This morning, Walt Disney Animation Studios’ ‘Wish’ star Ariana DeBose – who voices the lead character Asha – surprised families at the UK Family Screening Event in London’s Leicester Square. Disney collaborated with Visa to support long-standing charity partner Make-A-Wish UK on the special preview screening events that took place in London, Manchester and Edinburgh, with over 100 Make-A-Wish UK families and wish granting guests attending.
Ariana surprised three Make-A-Wish UK children and their families, revealing that their wishes would be coming true. Arthur, age 10 from Orpington and Ethan, age 14 from Croydon, were granted their dream wish of a trip to Disneyland Paris thanks to the support of The Kentown Wizard Foundation.
Ethan, who was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy when he was born prematurely and had a heart transplant when he was younger, will be visiting Disneyland Paris with his mum and sister. Upon receiving his wish, Ethan said: “What a great surprise, I’ve been wanting to go to Disneyland Paris for a very long time. I’m excited to go to the castle and to meet the characters, especially Mickey Mouse and Tigger.”
Attendees at the screening events included Michelle Collins, Perri Shakes-Drayton, Nicky Clarke, Linda Robson, Anna Nightingale, Billy Wingrove, Judi Shekoni, Rachel Riley, Vanessa Feltz, Louise Pentland, Jay Porter and Poppy Hollins, The Renz Family, Keisha, Jess Jones and more.
Walt Disney Animation Studios Wish welcomes audiences to the magical kingdom of Rosas, where 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. Featuring the voices of Academy Award®-winning actor Ariana DeBose as Asha, Chris Pine as Magnifico, and Alan Tudykas Asha’s favorite goat, Valentino, the film is helmed by Oscar®-winning director Chris Buck (“Frozen,” Frozen 2) and Fawn Veerasunthorn (Raya and the Last Dragon), and produced by Peter Del Vecho (Frozen, Frozen 2) and Juan Pablo Reyes Lancaster Jones (Encanto). Jennifer Lee (Frozen, Frozen 2) executive produces—Lee and Allison Moore (Night Sky, Manhunt) are writers on the project.
Since 1980, Disney has helped Make-A-Wish® grant more than 150,000 life-changing wishes for children living with critical illness around the world – creating Moments that Matter for children and their families when they need it the most.