney’s did something new for the first time and had a virtual press conference with an all star cast for the upcoming Disney + movie The One and Only Ivan. I was on the press junket via Zoom with other media outlet and this was definitely a new way to attend a junket! It was pretty cool as all of the cast and director was able to chat and answer questions from the comfort of their own home! This was a first for many of them, the pandemic is doing some interesting things but nevertheless it was a great press day!

Actors:Sam Rockwell (voice of Ivan,) Angelina Jolie (voice of Stella,) Danny DeVito (voice of Bob the dog,) Helen Mirren (voice of Snickers the poodle,) Brooklynn Prince (voice of Ruby,) Ramon Rodriguez (mall employee George,) Ariana Greenblatt (George’s daughter Julia,) Chaka Khan (voice of Henrietta the chicken,) Mike White (screenwriter and voice of Frankie the seal,) Ron Funches (voice of Murphy the rabbit,) Phillipa Soo (voice of Thelma the parrot,) and Bryan Cranston (Mack, the circus attraction’s owner). Director: Thea Sharrock.

“The One and Only Ivan” was inspired by a true story about a real-life gorilla that lived for almost 27 years in a shopping mall in Tacoma, Washington, before being moved to a sanctuary.  

Ivan (voiced by Sam Rockwell) in Disney’s THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN, based on the award-winning book by Katherine Applegate and directed by Thea Sharrock. Photo courtesy of Disney. © 2020 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

IVAN is a 400-pound silverback gorilla who lives in a small enclosure at a circus attraction in a shopping mall.  A gentle giant with a gruff exterior and a soft heart, Ivan is the show’s main attraction. When a new baby elephant arrives, Ivan begins to reassess his life and finds a way to express himself—with an unexpected outcome.

TRAILER

An adaptation of the award-winning book about one very special gorilla, Disney’s “The One and Only Ivan” is an unforgettable tale about the beauty of friendship, the power of visualization and the significance of the place one calls home. 

The story follows Ivan, a 400-pound silverback gorilla, who shares a communal habitat in a suburban shopping mall with Stella the elephant, Bob the dog, and various other animals. Ivan has few memories of the jungle where he was born, but when a baby elephant named Ruby arrives, it touches something deep within him. Ivan begins to question his life, where he comes from and where he ultimately wants to be.

VIRTUAL PRESS CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS

Ramón Rodríguez as George and Ariana Greenblatt as Julia in THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN, based on the award-winning book by Katherine Applegate and directed by Thea Sharrock. Photo courtesy of Disney. © 2020 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Director Thea Sharock on the process of filming The One and Only Ivan.

In terms of shooting this movie was very much like simultaneously working on two movies at the same time. Um, because of the technical aspect of it. So, on the one hand we started the whole process with the voice actor, um, because the animators needed their voices to begin to be laid down for the animation journey to begin. So, we started with that. Then we shot all of our live-action stuff.

Ivan (voiced by Sam Rockwell) and Bryan Cranston as Mack in Disney’s THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN, based on the award-winning book by Katherine Applegate and directed by Thea Sharrock. Photo courtesy of Disney. © 2020 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Bryan Cranston on the vulnerability of his character

Well, it started with Mike’s script, which I-which resonated with me and-and the plight of not just the-the animals and their particular emotional journey but also with Mac. I met with Thea a couple times before we started shooting. And we really discussed how we’d lay this out. I too saw him as a man who has flaws but also is attempting to make things right.

Ivan was like a child to him and so, he wasn’t about to abandon his child. He wanted to figure out, how do I embrace the fact that he’s now a full-fledged silverback gorilla and how do I live with that? It was to discover those nuances and allow for the character to be vulnerable.

Murphy (voiced by Ron Funches) and Henrietta (voiced by Chaka Khan) in Disney’s THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN, based on the award-winning book by Katherine Applegate and directed by Thea Sharrock. Photo courtesy of Disney. © 2020 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

HENRIETTA is a unique-looking, quirky chicken who tells it like it is.

HENRIETTA is a unique-looking, quirky chicken who tells it like it is.

Chaka Khan (“The Masked Singer,” “Empire”), who voices Henrietta, says that Henrietta is like an “alpha female chicken.” “We have a lot in common,” explains Khan. “Henrietta and I are both outspoken and speak our minds.  We can cuss you out or nurture you.  And I have those traits as well.”

Chaka Khan and how she is no stranger to the circus life

Doing this film…really brought back memories of the circus.I first ran away from home at, um, 16 I actually joined the circus. I ran away with this guy named Robert, who was lovely. We went out to the Barnum and B-Bailey Blue circus about six to seven months that we took a train. Um, I didn’t know what I was doing, where I was going. But I met this lovely guy named, Bob, at a club. And he was with the circus. And he asked me to come on. And I went. And actually was a rope girl. And I rode the elephant & fell in love with an elephant named Calcutta. And I was a rope girl, it’s really cool. It’s great. 

Stella (voiced by Angelina Jolie) in Disney’s THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN, based on the award-winning book by Katherine Applegate and directed by Thea Sharrock. Photo courtesy of Disney. © 2020 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

STELLA is an older African elephant who has been in the circus for years and never been free. She is a calming, comforting presence to all the animals, and she loves Ivan.

Academy Award–winning actress Angelina Jolie (“Maleficent,” “Changeling”) voices Stella.

Angelina Jolie sediments on how the youth will resonated with this film

I know this young generation is really very aware of what is happening in the world to our natural habitats, to these animals, what’s happening in the Congo and-and losing ground. What’s happening with the gorillas, the elephants? They’re (youth) angry and they want to really be clear about what kind of treatment is appropriate, what kind of captivity is appropriate. Being against poaching, being against preservation of natural habitats. So, I think this [film]  represents them.

BOB is a scrappy, scruffy stray dog who calls the mall his home and befriends all the animals in the circus attraction. Bob loves to hang out with his best friend Ivan and watch TV. 

Danny DeVito (“Dumbo,” “Jumanji: The Next Level”) voices Bob and says, “Bob’s a scruffy dog that comes around, and he and Ivan become friends.

Ivan (voiced by Sam Rockwell) and Bob the dog (voiced by Danny DeVito) in Disney’s THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN, based on the award-winning book by Katherine Applegate and directed by Thea Sharrock. Photo courtesy of Disney. © 2020 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Danny DeVito and how he connected with Ivan in real life

It was a pleasure being in this movie. I loved working with everybody in the film.  I’m an animated dog…I put a lot into the character. I feel like the thing about Bob, for me I wanted a friend and I always wanted a bigger brother in my life, an older brother. Now I don’t know if he’s older than I am, but I know he’s bigger than I am. And that gorilla is my best friend. I always wanted a soft place to sleep and his belly is just so, so soft. And I could just think about right now just sinking into that belly and maybe eating a little piece of pizza…just let my eyes just go and go to sleep with that.

SNICKERS is a beautiful, white poodle, always impeccably clean and groomed. Snickers is pampered and lives a life of luxury with the circus’ owner, Mack.

Academy Award–winner Helen Mirren (“The Queen,” “The Good Liar”) voices Snickers and comments, “Snickers has this sort of love-hate relationship with Bob. You want them to get together but, of course, they’re never going to get together. It’s never going to happen.”

Snickers (voiced by Helen Mirren) in Disney’s THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN, based on the award-winning book by Katherine Applegate and directed by Thea Sharrock. Photo courtesy of Disney. © 2020 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Helen Mirren and the connection to humans and nature in today’s society. 

It’s funny, I was just thinking with Danny that nature and animals are so much a part of our life and the insects and the diseases. You know we’re at the very, very beginning of our knowledge of actually how important the natural world is to us. This COVID for example is an incredible lesson in that direction.

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THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN is streaming exclusively on Disney+ starting August 21st!