Movies & TV Facts for Kids
Behind-the-scenes facts from film and TV
Many of the actors and crew working on the original 'Star Wars' (1977) believed it was going to be a terrible film. Even Mark Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker, did not expect it to be successful.
Tom Cruise performs nearly all of his own stunts in the 'Mission: Impossible' films. For 'Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation' (2015), he hung off the side of a real aircraft as it took off, doing eight takes in a single day.
Pixar's 'Soul' (2020) featured the studio's first Black protagonist, jazz musician Joe Gardner. The filmmakers extensively researched the culture and history of New York jazz to ensure the film felt authentic.
In 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' (1986), principal Ed Rooney was played by Jeffrey Jones, who filmed most of his scenes separately from the lead actors. Director John Hughes used this to make Rooney feel isolated and out of touch with the young characters.
Pixar's 'Turning Red' (2022) was deliberately set in Toronto, Canada in 2002, making it one of the few Pixar films set in a real non-American city. Director Domee Shi grew up in Toronto and based many details on her own childhood memories.