Movies & TV Facts for Kids
Behind-the-scenes facts from film and TV
Amy Adams, who plays Giselle in 'Enchanted' (2007), practiced rarely blinking so that she looked more like a cartoon character come to life. The technique makes Giselle seem wide-eyed and magical even in the real world.
'Brave' (2012) was Pixar's first film with a female protagonist, 17 years after the studio was founded. Merida's wild curly hair had over 100,000 individual strands and required new simulation software to animate.
Robert Downey Jr. improvised many of Tony Stark's most memorable lines in the 'Iron Man' films, including 'I am Iron Man.' The first 'Iron Man' (2008) had very little completed script before filming began, and actors were encouraged to improvise.
DreamWorks brought in Chinese cultural consultants for 'Kung Fu Panda' (2008) to ensure the film's landscapes, architecture, and martial arts were authentic. The opening dream sequence was animated in a traditional Chinese painting style.
'Gone with the Wind' (1939) was the first color film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. At the time it was released, it was the longest and most expensive film ever made in Hollywood.
In 'The Incredibles' (2004), the superhero costume designer Edna Mode refuses to add capes because several superheroes have been killed by capes getting caught in things. The film actually lists five fictional superheroes who died because of their capes.
'Jaws' (1975) is widely considered the first modern Hollywood blockbuster. Before 'Jaws,' big films were typically released in a small number of theaters at first. 'Jaws' introduced the strategy of releasing films in thousands of cinemas at once.
The main bathhouse in 'Spirited Away' (2001) was designed to feel like a real place that had grown over hundreds of years. Director Hayao Miyazaki drew thousands of detailed architectural sketches to ensure every section of the building felt lived-in.
Charlie Chaplin and Albert Einstein were real-life friends who greatly admired each other. Einstein once told Chaplin that the world admired him because everyone understood his films, while Chaplin said Einstein was admired because no one understood his work.
'Big Hero 6' (2014) was loosely based on a Marvel comics series, making it the first Marvel property to be adapted by Disney Animation. The film is set in a fictional city called San Fransokyo, blending San Francisco and Tokyo.