Exploring Disney Junior’s Ariel with Mykal-Michelle Harris, Taye Diggs & Lynne Southerland

0:00 In this episode of pop Culture Weekly, it's all about the brand new Disney Junior series Arial. I talk with Tay Diggs, Lynn Sutherland, Michael, Michelle Harris and more. Let's go Welcome to pop Culture Weekly with Kyle McMahon from iHeartRadio your pop culture news, views, reviews and celebrity interviews on all the movies, TV, music, and pop culture u Crabe Weekly. Here's Kyle McMahon, nay Na Na, Hello, and welcome to the pop Culture Weekly with Kyle McMahon. I of course am Kyle McMahon, and I can't thank you enough for hanging out with me for another episode of pop Culture Weekly.

0:41 This episode is all about the brand new Disney Junior series Ariel. Disney Junior's Arial is a brand new animated musical series. It's aimed towards preschoolers and of course, it's inspired by the Little Mermaid. It follows eight year old mermaid Princess Ariel as she and her friends embark on fun filled, action packed underwater adventures throughout their Caribbean inspired fairy tale Kingdom of Atlantica and beyond. It's got, of course, fan favorite characters like King Triton, who was played by Tay Diggs. Love Tay Diggs, Ursula played by the amazing Amber Riley, and Ariel herself is played by Michael Michelle Harris. Who is She is so adorable and so talented. She's perfect as Ariel. Of course, it's also got Sebastian and Flounder, and some exciting new friends, mer children, Lucia and Fernie, and of course all kinds of adorable sea creatures. So it's executive produced by Lynn Sutherland, who I talk with. Lynn is one of the most prominent black female producer directors in the business. She directed Mulan iiO as well as produced Happily ever After on HBO and produced the classic animated film Babas Kids. And she is the executive producer on Disney Junior's Ariel.

2:07 So I can't wait to talk to her. I also talk with Tay Diggs, Love Love Love Tay, and Michael Michelle Harris. So first up my interview with Lynn Sutherland. Lynn, as I stated, is a pioneer in the business, first black female to ever direct a Disney film with Mulan two. She is a prominent producer who's worked on such classics as Sister act two, one of my favorite all time movies, The Naked Gun Throw Mama from the Train, Beabays Kids Happily ever After on HBO, extremely goofy movie. Another one of my childhood classics, and so much more. So let's get right into my interview with the one and only Lynn Sutherland. So, first of all, congratulations on Ariel. It really is a cool uh project in the world of the Little Mermaid. I think it's really enjoyable. People are gonna love it. What was the what drew you to to telling these stories in this world? I just thought it was a great opportunity to uh discover the richness of who Ariel is. The nature of making the movies is it's a very contained kind of story. This is a chance to see Ariel in lots of different parts of her life, different stories that let us see her

3:42 as you know, warm hearted, friendly, adventurous and an experimenter. These are all things that we might have had hints of in the movies. But here's a chance to really get inside of her. And so that felt like a meaty opportunity. Yeah. I love that, and I love how it's kind of your everyday aerial, Like you know, there's not this huge world potentially world shaking thing that's happening. It could be something that we run into every day. That's right exactly. She's just a girl living her life and discovering who she is. And yeah, I like the grounding of that versus that that there's a you know, there's there's We don't point a lot to that she's a princess. She's just Ariel and I like that. Yeah.

4:42 Uh. The cast is absolutely incredible, Tay and Amber everybody. How how do you determine? I mean, obviously, I know, you know, typically there's an audition process for for some roles and that sort of thing. But how did you decide, you know, with casting that this is Tay is Triton or you know whatever. I always like to think of it a little bit like if it were an opera. It doesn't apply in live action, but in animation, the voices help us understand the room we're in, so to speak, you know, and if everybody's voice sits in the same place, then I'm kind of gonna fall asleep. So that's an element of the process in this show. That aspect probably applies more to the kids.

5:35 Making sure we have some variety in that core group of kids, but in terms of the adults we're going for in that voice, can we pick up the humanity of the character the way we want that character to express. So Tay really when he came in and we started actually work to shape the character, you know, I think it might be one's natural instinct to think that he should be a king, and it's no, He's a dad and Tay is a dad, So it meant it was easy for him to grab on to what we were looking for. I mean, he has a great voice whatever, you know, So then it's just how do we have him craft his voice to work for this character. And the same with Amber. I mean just she's almost like you just go, yeah, perfect Ursula because we wanted her to have big energy, big heart, and you really feel a lot of joy when you hear her voice, and I think Amber just captures all that and yeah, her fabulous singing voice. Of course. Yes for you, you know you did Mulan too. That was the first film that you were the first black woman to direct a animated film. You know, you are continuing the legacy set by the you know, the recent Little Mermaid

7:09 film in bringing people of color to characters that are beloved for generations. Is that for you? You know, is that something that you are like, I want kids that see this to be reflected. I loved The Little Mermaid when I was a kid, but it was, you know, it didn't necessarily reflect my friend group. You know, I had a lot of black friends and people of all color, and it was, you know, not as diverse as my life. Was that something consciously as you're doing this, that we want, you know, a series to reflect our viewership. Yes, to reflect the viewership, and also to reflect that that we are ready for that now, like the energy we have, we have moved ourselves to a place where we see the deficiency in limiting the actors that we either see or hear. So it's a great nexus of the moment. It's a desire I've always had, and I've gotten to work on many projects that had diverse cast, but this was the first time I was doing it with a character that had another identity at another time. So it's just wonderful to have had the opportunity to move her into a broader sense and for everyone to remember that

8:48 you can you know, aerieal you know, why couldn't in another iteration in whatever in twenty years that somebody says, you know Atlantica. Actually she's not in Atlantica, she's in Pacifica. And now we're gonna tell it this way. You know, it's like it was a fairy tale. We can do whatever we want with them, exactly. I love that. Thank you for what you're doing, Thank you for speaking with me. Thank you. And I can't wait for everybody to see Ariel, me too, have a great day, me too. Lynn's southern Lynn, what an icon and pioneer in the business. And she's from Philly, so I didn't realize that. So next time you are back in town, Lynn, let's get a sub or a cheese steak at Gino's and talk shop. All right. Next up The Adorable and Such a Powerhouse Michael. Michelle Harris Is. She plays Ariel in Disney Junior's Ariel Mermaid Tales, and she is an Emmy winner. She won the twenty twenty three Emmy in the category of Best Younger Performer and a Pre School, Children's or a Young Teen Program for her role as Alice Baxter in Raven's Home. She was also in Cheaper by the Dozen and You Can Look at UH where I interviewed that cast last year on from Disney Plus. And she stars in Mixed Dish, which she is hysterical in. She's also been

10:20 in Big Little Lives on HBO and so much more. So let's get right in to my interview with the Emmy winning Michael Michelle Harris. Thank you, Michael Michelle for speaking with me. I appreciate it absolutely, Thank you, of course. So first of all, congratulations on Ariel. It's such a great project and you do so wonderful in it, so I want to congratulate you on that. Thank you so much, of course. So what is it like, I mean Ariel, Like, what is it like to play Ariel Vierial? Right? I am so so so excited to be playing Ariel as a person who like always grew up on watching all of the Disney princesses and wish they could be a Disney princess when I grow up. I being and now actually being a Disney princess is like a dream come true. I am so excited. I am this is like such a fulfilling role for me.

11:22 I'm just oh, it's it's so amazing and I love that and you do such a great job with it. And of course, and you have such great talent around you, Tay Diggs, Amber Riley, you know, you have such great you know, these these big talented people, and you are holding your own with all your talent with them. What's it like to work with with talent like that? Unfortunately I didn't get to be in the studio with them, but I did get to see the first and second episode and hearing their voices and all that emotion that they put into the character, mixed with the beautiful scenery of Atlantica and the incredible songs, just it brings the whole show together in this beautiful culmination of all of all of the talent.

12:13 Yes, and and you're totally totally right. It is a culmination of so many awesome things, from the music and the score and the animation and all of you guys. It's such a great project. What you know, when you are obviously you know, successful actor, when you get a project like this that is something that has a history before you know, there's a there's a couple of films, there was a series at one point. Do you feel pressure at all or are you like, I'm gonna do my own take on aerial or can you like block out the other actors that have played her before? How do you do? How does that work for you?

12:54 That's actually all of those things are are what I feel home. So of course there is a pressure because have been so many different people that have played this role and that have knocked it out of the ballpark, and I, you know, I feel like I have to come in with this you know, new take on things and you know, be up there with them and stuff like that. But I feel like it is a good feeling that I know that I can put my own spin on things, put my own take on things. But also I did a bit of character resource research. You know, I watched the aerial feature films again. I studied what I felt like they or what I felt like she would sound like when she was eight years old, because we have not seen arios so young, and so I had to you know, kind of come up with like a backstory ish like you know, her aerialisms. So of course I was helped out by the writers and the executive producers and the director, but you know, so the tiny details I have to sprinkling myself sometimes And where did that come from?

14:01 For you? Those those little details. Is it just your personally personality coming out, or is it you know, is it in things that you've learned, or where does that come from? I think overall, when I like drop into the character and fully take on the character, it really just comes from a place where I think it would the character right. And so I feel like when I'm doing like the aerial I don't really have to modify my voice that much. But when I do kind of like the aerial voice, I really think about the different how she would sound natural, you know, and I just it just comes out right, like sometimes I put a giggle on the end of a line, or or like I do like an extra big smile on this line, so that it comes through my voice. And I feel like that really just comes from a place of knowing the character and knowing how she would react to certain things. I love that. And finally, what is most excite for you? You know? In this project?

15:01 You know, there's so many cool things, as we've discussed many of them. What is your favorite part of being aerial in Ariel? Right, I think one of my absolute favorite parts is all the diversity that is included in this show. There are so many different merph folks that you can see in this in Disney Juniors Aerial and you can basically put yourself in their shoes. And I would say that all of this diversity and stuff like this is really good to include in a preschool show because it's great to show this type of this type of of what is the word this type of diversity yeah, oh oh yeah, gotcha, this type of diversity to young children, so that they know that they're not alone in whatever they may be going through. They're not alone, and it's okay to be themselves. It's okay to you know, like what they like, do what they do, and that all comes through in the diversity in Disney Junior's Ariel. But as an artist and an art junkie myself, I also love the imagery of the mystical underwater land of Atlantica. Yes, it is beautiful and and to your point with the diversity, I think it's amazing too. People get to see themselves represented all throughout Atlantica and Ariel, And of course that is with huge kudos to you with

16:34 all of this and making Aerial Ariel. So thank you so much for speaking with me. I can't wait for everybody to see Ariel. Thank you. I appreciate it. Michael Michelle Harris. I can't wait for to continue to watch her career just explode. How are you an Emmy winner at twelve years old? Like I woke up with a burrito in my pocket this morning, and this twelve year old has an Emmy. She's incredible and love speaking with her. She's so delightful, so smart and talented. And as I said, I can't wait to continue to watch her career explode. All right. Next up, I love this man. Tay Diggs plays King Triton, Ariel's father in The Little Mermaid. Tay originated the role of the landlord Benny in the Tony and Pulitzer Prize winning musical Rent. He continued to work on Broadway, including the revival of Chicago in two thousand and two. End was in the Broadway musical Wicked. He got from the stage to TV in the soap opera Guiding Light, then made his film debut and How Stella Got her groove back then he just went ham. He was in the Wood with Omar Epps.

17:52 He was in the Best Man where he was the best Man House on Haunted Hill. And you know, I love My Horror. He replied his role as Benny for the Rent film. He reprised his role as the band leader in the film adaptation of Chicago and played opposite Christian Bale in Equilibrium. And that's just scratching the surface. Oh and by the way, he is the only two time winner on Lip Sync Battle, which love that show. So without further ado, let's jump into my interview with King Triton himself. Tay Diggs, what's up to say? How you doing man? How are you, Kyle? Good to see it? Good to see you. So this new project it is I love it because it is a just another kind of chapter in the universe of the Little Mermaid and King Triton. For me anyway, King Triton has been such always, such an iconic character which you are now playing. What is that like for you? It's it's so many things. Because I grew up on Disney and and always uh dreamt about being in a Disney movie. Finally getting that opportunity is amazing. Uh. And then when I think about the project that I'm working on, a Little Mermaid, and and how a solid and you know, ever living that this tale

19:22 is that's amazing. And then when I think of the perspective in which you know, they're they're they're coming at these characters kind of dealing in everyday problems, very realistic, very down to earth situations. That's it's it's excellent. You know, it's you know, I'm I'm. I consider myself very lucky. And for you, as you know, as an actor, do you find so in other words, obviously there's been other actors that have played this character before. Do you find it hard to kind of differentiate and find your own take on it or are you able to like block those out or how do you approach that? Oh, that's a good question. I do neither.

20:11 I just since the writing is so good, I just follow the writing. I don't think about who came before me, who's going to come after me. I don't care about my performance after I've made it. I find it's it's it's healthier for me to just be in the moment and uh and do what I do and uh and not put much extra on it. Okay, and acting, you know, voice acting obviously it is just as challenging, I would assume, as as being on camera and that sort of thing. Do you find that there are additional challenges as an actor when doing voice work over being on camera. Oh, I hate when people say things like this, but I don't. I don't think of it as a challenge.

21:07 Uhh. It's different and it's always great to be exposed to different things, you know, and in a lot of ways, it's it's more difficult than acting, as you know it because you don't have your body or your gestures or your facial expressions to lean on. All you have is your voice. So that's that's really really cool to uh experiment with. Yeah, and I love the fact that that that I'm still learning, you know, this job won't get boring because I'm still learning learning about it. So I love that.

21:57 And when when you filmed Ariel or I guess not filmed when you worked on Ariels recorded? Yeah, recorded Aeriel? Were you was this like solo or or you know you're you're doing Triton's parts by yourself or are you like, how does that work with this project? Yes, that's a good question. I personally, I don't know how the other actors work, but personally I am by myself in a studio, and then there are the overseers, you know, through a glass window, the engineers and whatnot, and it's just me. Normally you might hear someone complaining about not being in the same room as their fellow actors, but the other actors in this project are so talented that when I hear them through my earphones, it's as if they're they're standing right there. So I can't even complain about that. It's a it's a great gig, you know. I can come in and house shoes in a wardrobe as long, and a robe as long as your as long as your voices are warm, you can get down. I love that. And uh, will we be seeing further adventures uh with with King Triton. Absolutely, I can't wait. Thank you so much today. I really appreciate your time and I'm such a great project. Yeah, great, great, great

23:29 questions, my man. Thank you. Have a good day you too, sir Ty Diggs. I love him. We followed each other on Twitter for years and you know, would send messages here and there, back and forth, but I've never interviewed him. So here's my first official interview with mister Tate Diggs. So there you have it. The my interviews with the team behind Disney Junior's Ariel Mermaid Tales. You can watch Ariel on Disney Plus and Disney Junior beginning today. If you're listening, I guess today No matter when you're listening, June twenty first, today is when At debuts. So it's really a great series for the little ones and there's a lot to enjoy for us big ones too. So that's it for this episode. I've got some exciting things coming up for the next few episodes, including who knows, maybe we'll have a return of the rotating panel of guest hosts and start getting back to those fun conversations that we haven't had in a long time. So until then, hit me up on socials at KMAC music. On most places, we're at real Kyle McMahon, we're at pop Culture Weekly. Just find me, search me, continue to reach out to me. Please continue to review if you haven't on Apple Podcasts. It really does help us and helps the show continue to grow each and every week. And that is all because of you and your love for this and I do it for my love for you.

24:56 Thank you. I'll see you next week. Thank you for listening to pop Culture Weekly. Here all the latest at popculturewekly dot com. I don't want to be where the people are.