CEO Bob Chapek Will Give Fans a First Look
at Disney 100 Years of Wonder
Tamron Hall to Host the Legends Awards,
Where Anthony Anderson, Kristen Bell, Chadwick Boseman, Patrick
Dempsey, Josh Gad, Jonathan Groff, Idina Menzel, Ellen Pompeo, and
Tracee Ellis Ross Will Be Among the Remarkable Talent
Honored
D23 Expo: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event presented by Visa® will
kick off Friday, September 9, with a fantastic spectacle that
includes the Disney Legends Awards ceremony and an early look at
Disney 100 Years of Wonder—an extraordinary celebration 100 years
in the making. The opening ceremony will take place at 10:30 a.m.
in Hall D23 inside the Anaheim Convention Center.
“For nearly a century, Disney has been entertaining and
inspiring people around the world,” said Bob Chapek, CEO, The Walt
Disney Company. “I can’t wait to give fans a first look at what we
have in store for our hundredth anniversary, and how we’re using
this occasion to celebrate all the fans and families who have
welcomed Disney into their lives.”
The incredible opening event, which will be streamed as part of
D23 Expo [LIVE], will feature musical performances, special guests,
and surprises for the audience, including a special performance by
cast members from Disney On Broadway’s productions of Aladdin and
The Lion King, and The North American Tour of Frozen.
The Disney Legends Award is given to an individual who has made
an extraordinary contribution to the Disney legacy, and this year’s
honorees include Anthony Anderson, Kristen Bell, Chadwick Boseman,
Rob’t Coltrin, Patrick Dempsey, Robert Price “Bob” Foster, Jonathan
Groff, Don Hahn, Josh Gad, Doris Hardoon, Idina Menzel, Chris
Montan, Ellen Pompeo, and Tracee Ellis Ross. Emmy® Award winner
Tamron Hall will host, bringing her signature warmth and humor to
the fan-favorite ceremony.
The Disney Legends Awards program is a 35-year tradition of The
Walt Disney Company, which began when Fred MacMurray (The Shaggy
Dog, The Absent-Minded Professor, The Happiest Millionaire) was
honored in 1987. The awards ceremony is just one of the many
spectacular events fans can enjoy during the three-day D23
Expo.
The 2022 Disney Legends Award honorees (listed alphabetically)
are:
Anthony Anderson grew up in Los Angeles. While pursuing
his acting career, he continued his education by attending the High
School for the Performing Arts, where he earned first place in the
NAACP’s ACT-SO Awards. His performance, along with a dedication to
his craft, earned him an arts scholarship to Howard University.
Anthony has appeared in more than 20 films, and his performance on
Law & Order earned him four consecutive NAACP Image Award
nominations for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series. He starred in
and executive produced ABC’s Emmy-nominated sitcom black-ish,
winning seven NAACP Image Awards and earning seven Emmy and three
Golden Globe® nominations for his role as Andre “Dre” Johnson in
the series. He also executive produced and appeared in the
black-ish spinoff series grown-ish and mixed-ish. His recent
credits include ABC’s Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman
Lear’s ‘All in the Family’ and ‘The Jeffersons’ (2019), host of
ABC’s game show To Tell the Truth (2016–), and Detective Kevin
Bernard in Law & Order. In 2020 he received a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Kristen Bell is an award-winning actor, author, and
producer, who landed her first role with Disney by lending her
voice to Hiromi in the Studio Ghibli classic The Cat Returns, for
the U.S. DVD release in 2005. Her voice-acting expertise would soon
come in handy once again, for the two highest-grossing animated
features of all time, Frozen (2013) and Frozen 2 (2019). Anna, the
optimistic, comical, fearless princess (who became Queen) of
Arendelle, was a spot-on role for the seasoned actor, whose singing
talents and personality effortlessly shines through her performance
of the character. Kristen reprised the role in Frozen Fever (2015),
Olaf's Frozen Adventure (2017), Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018),
and Once Upon a Snowman (2020), along with numerous video games,
theme park experiences, and consumer products. Kristen also voiced
Priscilla the sloth in 2016’s Oscar®-winning Zootopia and in the
upcoming Disney+ series Zootopia+. She has also starred in several
Disney live-action films, such as When in Rome (2010) and You Again
(2010), TV specials such as Lady Gaga & The Muppets’ Holiday
Spectacular (2013) and Mickey’s 90th Spectacular (2018), and myriad
series from 20th Century Fox, including The Simpsons and Family
Guy.
Chadwick Boseman was fueled by purpose and sought to
fulfill that through writing, directing, acting, and activism. His
breakout performance came playing Jackie Robinson in 42, followed
by his next role as James Brown in Get On Up. He then starred in
the title role of Marshall, which followed a young Thurgood
Marshall. Boseman joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the
African Super Hero Black Panther in Captain America: Civil War
before bringing the character to the forefront of his own solo
film, Black Panther, which received critical acclaim, broke global
box office records, and had a social and cultural impact felt
globally. The film received seven Academy Award® nominations,
including Marvel’s first-ever Best Picture nomination. Boseman won
the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture and
the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast
in a Motion Picture alongside the film’s ensemble. In 2019, Boseman
starred in 21 Bridges. In 2020, he appeared in Da 5 Bloods,
directed by Academy Award winner Spike Lee. In Ma Rainey’s Black
Bottom, his captivating performance as “Levee” garnered an Academy
Award nomination, and he won the NAACP Image Award and the Critics
Choice and Screen Actors Guild awards, among numerous others. On
television, he most recently received an Emmy nomination for his
work in the Disney+ animated series What If...?
Rob’t Coltrin joined Walt Disney Imagineering in 1990 in
the Show Set Design group and over time progressed through multiple
disciplines—including show design, concept design, and art
direction—before landing in his final role as an executive creative
director. Early in his career he had a hand in the creation of
several attractions that have delighted Disney fans for decades,
such as Mickey’s PhilharMagic, Muppet*Vision 3D, and Roger Rabbit’s
Car Toon Spin. More recently, he was a major creative force behind
some of our most ambitious projects, including Radiator Springs
Racers, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, and recent
expansions at Tokyo Disney Resort. In addition to his boundless
creative talents, Rob’t is also well known for his passion to
elevate the work of fellow Imagineers and help further their
careers. Even following his retirement in 2019, he continues to
keep in touch with and inspire many of his friends and colleagues
at Imagineering.
Patrick Dempsey is a two-time Golden Globe® nominee and
SAG Award® nominee for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television
Series. Early in his career he appeared in 1980s nostalgia films
such as Touchstone’s Can’t Buy Me Love (1987) and has since become
a Hollywood star with numerous iconic television and film roles.
Other Disney credits include an appearance on The Magical World of
Disney as Kellin Taylor in A Fighting Choice (1986), the Hollywood
Pictures film Run (1991), Touchstone’s Sweet Home Alabama (2002),
Brother Bear 2 (2006) as the voice of Kenai, Enchanted (2007), and
the upcoming Disney+ film Disenchanted (2022). He is perhaps best
known to fans as Dr. Derek Shepherd in ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy, a role
he portrayed for 11 seasons. Grey’s Anatomy won the 2007 Golden
Globe for Best Television Series–Drama as well as the 2007 SAG
Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.
In addition to acting, Patrick is an avid racing enthusiast,
participating in sports car events and produced the film The Art of
Racing in the Rain (2019). In 2008, with the intention of giving
back to the community where he grew up and where his mother first
received cancer treatment, Patrick founded the Dempsey Center to
help make life better for people managing the impact of cancer.
Robert Price “Bob” Foster began his Disney career in
1956, joining the Walt Disney Productions legal department. He
later served as a member of the Park Operations Committee for
Disneyland and was promoted to Corporate Secretary and Legal
Counsel in 1958. Two years later, he was named Assistant Secretary,
Walt Disney Productions, and Resident Counsel for Disneyland. In
1963, Walt and Roy O. Disney selected Bob to head the land search
for their top-secret “Florida Project.” Bob took extraordinary
measures to ensure that the identity of Walt Disney Productions
remained classified while initiating and executing the property
research and acquisition effort. He acquired 43 square miles of
land for what would eventually become the Walt Disney World Resort.
Bob was later named Vice President (Legal), Secretary, and General
Counsel for the Walt Disney World Co. and in 1970 was promoted to
President of the Buena Vista Land Company. In this role, Bob was
responsible for overseeing development of the resort community of
Lake Buena Vista. In 1974, Bob retired from Walt Disney Productions
as Vice President, Real Estate.
Josh Gad is a Tony Award®-winning actor and singer who
has warmed the hearts of countless viewers around the globe as
Olaf, the loveable snowman from the 2013 box office hit Frozen and
its popular follow-up, Frozen 2 (2019). To audiences’ delight, Gad
has reprised the role numerous times, each time sharing more of the
sun-loving character’s endearing personality and vivacious songs.
Olaf has appeared in Frozen Fever (2015), LEGO® Disney Frozen:
Northern Lights (2016), Olaf’s Frozen Adventure (2017), At Home
with Olaf (2020), Once Upon a Snowman (2020), and Olaf Presents
(2021). Gad’s memorable performances in Frozen and Frozen 2 earned
him two Annie Awards for Outstanding Achievement for Voice Acting
in an Animated Feature Production. In 2017, Gad starred as LeFou,
the memorable and iconic sidekick to Gaston, in the live-action
Beauty and the Beast, and in 2020, he portrayed Mulch Diggums in
Artemis Fowl. Some of his other notable Disney credits include
Mickey’s 90th Spectacular (2018), The Disney Family Singalong
(2020), Murder on the Orient Express (2017), Modern Family (2011),
and Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom (2020). Gad’s Broadway talent
is also showcased as both a creator and star of the Emmy-nominated
20th Television Animation musical series, Central Park (2020–).
Jonathan Groff has made memorable performances in
theater, film, and television since his award-winning breakout
performance in Broadway’s Spring Awakening (2006). Popular with
Disney fans the world over, Jonathan voiced the character of
Kristoff in both Frozen (2013) and Frozen 2 (2019)—the top two
highest-grossing animated films of all time—as well as in Frozen
Fever (2015), LEGO Disney Frozen: Northern Lights (2016), Olaf’s
Frozen Adventure (2017), Once Upon a Snowman (2020), and numerous
video games, consumer products, and theme park experiences. He also
appeared as Jesse St. James on the Emmy- and Golden
Globe-award-winning television series Glee. Additional notable
Disney television credits include The Story of Frozen: Making a
Disney Animated Classic and Into the Unknown: Making Frozen 2.
Groff originated the role of King George III in the Pulitzer
Prize-winning production of Hamilton on Broadway, receiving a Tony
Award nomination for his performance, and was part of the featured
cast immortalized in the Emmy-winning Disney+ Original release of
the hit show. Groff also received an individual Emmy nomination for
his performance in the filmed production.
Don Hahn joined The Walt Disney Studios in 1976 in the
Art Props Morgue. His animation career took off when he worked as
an inbetweener on Pete’s Dragon (1977), and later as assistant
director on The Fox and the Hound (1981). He was Production Manager
of The Black Cauldron (1985) and The Great Mouse Detective (1986),
then turned to producing on Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988), Beauty
and the Beast (1991), and The Lion King (1994). His other credits
include The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996), The Emperor’s New
Groove (2000), Maleficent (2014), and the live-action Beauty and
the Beast (2017). He executive produced the Disneynature films
Earth (2009), Oceans (2010), African Cats (2011), and Chimpanzee
(2012). Don is also the author of several Disney Editions books,
including The Alchemy of Animation, Before Ever After, and
Yesterday’s Tomorrow: Disney’s Magical Mid-Century. As director,
Don has helmed such acclaimed documentaries as Waking Sleeping
Beauty (2010) and Howard (2020). His most recent Disney credits
include hosting the documentary Adventure Thru the Walt Disney
Archives (2020).
Doris Hardoon joined Walt Disney Imagineering in 1979 as
a junior designer, then quickly rose through the ranks to lead
designer, art director, and producer on a variety of groundbreaking
projects around the globe. Included were EPCOT Center, Tokyo
Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme
park, as well as Disney Cruise Line and Disney entertainment
centers nationwide. She additionally served as executive art
director, producer, and creative portfolio lead for projects
including Hong Kong Disneyland, the proposed-but-never-built
WESTCOT Center in Anaheim, and the unbuilt DisneySea in Long Beach.
Doris left the Company in 2000 to pursue other innovative projects
but returned in 2009 to help conceive, design, and build Shanghai
Disney Resort. In her role as executive director and producer,
Doris provided overall creative direction to her design and
production teams, while establishing culturally relevant,
“authentically Disney, distinctly Chinese” elements in all aspects
of her assignments. Doris is the 2022 recipient of the THEA Buzz
Price Lifetime of Distinguished Achievements Award.
Idina Menzel is an accomplished actor, singer,
songwriter, and philanthropist, who rose to fame on the Broadway
stage. Winning a Tony Award in 2004 for her legendary performance
as Elphaba in Wicked, she famously went on to voice Queen Elsa in
Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Frozen (2013) and reprised the role
in Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018) and Frozen 2 (2019), along with
numerous animated shorts, theme park experiences, and consumer
products. Idina’s performance of the Oscar- and Grammy®-winning
song “Let It Go” became an international phenomenon, reaching No. 5
on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and helped launch Frozen and Frozen
2 on their way to becoming the two highest-grossing animated movies
of all time. Idina also appeared as Nancy Tremaine in Enchanted
(2007) and is soon to reprise the role in the Disney+ sequel,
Disenchanted. As a songwriter, Idina’s original song “Dream Girl”
(from 2021’s Cinderella) made it to the Academy Awards’ Best
Original Song short list. Some of her notable Disney TV credits
include Lisa King in ABC Studios’ Private Practice (2009),
Disneyland 60: The Wonderful World of Disney (2015), Mickey’s 90th
Spectacular (2018), and The Disney Family Singalong: Volume II
(2020), as well as the recurring role of Shelby Corcoran in Glee
for 20th Century Television.
Chris Montan joined The Walt Disney Company in 1984, and
within three years was named vice president of music for motion
pictures and television. In 1997, Variety named him “musical
supervisor of the decade” after he oversaw such classic and
best-selling film soundtracks as The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the
Beast, Pretty Woman, Sister Act, Aladdin, The Lion King,
Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Hercules. Chris was
named President of Walt Disney Music in 1999 and was responsible
for overseeing music for Disney and Pixar animated feature films,
Disney Theatrical stage productions, and Disney Parks and Resorts,
worldwide. He served as executive music producer for all of the
Studios’ animated features during his tenure, working closely in
the story development process as well as helping to select musical
talent. His work has been nominated for multiple Grammy Awards,
winning Best Original Cast Recording for Aida and Best Compilation
Soundtrack for Visual Media for Frozen, with additional films
receiving 45 musical Academy Award nominations and 16 Academy
Awards in the Best Original Song and Best Original Score
categories.
Ellen Pompeo leads the longest-running primetime medical
drama in television history, Grey’s Anatomy. As one of television’s
most beloved actresses, Ellen’s turn in the title role continues to
help elevate the series as ABC’s highest-rated drama and earned the
actress a Golden Globe nomination in 2007. Audiences remain glued
to screens week after week watching Dr. Meredith Grey and her
colleagues face relatable and emotional hardships. In real life,
Ellen similarly confronts adversity and works for positive change
both on and off the screen. Whether it is encouraging women to
pursue their dream careers—medical or otherwise—or advocating for
normalizing gender and racial equality in the workplace, the
actress has inspired generations. Some of Ellen’s other notable
credits include Moonlight Mile (2002), Old School (2003), and
Daredevil (2003). Next up, Ellen will star in and executive produce
an eight-episode Hulu Original limited series currently titled
Untitled Orphan Project through her production banner Calamity
Jane, which she launched in 2011.
Tracee Ellis Ross starred in the groundbreaking ABC
comedy series black-ish. The Emmy-winning show ran for eight
seasons, during which she also served as a producer and director.
For her role as Dr. Rainbow “Bow” Johnson, Tracee was nominated
five times for an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy
Series and won the 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2020 NAACP Image Award for
Best Actress in a Comedy Series. In addition, Tracee was honored
and acknowledged at the 2016 ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood
luncheon, receiving the Fierce and Fearless award. Her other Disney
television credits include roles on grown-ish and mixed-ish—the
latter of which she was both co-creator and executive producer—The
Premise, and Private Practice. Tracee is the founder and CEO of
PATTERN, a haircare brand that launched in 2019.
Honorees receive a two-foot-tall bronze Disney Legends sculpture
that signifies the imagination, creativity, and magic they have
brought to the Company. Disney Legends Award recipients will also
participate in a handprint ceremony at the end of the event, and
their bronzed prints will be displayed in the Disney Legends Plaza
at the Company’s Burbank headquarters.
Admission to the ceremony will be on a first-come, first-served
basis and is included in the price of a ticket to D23 Expo
2022.
Including this year’s honorees, a total of 304 Disney Legends
have been named. Past Disney Legends include Tim Allen, Julie
Andrews, Howard Ashman, Robert Downey Jr., Annette Funicello,
Whoopi Goldberg, Sir Elton John, Angela Lansbury, George Lucas,
Steve Martin, Alan Menken, Hayley Mills, Fess Parker, Robin
Roberts, Marty Sklar, Dick Van Dyke, Barbara Walters, Ming-Na Wen,
Betty White, and Robin Williams, among many others. Beginning with
the inaugural D23 Expo in 2009, thousands of Disney fans have been
able to enjoy the Disney Legends Awards ceremony in-person.
D23 Expo is sold out. Select presentations will be streamed for
guests at D23 Expo Live! For more information, visit
D23Expo.com.
Schedules and talent are subject to change.
About D23 Expo 2022
D23 Expo—The Ultimate Disney Fan Event—brings together all the
worlds of Disney under one roof for three packed days of
presentations, pavilions, experiences, concerts, sneak peeks,
shopping, and more. The event provides fans with unprecedented
access to Disney films, streaming, television, games, theme parks,
and celebrities. For the latest D23 Expo 2022 news, visit
D23Expo.com. Presentations, talent, and schedule subject to change.
To join the D23 Expo conversation, be sure to follow DisneyD23 on
Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, and use the hashtag
#D23Expo.
About D23
The name “D23” pays homage to the exciting journey that began in
1923 when Walt Disney opened his first studio in Hollywood. D23 is
the first official club for fans in Disney’s 99-year history. It
gives its members a greater connection to the entire world of
Disney by placing them in the middle of the magic through its
quarterly publication, Disney twenty-three; a rich website at
D23.com, with members-only content; member-exclusive discounts; and
special events for D23 Members throughout the year.
Fans can join D23 at Gold Membership ($99.99), Gold Duo
Membership ($129.99), and General Membership (complimentary) levels
at D23.com. To keep up with all the latest D23 news and events,
follow DisneyD23 on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
NOT FOR PRINT: For images, press releases, and the
official media credential application, please visit
D23ExpoPress.com.
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Jeffrey Epstein The Walt Disney Company (818) 560-8125
Jeffrey.R.Epstein@Disney.com
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