Paddington brings the children's book hero to the big screen.
There's a bear on the big screen, and his name is Paddington! Sporting his blue coat and red hat, with suitcase in hand, Paddington's no ordinary bear. The beloved children's book character, created by author Michael Bond, makes his movie debut in the United States on January 16.
Paddington takes viewers on an emotional journey from the deep jungles of Peru to the cosmopolitan city of London. Filled with witty humor, heartwarming scenes, exciting action, and suspense, we join this good-natured, marmalade-loving bear on his search for acceptance and a place to call home.
Oscar winner Nicole Kidman brings intensity to the film. She plays the villainous Millicent Clyde, a taxidermist at London's Natural History Museum. She goes after Paddington for his fluffy hide. I chatted with Kidman to learn more.
TIME FOR KIDS:
Everyone falls in love with Paddington Bear in the movie. How could you be so driven to kill a bear so endearing to so many people?
'Cause it was the role and I'm an actress and you have to always pretend. I had to conjure in my head the reasons why.
What were some of those reasons?
Well, obviously because of her father. She wants to fulfill his legacy.
I hear that you'd rather play the Wicked Witch than Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. I can relate because I was the Wicked Witch in a performance, but what do you like about playing the villain?
I think that they're always the characters that are the most colorful and interesting. You tend to have more to do. You can have more fun with them and that's probably why as a little girl I was always so fascinated by the Wicked Witch because she got to have a green face, wear a hat, and control all of the flying monkeys. It seemed more interesting to me than the Dorothy character.
You've played antagonists and protagonists. Which one do you like better?
It depends on the piece, you know? In Paddington, if there had been a mommy bear, I would have liked to have played the mommy, but there wasn't one. It just depends. It depends on the way in which things are constructed. In Moulin Rouge, it was beautiful playing the center of the love story.
Kid Reporter
Grace Clark
Many people say that books are better than movies because movies sometimes omit important facts. What's your opinion on this?
I grew up reading and that's why I became an actress, because of the books. It's because I love reading and I love creating characters in my head. It's interesting to me because that's the way that your imagination grows as a child, through books. In terms of movies, I love the fantasy work. In one you use your imagination and in the other it's there for you to see. They're just different art forms and I think that they are both really powerful.
When Ms. Bird pushed you off the museum roof, were you scared, and where did you land?
When she pushed me off, I was in very, very high heels and I actually landed on a mattress. They had a mattress for me and they had a trampoline thing that I could bounce off of.
That sounds really fun!
That's what I mean. Playing the villain is fun because you get to do fun things. In acting, you get to do fun things. I've had the most amazing life being an actress and I'd recommend it to kids because I think that it's an incredible career as long as you're really devoted to what you do. Remember that it's not about the fame, but it's about the artistic journey.
How are you similar to and different from your character in Paddington?
There's nothing of me in this character! This is just totally make-believe.
Why should our kid readers go see this film?
Because it's got a beautiful message. It's incredibly funny, it's adorable, and you can take your parents to see it and they will laugh just as much as you do.
The family that spies together stays together? That's certainly the case in the new Disney Channel show, K. C. Undercover, which premieres on January 18 at 8:30 p. m. Eastern Time. K. C. Cooper is a teenage girl who finds out her parents are spies, not accountants, and she follows in their footsteps. Soon the whole family, including K. C.'s siblings, becomes a team of spies who save the world together. Zendaya, 18, stars in and co-produces this family comedy.
The Cast, Uncovered 
In the show, K. C. (Zendaya) is a normal kid -- except for the fact that she's been unknowingly training her whole life to join her parents in a life of spying. "The things that made her awkward before, like going to robotics club meetings, being this math whiz, and being into karate turned into a really great thing for her," Zendaya told TFK. Being a spy has its advantages, like using cool gadgets, but it also has its drawbacks. K. C. has to hide her secret from her best friend Marisa (Veronica Dunne, 19). She is not a popular party girl, while Marisa is an "outgoing, total free-spirit, the life of the party," says Dunne. "They're kind of opposites in some ways, but they bring out the best in each other."
K. C.'s parents, Craig (Kadeem Hardison, 49) and Kira Cooper (Tammy Townsend, 44), work for The Organization, a secret government agency. Craig acts silly and still believes he's his daughter's best friend. "[Kira]'s the one that keeps [Craig] grounded and keeps him together when he starts to get a little too kiddy," says Townsend.
Ernie Cooper (Kamil McFadden, 18) is K. C.'s younger brother. McFadden says his character is "so great with hacking firewalls, but pretty clumsy with everything else." Judy (Trinitee Stokes, 8) is a humanoid robot pretending to be a 10-year-old girl. "When it comes to spy missions, she's ready," says Stokes. "But when it comes to friends and human emotions, [she's] not so good."
Zendaya is a multi-talented actress, dancer, and singer, but she says that K. C. will not have the same talents. "She can do an Argentine tango, and that's about it," Zendaya says. "If she's going to already be a spy... she's got to be really bad at something."
For Viewers' Eyes Only
Why does the cast think people will like this spy show? "It's very fun and relatable for a lot of young girls and boys," says Zendaya. "It's got a lot of action and fun in it. It's different." According to Hardison, "All ages can watch: From 8 years old to 80 years old, there's something for everyone."
The pilot episode shows K. C. discovering the truth about her parents. She goes on her first mission, which is to stop another teen spy from making all mobile devices useless. Can K. C. stay undercover and complete her mission in time? Tune in to find out.
Princess Elsa's icy spell has been cast beyond the Kingdom of Arendelle. Frozen, the most successful animated film in history, is now a live ice show. Disney on Ice: Frozen will tour the country until 2016.
TFK Kid Reporter Charlotte Fay attended the show in Brooklyn, New York. At the skating arena at Barclays Center, glittering snowflakes projected lights on the ice make viewers feel like they are right in the movie. Snow machines, fountains, a royal palace, and village houses bring the set of this winter wonderland to life.
The show stays close to the plot of movie and features some top musical numbers, including "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?," "Love Is an Open Door," and the fan favorite, "Let It Go." But there are a few differences in the musical score, which true Frozen fans will have fun trying to find.
When the figure skater playing Elsa performed "Let It Go" at top volume, the crowd went wild, singing and clapping along. The number ended with real snow falling from the ceiling.
Elsa used long, powerful strides to move across the ice. Her skating reflected her character's personality. Anna used her hands a lot while skating, highlighting her animated and bubbly personality. The audience roared with excitement when Olaf the snowman appeared. He stole the show with his sweet song.
"'In Summer' was really fun because we got to be very playful with the number," Nicole Feld, the show's coproducer, told TFK. Olaf was accompanied by a chorus line of skating flowers and bees. Despite the frigid temperature at the icy extravaganza, there wasn't a cold heart in the arena.
Pick a fairy tale and you can probably find it in Into the Woods. The characters -- Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, Jack (of beanstalk fame), a witch, a baker and his wife -- cross paths in an enchanted forest on their quest for "happily ever after."
Although it is filled with princes and princesses, it's not your usual Disney flick. The film is a modern twist on many of the Brothers Grimm fairy tales. It is dark and eerie with offbeat, tongue-twisting songs. Learning the fast-paced lyrics is not for the faint of heart.
The original musical, by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine, premiered on stage in 1987. Since then, fans of the show have been wishing for it to make the leap from stage to screen. Their wish has finally come true. Director Rob Marshall says he wanted the film to stay true to the original stage version. And while the story takes on adult themes, it remains kid-friendly.
Actress Lilla Crawford, 13, plays Little Red Riding Hood in the movie. In 2012, she played Annie in the revival of Annie on Broadway. Before the movie's release, Crawford spoke to TFK about her upcoming role. Crawford says Into the Woods has something special.
"It's magical," Crawford says. "Even though there are familiar stories, like Little Red Riding Hood and Rapunzel, it's completely different."
Into the Woods, rated PG, skips its way into theaters December 25.
How did it feel to be asked to play Little Red Riding Hood?
I felt like the happiest person in the world. It was so shocking. I didn't believe it at first. They called me on the spot. They said I had to fly to London to start shooting.
How did you prepare to play your character?
It's such a classic timeless story. I fell in love with this story when I saw [it being performed at] Shakespeare in the Park. I watched the original on DVD.
You had starred in Annie on Broadway but this was your first feature film. How was it to work on a film set instead of on stage?
In Annie, a lot of my performance was based off the audience.
How are you like your character and how are you different?
Little Red, at least in this production, is all about growing up and getting older. When I filmed this I was 12 and I was going through the same thing as her. I was learning to be independent. She sings "I Know Things Now," which is her saying "I've grown up, I'm not a little kid anymore." The great thing about Little Red Riding Hood is that so many girls can relate to her.
Are you just as spunky as Little Red?
I like to think I am. A lot of people think I seem older than I actually am.
Stephen Sondheim's music is known to be very difficult. How did you prepare vocally for your role?
I had sort of a head start. When I was 6 or 7 my audition song was "I Know Things Now." My mom can tell you on the plane over to London -- it's a 7 hour flight -- all I did was listen to the album and read the script the whole entire time. I think it's important not to just focus on your own lines but to focus on the whole show.
All the characters are trying to reach happily ever after. How is this story different than classic Disney fairytales?
In classic Disney fairytales, the prince comes in to help solve a problem and then everything is okay at the end. I feel like this movie is a good reality check. It's more of a "good job you got what you want, but not everything is happy in the end." The characters realize what I thought I wanted is not what I wanted at all. That's what is so special.
What was it like to sing a duet with Johnny Depp where he sings about having you for lunch?
It was awesome. He was my childhood idol. If you asked me when I was 6 who I aspired to, I would have said Johnny Deep. He was my first inspiration. It was amazing to work with him.
Depp plays a very convincing Wolf. Were you ever scared when he was in character?
No -- this goes with Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, and James Corden too. They were in character but once the cameras were off they would say things like, "So what did you eat for lunch today?"
One of the themes of the films is "be careful what you wish for. Wishes come true -- not free." What do you think that means in this story?
What you wish may not be what you want. That happens a lot. Before you wish for something, you should consider is this really what I want?
What was your favorite part of filming this movie?
I think working with such an incredible cast. This was my first big movie and for everyone else they've been doing for years. I would think to myself, "What am I doing here?" I'm so grateful.
Why should our readers go see this film?
Different people at different ages can relate to it in different ways. People my age can relate to it because they're growing up and become adults. 
When Quvenzhan Wallis (pronounced kwuh-VEN-juh-nay) was just 9 years old, she received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. She was the youngest nominee ever for that Oscar category. The movie was a small-budget film set in her home state of Louisiana called Beasts of the Southern Wild.
Now 11, Quvenzhan is starring in an even bigger role: the title character in the new remake of the musical Annie, in theaters December 19. The movie -- set in modern-day New York City -- features updated versions of the musical's classic songs, including "Tomorrow" and "Maybe." The sixth grader from Louisiana says she enjoyed filming the movie in New York City, where she attended some live Broadway shows, including The Lion King and Annie. "Of course, New York was really big and crowded and loud," she told TFK. "But it was also very fun." Read on for more from the young star.
What was your favorite song to perform for the movie, and why?
"I Think I'm Gonna Like it Here" was my favorite song to perform for Annie. I liked it because I got to do things that I would probably never be able to do at home, like dance on tables. If my mom caught me doing that, I would be in trouble.
What do you think you bring to the character of Annie, compared to other versions?
Actually, there is not a lot we added to Annie. It's for a new generation. Of course, I'm a different person. When I did stuff, I added a lot more spunk, so I guess Annie has more spunk now.
There were lots of other kids in this movie. What did you do on set when you weren't filming?
We did homework, dancing, joking around, or singing.
Was it difficult to work with Marti, the dog playing Sandy in the movie?
She wasn't really difficult. You might thing you have to train yourself to train the dog, but it really wasn't that hard. She was so cute and she was trained really well and she was really fun. If she made any mistakes, she could correct it right off the bat.
You want to be a vet. Did working with Marti help inspire that?
Yes, that did inspire me. The trainers and I got along very well and they helped me do stuff with Marti because they knew that I wanted to be a veterinarian.
Do you remember any funny moments or pranks from set?
There were no pranks, unless you call scaring people pranks -- not on purpose, like on accident. We did laugh most of the time. One of the funniest things was when Jaime [Foxx] was filming outside. People would drive by and wind down their window and scream out, "We love you, Jaime Foxx!" We would look at each other and laugh because it's really funny.
Did you get to go in a real helicopter for that scene in the movie, or was that pretend?
That was real. It was fun. It was my first time in a helicopter. I was kind of feeling nauseated -- not because I was scared to get into the helicopter, I was just a little nauseated -- so we had to get a little baggie [in case] I had any problems.
What do you think kids will like about this movie? 
I think the kids would like -- well, my peers -- would like the music and all the singing and dancing and having music that's up to date.
One of the best parts about visiting a museum is there is always something new to see alongside the older exhibits. That's how Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb becomes both a trip down memory lane and a brand-new adventure.
In the third and final film of the Night at the Museum series, Ben Stiller returns as Larry, the caring museum security guard at New York City's Museum of Natural History (Steph is that right?). He is surrounded by his historical friends -- museum figures with the ability to come to life. But as you might guess, they run into a problem. The characters are starting to malfunction because the Tablet of Ahkmenrah, which brings them to life, is losing its magical powers. To save the tablet, the misfit gang must travel to the British Museum, in London, England.
Shawn Levy, the film's director, says working on the movie was just as much fun as it looks on the big screen. Levy says the cast and crew sometimes filmed in the British Museum all night long, surrounded by mummies and ancient artifacts. "Many nights, Ben Stiller, Robin Williams, and I would say to ourselves 'Is this the greatest job in the world, or what?'"
Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb opens in theaters on December 19.
This film takes place in London, England. Why the change in scenery?
These movies have always been popular around the world. It seemed like a great opportunity to take the adventure out into the world. It opens up some really cool cultural and visual possibilities, but it's also part of the plot.
In this film, Larry is trying to save the magic source that brings the exhibits to life. Can you talk about the twist in the plot?
This movie is much more than the same idea in a different place. The magic tablet is dying and the magic that brings this exhibit to life is at risk of ending forever. Larry Daley has to figure out a way to save his friends and the magic.
Do viewers need to have seen the other films to appreciate this movie?
No. It was very important to me that this movie would satisfy fans of the last two movies, but you don't need to have seen the first two movies to understand and enjoy this one.
Do you have a favorite part of the film?
I have a lot. Any time Dexter the monkey is on screen it's super fun. The more mischievous it is, the more fun it is.
Having a monkey on set must be really challenge and also really fun. Did any funny scenarios happen?
When you work with Crystal the monkey, which we've done three times now, you learn the tricks. She is always wearing a diaper, until we're ready to shoot. Everyone knows there's a chance she might have an accident. She is so well trained.. She came as prepared as any of the stars. Her handler is a guy named Tom and he's never far. One of the other things she learned to do was plant a kiss on Ben Stiller's lips. It's one of the best scenes in the movie.
How does this movie differ from the other Night at the Museum movies?
It was incredibly fun -- and filled with a lot of laughs every day, just like the other two films. But because we all knew that this is the end of our trilogy, there was an emotional bittersweet feeling when it came to an end. It was really joyful to revisit these characters and a little sad when we said goodbye.
Who is your favorite character and why?
Ben Stiller plays Larry Daley but he also plays a caveman statue that comes to life. That character is named Laaa. Laaa thinks Larry is his "dada." It was amazing to see Ben shoot scenes with himself playing two completely different characters.
How did you shoot those scenes?
First we would shoot them with Ben as Larry Daley and I would play Laaa. Then Ben would put on the Laaa makeup and I would play Larry. We would combine the two takes so it was Ben with Ben on screen.
Did you read any other lines with Ben?
Every since the first movie Ben and I learned thatwe have a great chemistry together. Any time he had to do scenes with the miniature cowboy, Roman, it would be me doing the voices behind two toothpicks.
Secret of the Tomb has improved special effects. Did that make the film more challenging?
It didn't. Every time I do one of these movies I have to learn the technology to bring it to life. The visual affects now are so much more sophisticated than when we made the film 8 years ago. This one is the best looking and action packed film of the series.
The film has a ton of hilarious moments. What do you think is the funniest part of this film?
I really like the way the British night guard, named Tilly, falls in love with Laaa. That makes me laugh.
TFK: 
If you got trapped in a museum where everything came alive -- what would you do?
LEVY: 
I would do some things that Larry Daley never does. I would first turn on some lights and call the authorities. Finally, I would ask the obvious question -- where are the night guards?
TFK: 
This is also the last film in the series. Was it sad to say goodbye to this story?
LEVY: 
These movies have been a huge part of my life and career. In the same way that the characters are family -- the cast and crew is family to me.
TFK: 
Robin Williams reprises his role as Teddy Roosevelt in this film. Can you describe what it was like to work with Robin Williams before he passed away?
LEVY: 
Editing this movie was more emotional than the other two. I'm happy to say that his character, Teddy Roosevelt, is in this movie more than the other two. He's as hilarious and moving as we could ever want.
TFK: 
Why should kids go see this movie?
LEVY: 
I really don't know that there is a more fun, funny, holiday movie for kids and families to see. This movie has comedy and adventure and heart. Whether you're five or 15, this movie is so entertaining. I say that not as a director, but as a dad who has kids. 
Today, take the final trip to Middle Earth with The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. In the third and last installment of The Hobbit film trilogy, in theaters December 17, the races of Men, Dwarves, and Elves must unite to combat evil. The dragon Smaug has been defeated, but the terrible Sauron has sent armies of Orcs to claim Middle Earth. It is up to the leaders of these three races to put aside their differences and join forces to defend their people. Evangeline Lilly plays the role of Tauriel, a Woodland Elf. This character does not exist in author J. R. R. Tolkien's original book The Hobbit. She was created for the movie franchise and is a strong and fearless character in The Five Armies. Lilly talked to TFK about her training for this new role, learning the Elvish language, and what viewers can look forward to in the final film of this epic series.
How did it feel being cast in the film production of such a classic story?
Well, personally, I am a huge Lord of the Rings fan. So being cast in the Hobbit films was very exciting. I loved the books, and when I first heard Peter Jackson, the director, was coming out with movies, I was nervous they wouldn't be true to the original story. But there was not one misstep, and he has absolutely nailed those books from start to finish.
Your character, Tauriel, was created for the movie series. What was it like developing an entirely new character?
This process really revolutionized my career as an actor. It was a collaboration between me and Peter Jackson to create this character, and it was really fun to have a hand in fully realizing Tauriel. As we developed the idea of Tauriel, she grew in my mind, and I was better able to understand her as a person -- why she behaved the way she did, how she should move, and how she should react.
How does Tauriel compare to the rest of the Woodland Elves?
Most of the other Elves we've met along the way in the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit series have been very wise and very old. Tauriel is young, naive, and sheltered. Compared to the rest of her people, she is an inexperienced fighter and has seen very little of war. But I think she is the closest you come to a common being -- she's not royalty, not completely mature, and not at the level of wisdom so many of these other characters are at. She's relatable, and I think kids will like that about her.
There aren't many female roles in the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit franchises. Why do you think Tauriel was an important character to add to the story?
It was initially controversial when big Lord of the Rings fans found out a new character had been added to the story just for the movie. But this is 2014, and it's important to have a strong female character. Tauriel shows that women matter both in and outside this story, and that even the tiniest elf can make a difference.
Elves are very tactile and physically skilled. What was your training like for this role?
This process was very rewarding because we have incredibly skilled trainers. My work with my movement trainer was especially important, because elves move like ink in water. I had to develop all the small mannerisms of an elf, like how to shift my eyes like an elf, and move like an elf. And then of course, I had to learn an entirely new language, which I absolutely loved. Elvish is so much fun to speak.
What was one of your favorite moments during filming?
Working on a full soundstage with an incredible set for the village of Lake Town was absolutely amazing. When the production team created Lake Town, they created this entire world. It wasn't just green screens and special effects -- the village really looks like it did in the movie, with two feet of real water. Moments like that are when I feel like a kid in a candy shop, because as an actor, with a set like that you have all the tools to play with. 
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies is rated PG-13 and in theaters December 17.
Bubl is back! His holiday special, Michael Bubl's Christmas in New York, will air on December 17 on NBC. It's his fourth annual show. This year, the singer is surrounded by women -- and a pig. Barbra Streisand, Ariana Grande, the Rockettes, and Miss Piggy will perform with Bubl.
Despite winning three Grammy Awards, Bubl says he still gets the jitters. TFK Kid Reporter Emily Valentino attended the taping of the show, at Radio City Music Hall, in New York City. She asked Bubl if he was nervous about performing with Miss Piggy. "Yes. I mean, I got to meet her once, and she called me Michael Bolton," he joked. "She's a huge star. I'm not saying Miss Piggy has a reputation, but I hear that it is not always easy to work with her."
A Family Affair 
Bubl's family watched in the audience as he sang his heart out, taping the show. His wife, Luisana Lopilato, and his young son Noah clapped and cheered. Noah toddled across the stage after posing with many generations of Bubl family members.
Bubl's family seemed to share his excitement about getting to do what he loves. "It's a joy for me," Bubl said about the holiday tradition. "We put a lot of love into it."
The cute and comical penguins from the Madagascar films are the main attraction in the new spin-off film, Penguins of Madagascar. In the action-packed adventure, we find out that the clumsy friends -- Skipper, Kowalski, Rico, and Private -- are actually top secret agents. The group joins forces with a sleek, undercover group known as the North Wind. Although the groups have different styles, they have the same mission: Defeat Dr. Octavius Brine before he takes over the world.
Director Simon Smith spoke to TFK about the upcoming 3D film. He says Dr. Octavius Brine, also known as Dave, wants revenge on the penguins. When they became a popular zoo attraction, less people visited the octopus tank. Dave was thrown out of zoo after zoo. "He had enough," Smith told TFK. "So, he wants revenge on these penguins because they made his life miserable."
In Dave's quest to steal all the cuteness from the penguins, he kidnaps Private -- the newest little penguin. The others try to save him but are sometimes distracted by their biggest weakness -- a snack called cheesy dibbles. The friends try to take on convert spy tasks and learn the importance of teamwork. "The theme of the film is that it doesn't matter who you," Smith says. "Anybody can be a hero." 
Penguins of Madagascar slides into theaters on November 26.
How does this movie differ from the other Madagascar films?
SIMON J. SMITH:
Our penguins are center stage now! Before, they were side characters just there for comic relief.
Do viewers need to have seen the other films to appreciate this movie?
I don't think so. The new film picks up right where Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted left off, but you don't have to see the others to enjoy the film.
For fans of the show on Nickelodeon, what can they expect from this film?
The penguins exists in two universes-the one in the TV series and the one in the film world. We picked the film world to follow. People who are fans of the TV series, you have the same characters but you'll be following all the fun and games from the last film and going from there.
The penguins love cheesy dibbles. How did you decide on that snack?
One of the head writers wrote a really brilliant gag where Skipper is crunching on the cheesy dibbles. You can see it in the movie trailer. We thought the visible cheese dust and the crunchy sounds were really funny.
One of my favorite scenes is when Dr. Octavius Brine, a. k. a Dave, Skypes with the penguins and has technical difficulties. What was the goal of this scene?
We wanted to make sure Dave is in your head the whole time. And we wanted to make sure things were getting worse by the minute. We had a lot of conference calls during the making of the movie and we had technical problems ourselves. That's where the joke came from.
Can you talk about the North Wind?
We wanted characters to upset the balance of Skipper's journey. Our penguins act first and realize what happened later. In contrast, the North Wind is greatly funded and they have gadgets and data. They're the opposite of the penguins. It makes for great comedy.
In real life, what is your favorite zoo animal and why?
I love octopuses. I think they're incredible. They camouflage themselves, sometimes as seaweed, and so you can't even see them. But, everyone loves penguins, they're like little people wandering about. And, they're so cute.
Why should our readers see this film?
There's action, romance, drama, and silliness. If you want to have a fun time, go see this film. Stay after the credits -- there's a tiny surprise!
You've heard of movies that feature a boy and his dog, but how about a boy and his robot? Disney's new movie Big Hero 6, which arrives in theaters November 7, follows 14-year-old robotics whiz Hiro Hamada as he tries to put his skills to good use. When tragedy strikes, Hiro meets a robot named Baymax, created by Hiro's older brother. Baymax's only programming is to help. When a threat to Hiro's city, San Fransokyo, arises, Hiro and his group of friends must figure out exactly what's happening. Ryan Potter, who voices Hiro, talked with TFK Kid Reporter Dahlia Suiter about his role in a film that, he says, "has the best animation that has been done so far."
Hiro Hamada is your character. How do you relate to him?
Hiro and I are actually very similar. Obviously, he has my voice, but I also lent this character my heart. We think and act the same. When I see something that is cool or funny, I go, "Huh." It's almost like saying, "I enjoyed that." Hiro in the film does it twice. I thought that was amazing that the animators put something in the film that I do in real life.
Hiro is very interested and skilled in robotics. Did you know a lot about robots before you started working on the film?
Not really. I did [build] my own computer, but it's not moving and talking or anything. I've been a very hands-on person. I love building things. Growing up in Japan, I built all these sets and action figures. I didn't really build a robot, but I did build stuff.
There's a lot of humor in the movie but sadness as well, with the passing of Hiro's brother. How do you think kids will respond to that?
Disney has touched on loss before, but in certain films, they have just glossed over it. I think it's important for kids to learn about loss and to also know how to cope with it. That is what is so important about Baymax. Baymax repairs Hiro. Hiro is very lost after he loses his older brother. Baymax is able to put him on the right path.
Hiro lives in San Fransokyo, a made-up city that is a mix between Tokyo, Japan, and San Francisco, California. You lived in Japan for a while. Did this help you get into character or relate to Hiro?
Yes. Hiro is an Asian American, and I am an Asian American. I live in Los Angeles and grew up in Japan. Hiro already lived in that world of both San Francisco and Tokyo, and I already lived in the worlds of both Tokyo and Los Angeles. We didn't have to put on an accent or do anything extra. We just had to be ourselves.
Big Hero 6 is based on a little-known Marvel comic of the same name. Did you know about the comic before you started the movie?
I did. It was interesting, because a friend of mine had given me a box of comics, and there were a few Big Hero 6 comics in the box. I read them, and I didn't really think anything of them. But in the auditioning process, I was, like, "Oh, I read these before." And going back and reading the comic books was so surreal now that I am part of the animated film. It's really cool to see something I read come to life.
You have been in live-action shows before. How did it feel to work on an animated movie?
I love it so much more. When you go in the booth, you have complete freedom. You don't have to be on camera. In live action, you work across from other actors, so there is almost a responsibility to be just as on point as they are. With animation, you are able to go in there by yourself. It sounds selfish, but you have the freedom to create and to bring the character to life. You don't rely on other people. It is so freeing.
Big Hero 6 is from the creators of Frozen and Wreck-It Ralph. How do you think its animation compares to the animation in these other hit films?
It's better! Wreck-It Ralph was beautiful. I absolutely loved the way it was animated and lit. I know the creators of the film actually worked on the animated software [for Big Hero 6]. They had to get better software to be able to do this film. So what you're seeing is cutting edge. It is the newest and cleanest. There hasn't been an animated film, in my opinion that looks as good as Big Hero 6. In the 3D realm this is, without a doubt, the best animation that has been done so far.
What are some of the challenges involved in bringing a comic to the screen?
When you bring anything action-oriented to the screen, there has to be a balance. There is a lot of excitement, and explosions, and all that stuff, but there's another side to the film, a very emotional side. There's heart, and there's story and meaning to these characters. That's what sets this film apart from past action and past comic book films. This film has so much heart, but it also has action. It's a really good balance.
Once Upon a Time actress Freya Tingley plays Karen, a teenager who reluctantly moved with her family into an old farmhouse, in an upcoming episode of R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour called "Return of the Pumpkinheads." As Karen and her family prepare to celebrate Halloween, they discover some scary secrets about the rotting pumpkin patch behind their house. The episode, part of the show's third season, premieres Saturday, October 25, at 4:30 p. m. E. T. on the Discover Family Channel (formerly The Hub).
Tingley, a 20-year-old Australian actress, talked with TFK about her guest-starring role.
What is your character, Karen, like?
She's a stereotypical teenage girl who is sarcastic and doesn't want to do what her parents want her to do. She can't get along with her parents, which I think I think is pretty relatable for teenage girls.
This episode continues an episode from season 2 involving Old Man Palmer. What can you tease about the story?
Basically, Karen's family has forced her and her brother to move to this house out in the middle nowhere, away from their friends and school and everything they are used to. Serious things start to happen in the house and they start to hear about things that have happened around Halloween and they get a little bit spooked.
What was it like to film in the old farmhouse? Was it a set or an actual house?
It was an actual house -- this rundown farmhouse. It was very cold. A lot of times we were outside, so it was very windy and raining and we were running in thick, sludgy mud. It was a pretty tough shoot, actually.
Did you celebrate Halloween growing up in Australia?
No, Halloween isn't really big in Australia. I went to Halloween parties here and there as I got older, but not many.
Halloween is a big time for sweet treats. What's your favorite candy?
I don't really eat candy now, but when I was younger, I loved Starbursts Fruit Chews and lollipops.
Do you scare easily?
When I was younger, I loved horror movies. But now I can't handle them as easily. I think they are fun to watch every now and then with friends.
As a kid, what was your favorite scary movie?
One of my favorite things was to go to the DVD store on weekends or holidays and just get a whole bunch of DVDs. A lot of times, they consisted of horror movies. I would watch all different kinds, from Saw to The Ring, which I found to be the scariest horror movie I've ever seen. I loved Goosebumps [the 1990s TV series based on the works of R. L. Stine] when I was young. That was my favorite TV show.
What made you want to be an actor?
When I was 14, I went to this acting workshop, which I was referred to by a modeling agency. I absolutely fell in love with the craft and I decided from that day forth that I was going to be an actress.
Why should kids tune in to this episode?
I think this episode is really, really mysterious and creepy. You don't know what's going on until the very end. It will make you want to keep watching so you can find out what these two kids are so scared of in this little town. Also, because it's Halloween, there are a lot of Halloween surprises in there.
Do you ever have nightmares? As a kid, actor and writer Jason Segel did. He had a recurring dream about a witch who wanted to eat his toes. That vivid dream and many others appear in his and Kirsten Miller's new novel and audiobook for middle schoolers, Nightmares! It tells the story of 11-year-old Charlie Laird, who begins having nightmares after moving with his dad and brother into his new stepmom's spooky purple mansion.
Segel, who also helped write and starred in The Muppets, originally wrote the story as a screenplay for a movie that was never made. Then he and Miller adapted Nightmares! into a book for kids. Segel also narrates the audiobook. TFK e-mailed Segel a few questions. Read his responses below.
How did it feel to collaborate with Kirsten Miller to finally bring this long-simmering story to life?
Collaborating with Kirsten Miller was an absolute gift. She is an amazing writer and a fantastic partner. I couldn't have done it without her. Teamwork is the best.
Charlie's nightmares and fears make him snap at not only his "stepmonster" but his dad and little brother too. Why does he do this, and do you relate to or sympathize with this reaction?
I think that sometimes when we have bad feelings inside that we don't understand, we look for someone to blame because it feels easier than dealing with ourselves. This is what Charlie does. He learns that until you face what is actually bothering you, though, your bad feelings will only grow.
What tips do you have for kids who are dealing with nightmares?
I think that the first step is knowing that it is okay to be afraid and to talk about your nightmares with your friends and family. When we name our fears, they begin to lose their power.
Charlie's fixation on the purple mansion plays a key role in the story. Do mysterious places like that scare or excite you?
Both! My favorite place growing up was the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland. I would ride it over and over and over.
You read the entire audiobook for this story. What was your favorite character to voice during the process, and why?
I loved voicing all of the characters because I had been imagining them for so long. But if I had to pick a favorite it would have to be Mr. Meduso. He is mysterious, and at first our heroes don't know if he is a friend or a villain!
What do you want kids to take away from Nightmares!? 
My hope is that in reading the book kids learn that it is okay to be afraid. Real bravery comes from admitting that there are things that scare us and becoming willing to face them.
Nightmares! is the first in a trilogy. What can readers expect from the next book?
I don't want to give too much away... but book two might see our Nightmares have to enter the human world!
Coming from writing this and The Muppets, what do you think is the best part about creating entertainment for kids?
The best part about creating entertainment for kids is the chance to tell them a secret I learned a long time ago: Magic is real!
Don't let the name fool you. There's no reading required for The Book of Life, but you may learn a thing or two. The new animated film is inspired by the Mexican holiday Da de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead. The holiday honors those who have passed away. Director and animator Jorge Gutierrez, who was raised in Tijuana, Mexico, came up with the idea for the film nearly 15 years ago. He was inspired by family stories and calls the film a "love letter to Mexican culture."
The film, designed by Gutierrez and his wife Sandra Equihua, begins with kids in a museum who are introduced to the Book of Life, which contains all the world's stories. They listen to a tale about Maria and her two best friends, Manolo and Joaquin. Manolo is a sensitive musician whose parents want him to become a bullfighter. Joaquin, voiced by Channing Tatum, is the charming town hero beloved by all. When the two fall in love with Maria, they foolishly battle to win her heart. In the process, Manolo travels to the Land of the Remembered and the Land of the Forgotten. He learns the importance of living life to the fullest, so that he too will be remembered one day by loved ones.
TFK talked to Gutierrez and Tatum about the film, which hits theaters on October 17.
What is the film about?
It deals with the Day of the Dead, which is a very festive tradition that is really a celebration of life. It's all about remembering those who came before us. The movie is a love story, action-adventure, comedy-romance [that is] sort of inspired by Greek mythology and the tale of Orpheus and Eurydice. It's the idea that the gods are making wagers on mankind. They make a wager about who will marry Maria and we follow Manolo on this great adventure.
How did you come up with the idea for The Book of Life?
I had this story for 15 years now. It's inspired by family stories. When I was little, about five years old, my grandfather said "Jorge, don't you ever let the truth get in the way of a good story." That's when I fell in love with storytelling.
There are three settings in this film: the Land of the Living, the Land of the Remembered, and the Land of the Forgotten. Can you talk about how they are different?
If you look at the movie, you'll figure out what land you're in based on the shapes. The Land of the Living is where the regular characters live. It is warm and sunny. It's a beautiful spaghetti-western-styled world and it's very blocky. When you pass away, you go to the Land of the Remembered. Everything there is round or heart-shaped to symbolize happiness. If you did things people want to forget, you go to the Land of the Forgotten and that world is almost all triangles and no color. Triangles are pointy and usually negative. In our film, the good guys are usually round and the bad guys are full of triangles. Our hero goes through all three worlds to come back and become a full person.
TFK: 
Are you hoping that Hispanic American kids look up to these characters?
Definitely. Growing up, I never saw any of that on the screen. Now that I'm a dad, I want my son to see people like him up there. I want him to be proud of where he's from. More than anything, I want him to know where his family comes from.
Why should kids go see this film?
I think this movie is like a cake. The frosting is beautiful and delicious but what's inside is even better. It's about parents accepting kids for who they are. It's about kids learning from their family. But most importantly, it's about writing your own story. It doesn't matter where you come from, it doesn't matter who your parents are, [you should] be yourself, and write your own story.
A Chat With Channing Tatum:
Can you talk a little bit about the characters in this film?
My character wants to be a hero. Maria wants to be a strong woman. Manolo's father wants him to be a bullfighter, but he wants to be a musician. These people are all struggling to become their dreams. It's a beautiful story about love and adventure and friendship.
How are you similar to, and different from, Joaquin?
I think my character can grow a way cooler mustache than I can. I wish I was as tough as Joaquin, but I don't think I am!
Why did you want to work on this film?
I think the story is just so punk-rock. It's about the Mexican Day of the Dead, and I think it's a very misunderstood day. It's a really beautiful holiday to remember the people who have passed into the next world. It's such an interesting perspective on the people that you love -- as long as you remember them, they're always with you.
Did you learn anything about Mexican culture or the Day of the Dead from this film?
I definitely learned from the film. I'm from Florida, and there's a large Latin community there. I knew about the Day of the Dead, but I didn't know all the intricacies of it.
Why should our readers see this film?
It's not like any other movie you'll ever see. It's about a world that is pretty foreign to people, even those who know the Day of the Dead. I think it's such a beautifully imagined world. You can learn something and be completely and utterly entertained.
The Toy Story crew is back in a Halloween special, Toy Story of Terror. It airs Sunday night, October 19, on ABC Family, as part of the kick-off to the network's annual 13 Nights of Halloween special. Carl Weathers voices the character Combat Carl, a new addition to the Pixar cast. Combat Carl, alongside a miniature version of himself, Combat Carl Junior, helps the toys solve a spooky mystery at a roadside motel. Last year, Weathers talked to TFK about his love for animation, joining the Toy Story cast, and his plans for Halloween.
How is Toy Story of Terror different from your other work?
Well, first of all, I'm not walking around all 6' 2", 200-something pounds of me. I'm utilizing my voice, and voice only, that's probably the biggest difference. As a voice actor, you really have to get into the character [you are voicing], and you have to try and convey whatever that character's range of emotions are.
Have you voiced an animated character before?
I have, but nothing as exciting as this, nothing as fun as this, and nothing as wacky as Combat Carl and Combat Carl Junior. Everything about Toy Story of Terror was fun from the get-go. Any project that is really geared towards kids and family entertainment is a lot of fun. I think anyone who loves animation, regardless of age, can get into this and have a good time. My only regret is that [the movie] wasn't longer. I wanted more!
Were you able to work with the rest of the cast, or did you all record your parts separately?
I was working singularly with the director in the studio, away from the rest of the cast. It's a credit to the director and producer, though, that they had such a clear vision. All these characters seem like they were recorded in the same room together.
Did you voice both Combat Carl and Combat Carl Junior?
I did record both. Of course, the sound team used their wizardry to make Combat Carl Junior's voice sound very strange and bizarre, but very fun.
Can you tell us a bit about Combat Carl and what his character is like?
Combat Carl is obviously a guy who has been in combat before. What I love most about him is that he refers to himself in third person as Combat Carl when he's talking to anyone else. I think there was some funny stuff with the writers and the directors in crafting this very professional and experienced soldier.
You used to be a professional football player. Are any elements of this character inspired by your athletic career?
It's a combination and compilation of a lot of roles I've done where there is an instructor-type character. There is this take-charge kind of guy that Combat Carl happens to be, and in this situation he's taking charge to inspire Jessie to go out and do what she needs to do. Having been in athletics, I found you don't really need one person to draw inspiration and encouragement from -- you can draw it from just about everybody you're working with.
Had the character of Combat Carl already been named, or was he called that after you were cast for the part?
I'd love to take credit for it, but he was named that before I took the part. I would like to think that I inspired Combat Carl, though. This character was so much fun and I couldn't resist getting into the spirit of Toy Story of Terror.
Who is your favorite character in Toy Story of Terror?
I absolutely love Mr. Pricklepants, the lederhosen-wearing hedgehog. I won't give much away, but during the movie he narrates each moment and tells a story within a story. He just leads you along and prepares you for what's to come, without completely preparing you. He's hilarious.
Have you seen the other three Toy Story movies?
Of course! How can you not be a fan of Woody? If I was a kid again, and there is still a big kid inside me, I would have loved a toy like Woody to drag around. There are such fun characters from these movies.
Which movie is your favorite?
I think they are all so good. The first of [any movie series] is special because it's so different and hits a chord. I'm a big Pixar fan, and I don't say that just because I'm involved in this movie. I think the quality of the animation and the storytelling is amazing.
What are your plans for Halloween this year?
I plan on haunting the neighborhood. I think going dressed as Combat Carl might be a lot of fun. It would be fun to have a Combat Carl Junior, sit him on my shoulder, and terrorize the neighborhood.
To film the PBS series How We Got to Now, host and science writer Steven Johnson went to some unconventional places -- from the sewers of San Francisco, California, to the roof of a 300-foot indoor ski slope in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. "The very first shot was up there, and I'm kind of afraid of heights," Johnson told TFK. "I had to be harnessed to the roof, and it was 110F, and I said, 'Geez, this television show is going to be very hard to make.'"
The result of the hard work is a six-episode PBS series and book about six innovations that made the modern world. They touch on the topics of glass, cold, sound, cleanliness?, time, and light. Johnson says the goal was to focus on innovations that were significant but not considered high-tech (like the smartphone or Internet) and to tell stories that showed "interesting, surprising connections and unintended consequences."
The series premieres on PBS today at 9 p. m. ET. Johnson spoke to TFK about the process of making the series.
The first episode is about time. What can people expect?
It's about the tremendous increase in our ability to measure time over the last 500 years. There's a sequence in the show about how difficult it was to take a train in the middle of the 19th century. Before we standardized time zones, every single town was on a different time. So you would show up at the station in Boston, Massachusetts, and it would be noon, and at your destination, New York City, it would be 12:07. It's a great example of the kind of stories we try to tell in the show. You just assume that time is standardized and it's accurate, but who figured that out? And then you think about the unintended consequences: Time standards were a 19th century solution for railroads. It turned out to be essential to the media invented in the next century. You can't tell the country that they need to tune in at exactly 9 p. m. Wednesday night to watch a show unless you standardize time. It became an essential platform for radio and television in the 20th century.
What were some of the interesting places that filming took you?
The worst was when we went into the sewers in San Francisco, California, for the clean episode. That was the most horrible thing I've ever done in my life. I wish I could erase it from my memory. 
The clean room at the end of that episode was amazing. We went to Texas Instruments and went into one of the cleanest places in the planet where they make microchips. As I say in the show, you are all suited up to go into this environment so you will not pollute the place with all your germs and dirt. So we got really cool access.
You also looked at some unsung innovators. Who do you think would interest kids?
From the very beginning, we conceived of the show as one that inspire kids and encourage them to solve the next set of problems -- and also to remind them that when we talk about innovators, it's not just about Mark Zuckerberg and Steve Jobs. It's also about these big problems. How do we keep drinking water clean? How do we refrigerate food to keep it from spoiling? We need people focused on those problems as well as technology.
Frederic Tudor and the ice trade, from the cold episode, is amazing -- the idea that he could ship blocks of ice from frozen New England lakes as far away as Mumbai, India, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and make a fortune doing this. Everyone thought he was insane, but it ended up working. The ice trade made so many different things possible.
Do you have advice for kids who are inspired by this series?
There are two big things. Everyone featured in this show shares a characteristic: they are insanely curious about things. They learn about something and they can't stop thinking about it. Whatever your interests are, just get really into it and try to learn everything you can about it.
The other thing is just to have a lot of different interests and hobbies. The people in the show bounce around a lot in different fields and it's often the collision between one discipline and another that creates a really interesting idea. Like Clarence Birdseye, who invented the modern flash-freezing way to make frozen foods. It came from his traveling around the world to pursue different interests and eating a lot of different food. It was the diversity of places that he'd been to that enabled him to have this one great idea. Try to have as many different influences as possible, whether it's places or people or things that you think about.
What do you think kids will most enjoy about this series?
We really tried to create what is effectively a history show in a new way. It's grounded in stories that are really surprising and fun. We have a lot of fun at my expense, putting me into ridiculous situations and a lot of crazy outfits. If it works well, it's a show where you learn a lot about history and technology, but you don't realize that you are learning.
What do you get when an economics professor and a sports journalist write a book together? A novel about business, math, and sports, of course. Rookie Bookie, by economist Toby Moskowitz and Sports Illustrated writer L. Jon Wertheim, chronicles the schemes of money-hungry Mitch Sloan. The seventh-grader, who has just moved to Indiana with his family, starts a football-betting ring. Mitch finds a way to win every time. He makes a lot of money, but not a lot of friends. Can he put his math skills and sports know-how to use for a good cause? "Sports is a fun way to learn about math, statistics and other subjects that kids can sometimes find utterly boring," Wertheim told TFK. Check out the rest of TIME For Kids' chat with the two authors, whose novel hits bookshelves tomorrow.
What inspired you to write Rookie Bookie?
L. JON WERTHEIM:
Toby [Moskowitz] and I have six kids between us. It occurred to us that a lot of the concepts in our book Sportscasting, which also combines sports and economics, could be demonstrated for kids.
I think it's important for kids to learn about finances and economics at an early age. I know kids aren't exposed to this stuff in school -- maybe in high school, if they're lucky. So anything we can do to make these subjects exciting to kids would be useful.
Did you like math as a kid?
I spent my life thinking about statistics, but I never thought it was very interesting. What first got me into statistics was looking at box scores at baseball games. Then I thought, "Wow, this stuff could actually be useful." Today, if you mention statistics or math to kids, they think it's boring. Yet many of them play fantasy leagues and other games that involve a ton of math and statistics, and they don't even know it.
Toby is absolutely right: Behavioral economics sounds boring. But the truth is, a lot of the concepts are kind of fun.
Is the main character, Mitch Sloan, based on a kid you know?
Toby and I are friends from childhood. We grew up in Indiana, where the book takes place. To some extent, we drew on our experiences and our kids' experiences.
Where did you get all the slams in the book, like "These kids are so dumb, they would wait for the stop sign to turn green"?
I would ask my kids, "What would you say if a kids did this to you? What would be the word your friends would use?"
I give credit to Jon for those slams. He's just really good at putting himself in the mindset of the main character and coming up with stuff. Sure, his kids certainly helped with some of the ideas there. But I think Jon has a knack for coming up with the right thing to say in a lot of situations.
Did your kids read the book and give you feedback?
My 11-year-old loved the fact that his dad was writing a kids' book. He thought this was cooler than anything I've ever done. I used him to test some of the jokes and puns. When I would see him laugh, I would think, "There it is." He's our target audience.
What do you hope kids will take away from this book?
First of all, I hope they don't start gambling or anything! I hope, at a minimum, kids will think, "Gee, that was kind of neat that Mitch was able to figure out an advantage for the football team. He was able to solve a tough problem." I think I would be really pleased if that was the case. If kids realize that knowing math can help solve problems, they may think they should learn more about this stuff. 
The foursome on Austin & Ally gets into plenty of funny situations. But the friends aren't laughing over Trish's new problem. In the new episode "Beauties & Bullies," when Trish lands her dream role as Sleeping Beauty in her school production, she finds the extra spotlight gets her some unwanted attention from bullies. The episode airs Sunday, September 28, at 8 pm ET, on Disney Channel (scroll down for a clip). Raini Rodriguez, 21, plays Trish. She spoke to TFK about the episode, her own experiences with bullying, and why her younger brother, Modern Family's Rico Rodriguez, inspires her.
What did you think when you read this script, which focuses on Trish getting bullied?
I was really excited to get the script. I remember reading it and tearing up while I was reading it. It's such a real episode. I remember when I was younger getting bullied and not knowing how to deal with it and not knowing if your friends would understand and if you should stick up for yourself. I thought it was really important.
How did you relate to Trish's experience in this episode?
I was definitely bullied when I was a kid. I've always been a little short and a little thicker than most girls, so I was always a little bit different. I grew up in Texas and I was in public school until the 6th grade. It wasn't terrible, but there were those moments where people would call me names, and it hurts. I am a lot like Trish in that we are both headstrong and confident in ourselves and don't really care what other people think. But then everyone has those moments where something makes them doubt themselves.
Why do you think Trish puts on a brave face about the mean comments in front of her friends?
I think she's probably embarrassed. Sometimes, the person who is being bullied feels the sense of embarrassment, like, "Why am I being targeted out of all my friends?"
What can friends do to help someone begin bullied?
I think you should make sure your friend is OK, talk to them, reassure them that whatever they are being bullied for, it's not who they are. Of course, if it escalates, I would definitely tell a parent or teacher because sometimes adults can come in and settle things the proper way.
What's good about the episode is it showcases what to do and what not to do. There's no reason to get back at a bully. It's not going to make anybody else feel better. Then you are just fighting fire with fire. If your friend is getting bullied, you can stand with him or her.
The episode also ends with a PSA, or public service announcement, about bullying. You and your castmates read comments people have said about you on the internet. How was that to film?
It was so great. It sends such a great message to the older kids who watch our show. There could be a girl in Missouri who thinks that she's the only one who gets bullied in life and she thinks, "I want to be like my favorite celebrity because they don't get bullied." In fact, it's the exactly opposite, being in the spotlight. Those comments that we say are actual comments. I think it's important that kids see that this is happening to us too.
As the PSA acknowledges, getting mean comments online comes with being an actor. How do you handle those mean comments?
You just have to shake it off, that's what I realized. You can't let it define who you are. Let's say you are being bullied for juggling because you love to juggle so much. Who cares what they think? If it makes you happy, keep doing it. Trust me, you will eventually find somebody who loves juggling just as much as you do and they'll be your best friend.
October is National Bullying Prevention, but it's also the end of Hispanic Heritage Month. Is there a Hispanic American performer who inspires you?
Ever since I was a little girl, I always looked up to America Ferrera. I remember watching her in the Disney movie Gotta Kick It Up!, and I loved her. I was like, "I could totally be like her. She's so great, and she looks like me."
And I know this sounds cheesy, but I definitely look up to my little brother, Rico. He has taught me to be myself and really not care what anybody thinks and to commit 100% to everything.
You'll be back on set soon for the fourth season of Austin & Ally. What are you looking forward to about it?
I'm excited. We are so thankful that Disney gave us another round at it. I'm looking forward to more shenanigans. I'm hoping to sing more in season 4 because I love to sing. And definitely, more Trish jobs. I cannot wait to see where she works next.
That is, if there are any jobs left that Trish hasn't worked!
The jobs are endless. We are based in the mall, and I've seen many ridiculous stores in malls so I can only imagine the jobs they can come up with. Every year, I go into their office, and they have a list of like 100 jobs that they just put on the board and we just cross them off as the episodes go.
You shot a pilot for a new Disney Channel series, Growing Up and Down. Can you tell us a little about it?
I play a mother who gets turned into a teenager with her ex husband, played by Adam Irigoyen, and we have two kids. I have to figure out how to turn back into an adult, so I'm the teenage version of my adult self, and it's really fun. It was fun to play someone else other than Trish. I've always been a mother hen, since I was a little kid, so everybody at Disney was like, "This works because you are basically playing yourself." -- (though) she's a little more uptight than me.
Trish plays Sleeping Beauty in this episode. What would be your dream stage role?
I have so many, please! First one, I would love to play Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz on stage. I think that would be so cool because it's my favorite movie. I would also love to play Anita from West Side Story, another one of my favorites, and Vanessa from In the Heights. I have this all planned out!
October is National Bullying Prevention Month. R. J. Palacio's best-selling book Wonder teaches kids about kindness and the effects of bullying. It tells the story of August "Auggie" Pullman, a boy born with a face that is disfigured, and needs many surgeries. Homeschooled until fifth grade, Auggie then goes to a nearby middle school. His English teacher, Mr. Browne, shares precepts, or rules and ideas to live by, with the students.
Palacio's latest book, 365 Days of Wonder: Mr. Browne's Book of Precepts, includes precepts from Palacio's readers and famous people, from Harry Styles to Nelson Mandela. It also includes e-mails from Wonder characters. Earlier this year, Palacio also released an e-book called The Julian Chapter.
TFK Kid Reporter Camryn Garrett spoke with the author about her books, bullying, her favorite precepts, and the wonder-ful things in store for her fans.
You have said that your e-book The Julian Chapter brings readers closer to the character who bullies Auggie in Wonder. What do you hope Mr. Browne's Book of Precepts will bring readers closer to?
It solves a mystery that was in Wonder -- a small, minor mystery -- which is also expanded in The Julian Chapter. How does Mr. Tushman, the school principal, know that Julian was leaving mean notes in Auggie and Jack's lockers? We never really find out. Did someone rat out Julian? We know Auggie didn't tell, and we know Jack and Summer didn't tell. In Mr. Browne's Book of Precepts, we actually do find out who told, and the mystery is solved. In addition, we hear from Charlotte and from some of the other characters, in terms of what they learned from that year in the fifth grade. So it definitely expands the world of Wonder.
Why did you decide to include Mr. Browne and his use of precepts in Wonder?
I actually had a teacher named Mr. Browne in high school. He was my English teacher and was wonderful. He did not teach precepts, but I used to collect precepts when I was about 13. It was like my own little motivational book. So when it came to Mr. Browne, who was an English teacher, I just thought "Wouldn't it be cool if he used precepts as a way of teaching kids how to write essays and how to put their thoughts down on paper?"
To gather precepts for the new book, you invited kids to send you postcards with their favorite precepts. Were there specific precepts that you were looking for?
Not specific ones. Frankly, when I first started, I thought, "It's not going to be that hard to find 365 wonderful precepts." But the truth is, it took a lot of reading and a lot of research. After about 100, I was like "Oh my goodness. Where am I going to come up with 265 more?" I also really wanted to hear from kids, because over the years, I had been receiving postcard precepts, completely unsolicited, from children who'd read Wonder and wanted to share their precepts with me.
October is National Bullying Prevention Month. Do you have any advice for kids who are bullied or kids who witness bullying?
That's a really tough one. I would say to kids that are being bullied: Speak out. Tell someone. Communicate. Don't be afraid to ask for help from your parents, and if they aren't helpful, a teacher, a friend, anyone. Reach out and know that you're not alone. To the kids who are watching, silently, as they see bullying happen, I know it's hard to stand up to the popular kids. It's exactly because it's hard that it's really worth doing. So I would say to them, do what you can to protect the kids that are less fortunate than you, less strong than you are, and who need you to step in and help them. It's not easy, and I know that, which is what makes them so brave.
Both Mr. Browne's Book of Precepts and The Julian Chapter provide insight into the minds of other characters. Why did you decide to give Julian his own book?
I knew that Julian had a story to tell. I wanted to be able to write that story. So I wrote the short e-book with the mind of not to completely have him redeem himself or explain his actions, because frankly his actions were reprehensible. There's no way to justify how mean he was. But I do think it's important, sometimes, to see that everyone has a story to tell and even though he acted badly, he wasn't a bad kid. I think that was important because some kids reading Wonder related to Julian, whether they would admit it or not. I think I wanted them to see that just because you might be afraid, just because you might say something mean, just because there was a year where you were not such a great kid, doesn't mean that defines you for the rest of your life. It's just a mistake you made and you can fix it. There's hope.
Do you have favorite precepts?
"You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." -- Christopher Robin (A. A. Milne.) When you're feeling down, or weak, or sad, this is a good quote.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world." -- Margaret Mead. I think that's a very interesting quote, and very true.
"A stumble may prevent a fall." -- English proverb. Sometimes, in life, we make a little mistake, but it's those little stumbles that actually teach us how to move forward. Instead of banging yourself in the head for a mistake you made, you think "What can I learn from that?"
What do you have in store for your readers? Are you going to continue with the Wonder universe?
Wonder was optioned by the same guys who produced [the movies] The Hunger Games and Twilight. They seem to have every intention of making it into a movie, but it hasn't happened yet. I have two more short books. I wanted to write a long chapter from the perspective of Christopher. In the book, he is the best friend that Auggie has early on. He moves away and we never hear from him. Auggie just casually mentions him. But he has a story to tell too. He was there, for instance, when they first brought Daisy [the dog] home, so he's a very important part of Auggie's life before he moves away. I'm planning to write another e-book from the perspectives of Auggie's friends, such as Charlotte and sweet Summer.
Australian filmmaker Genevieve Bailey wanted to see the world through the eyes of 11-year-olds. So over the course of six years, she traveled to 15 countries where she talked to kids about their lives. The result is a new documentary, I Am Eleven, which features 11-year-olds from around the world sharing their thoughts on family, school, religion, friendship, war, climate change, and their hopes for the future. The feature-length film is currently screening in theaters in New York City and Los Angeles and will soon expand to other cities. It will also be available for download on iTunes in December. TFK spoke to the director to find out more about the filming process. TFK:
What do you remember about being 11 years old?
I actually felt really on top of the world when I was 11. For me, 11 was that point where you don't feel like a little kid anymore but you don't feel like a teenager. There's also quite a lot of clarity and passion at that age, whether you are into football or writing or tap dancing. I was very enchanted and inspired everywhere that I went with the kids that I was meeting for the film. I'm glad I chose that age.
Can you talk about the process of how you found the 11 year olds to interview?
I wanted to have more of an organic process in finding the children, so I hit the streets and asked people if they knew anyone who was 11. It was a really interesting way to see each city as well. Making this film has been a great way of seeing the world through the eyes of children and also through the eyes of families.
How were the kids to interview? Were they shy, or eager to talk to you?
I had three rules: the child had to be 11, they had to want to be involved in the project, and their family had to give permission. The kids in the film, even though some of them were more shy than others, they did want to be involved. I'm really happy that, now that the film is finished, quite a few of the kids have seen the film and they are very proud of it.
You visited two boys at Elephantstay, in Thailand, for the film. How did you end up there?
We planned to stop for a few days in Thailand, and I Googled for things to do. Video footage of someone going into the water with elephants came up. A week later we were in Thailand watching the boy, Goh, with the elephants. It was really amazing. It was interesting to film two kids in the one place. Jack and Goh were very different in many ways, but they had one thing in common -- this love of the elephants.
Is there a kid who reminded you of yourself at 11?
Definitely Kimberly in New Jersey, dancing to her full-length mirror, was something I could relate to. She had a real energy and zest for life and a great sense of humor. And then Billy in London, who has definitely been an audience favorite, I love all the funny noises he would make. I could relate to that. A lot of the children loved animals and that was definitely a big thing for me at 11 and still is now.
The end of the film shows you revisiting a few of the kids as they got older. Why did you return to them?
For me, going back to revisit any of the kids is like Christmas. I get so excited. Since the film's been finished, it's really remarkable to catch up and find out that some of them are doing exactly what they wanted to do at 11. We saw Remi from France, and that was great. He's definitely resonated really strongly in each country. He's actually studying medicine now, which doesn't surprise some people at all. He is just as bright and passionate, and his sense of humanity is something that has really stuck with a lot of people. I think he brings something to the film that is really inspiring.
You've been screening this movie at film festivals. What has been the reaction from kids in particular so far?
I love hearing what kids have to say about the film. We had one kid in Australia come up to me after the film and he said, "That was really good. That was the first time I've seen a film with real actors." So maybe he's used to seeing kids perform, like in Harry Potter or things like that, where they are not being themselves because it's a fiction film. It's a really interesting way of seeing it.
A lot of kids can relate to children in the film. But just as importantly, I love that they see kids that are different to them and they love examining what makes us different and celebrating that. I Am Eleven is a way for kids to explore the world through the eyes of people their age, even if they live very different lives.
Some of our readers aren't 11 yet. What advice do you have for them about turning 11?
I love when people who haven't turned 11 yet come and see the film. They often say, "I'm really excited about turning 11 now." I think that's cool because a lot of kids aren't used to hearing kids talk so openly about their lives, especially about what it's like to be 11 around the world. My advice to anyone would be to try and keep those best qualities that you have as a child with you as you grow up. Try to have that same sense of passion and optimism and belief that you may have had when you were 11.
For more on the film, including interviews with the featured kids, check out the October 10, 2014, issue of TIME For Kids (Edition 3-4 and Edition 5-6)
The new stop-motion animation The Boxtrolls, in theaters September 26, will have you jumping out of your seats -- or boxes. The story takes place in the town of Cheesebridge, where only the most elite members of society are worthy of eating fine cheeses. Below the cobblestone streets live the boxtrolls, a group of cowardly trolls wearing recycled cardboard boxes. They have lovingly taken in a human boy, Eggs, and raised him as their own.
Actor Isaac Hempstead-Wright, the voice of Eggs, talks to TFK about his experience as the animated character and what kids can expect in The Boxtrolls.
Tell us about Eggs.
Eggs is this plucky young kid who differs from the boxtrolls in that he's brave. The boxtrolls are very cowardly creatures who will retreat into their boxes at the sight of anything remotely terrifying. Eggs has taken on the caring, nurturing part of the boxtrolls, but also has human qualities, which allow him to be not so scared and fight back. He's kind of a wonderful unification of the good and the bad.
Can you relate to Eggs?
I would like to think we're both natural leaders. Eggs takes on the boxtrolls and sort of rises in the ranks of them, when none of them are organizing themselves into ranks. He manages to organize them into a group that works together. If it were left up to them, there would be chaos. They would be bumping into each other.
How does this movie differ from other films and shows you've acted in?
Getting into character is somewhat more difficult in animation because in live action, you'll be in costume on set. With animation, you're in a recording studio, so you have to use your imagination to get into the character. As an actor, all you can do in animation is put a lot more into your voice. The animated characters kind of do the other half for you. The directors manage the puppets and combine them with your voice.
What else do you want viewers to know about the film?
One thing that's really important to take away is the detail of it all, because it's so easy to get caught up in the story and forget just how much effort goes into the process of making a film like this. There are people who make the tiny little details, and that will have been months' worth of effort. In this kind of animation, everything is there. It's tangible objects, and that makes it so magical because you know somewhere this world exists. It's not like animation that's done on a computer. This is genuinely a miniature world.
Ftima Ptacek has been the voice of Dora on Dora the Explorer since 2010. On August 18, a new series premiered on Nickelodeon called Dora and Friends: Into the City!, which features a slightly older Dora exploring an urban environment. Ftima told TFK that she can easily relate to the new Dora character because they're both the same age and living in a big city.
Although she's best known for it, Ftima is much more than just the voice of Dora. She's a model, actress, gymnast, philanthropist, and an avid reader. The 13-year-old spoke to TFK about her life in the entertainment industry.
How did you first get into entertainment?
When I was 5 years old, my family and friends said I was super outgoing and should try to model or act. My parents took me to an agency and put me in commercials and photo shoots, and from there I branched out. I started to do auditions for TV shows and movies, and then I got this super awesome gig called Dora.
TFK: 
How did you make the transition from modeling to acting?
Even though I loved modeling, and still do love it today, I felt like my place was in the acting world, in front of the camera while it was rolling. I love the thrill of learning lines and working with big-name actors, or even those just starting out, like me.
TFK: 
You've been the voice of Dora since 2010. How have you and Dora evolved since then?
The new show Dora and Friends: Into the City! shows how Dora has evolved. She's slightly older but basically the same core Dora. She's still super loyal and still teaching Latino culture, Spanish, problem solving, and emotional skills. It's just more modern. She has a smart phone now and five human friends. She's living in the city and doing more things that I can relate to because I'm in the city all the time for work. As for me evolving, I'm definitely more comfortable in the role because I've been doing it for so long.
TFK: 
What's your favorite part about being the voice of Dora?
I can put a smile on millions of kids' faces by just talking. I love that it makes education fun because Dora is just a cool person and so positive and determined. I love that she includes everyone on her adventures and the show is so interactive. That's something I loved when I was younger and was watching Dora.
TFK: 
On the show Dora is bilingual, and you speak English and Spanish. Do you think it's important for kids around the world to learn another language?
I speak English and Spanish at home with my parents and I am also learning Mandarin Chinese. It's really hard. It's one of the most complicated languages, but I'm getting the hang of it.
I think learning another language is so important. The more languages you speak, the more opportunities open up. It's also great to learn when you are young, because that's when it's easiest to pick up a new language.
TFK: 
You've worked with actors like Catherine Zeta Jones and the cast of Saturday Night Live. Are older actors mentors to you?
Yes, they are such role models and such an inspiration because they've already made it so big. I'm just starting off, and when I work with them they put me on the same level, and I'm equal with them. I was awestruck when that happened. I'm not afraid to ask questions. I'm very curious.
TFK: 
Do you have one specific mentor or person you look up to?
Probably my dad. He's so smart; he went to Columbia University. He's also a really fun dad. He will go on rollercoasters with me, but he'll also work on my English and history homework with me. He always has my best interest at heart.
TFK: 
You work with a lot of philanthropic organizations, especially involving literacy. How did you get involved? 
I am so fortunate, so I think it's necessary for me to give back. Literacy is an issue that always hit home for me. When I started reading, books were my best friends for a really long time.
One of the things people always told me was that you're never too young to help. I can reach so many people on social media, and it's really cool because it's right in my hands.
TFK: 
You are also a competitive gymnast, when did you start competing?
I started gymnastics when I was 3 years old. I was a super-active kid, so my parents suggested I try gymnastics. I love that I can go to work, do a commercial, get all glammed up, and then go to the gym and get all sweaty. I don't have to worry about messing up lines. All I think about are my skills and close girlfriends that I compete with. It's a second family of sisters.
TFK: 
What advice would you give to kids starting out in the entertainment industry? 
Never give up. It can be a tough industry, and people can be super harsh, but keep at it. No matter the silly reason you didn't get the part, there is always a next time.
Author Jacqueline Woodson remembers her mother as a no-nonsense kind of woman. In her 20s, Woodson's mother moved with her children to New York from South Carolina. She didn't want her children growing up in the segregated south. She wanted them to be free and to get a good education.
Woodson's mother died years ago, but the author felt there was more to discover about the woman who raised her. So she set out to tell her family's story in poems. The result is the memoir Brown Girl Dreaming. "I realized in writing this book just how extraordinary my mother's love was," Woodson told TFK. "She was brave enough to move to New York, a whole new world for her. That bravery had to come from love."
Check out the full interview below. Woodson reveals why she wrote brown girl dreaming in poems, her favorite memories of her mother, and the authors who inspired her.
What inspired you to write Brown Girl Dreaming?
I wanted to tell my family's story. I had questions that I wanted answered. My mom and grandmother had died, and I realized that I had fewer people to turn to with my questions. I wanted to put my family history down for my children, and tell that story while I still had people to ask.
What was one of the questions you asked?
The biggest question I had was, "Who was my mother?" I really wanted to understand who she was before I knew her. I spoke to aunts, cousins and my father to learn the legend of who she was. I was always fascinated with the story of African Americans and our own survival, but it became a more personal story after my mother passed away.
What was one thing that surprised you about your mother?
My mom was no-nonsense and not super loving in a physical way once we got older. But I realized in writing this book how extraordinary her love was. The things she did were bigger than telling us "I love you" every night or hugging us every day. They were on a scale that I couldn't even begin to imagine until I became an adult.
How did you come to realize how much she loved you?
I began to understand her journey. She left South Carolina to come to New York for a better life for her children. She didn't want us to grow up in a Jim Crow south. [Jim Crow laws enforced the separation of whites from blacks in the South on public transportation, in public schools, and in other places from 1877 to 1954]. That's huge for someone in her 20s. She was brave enough to move to New York, a whole new world for her. That bravery had to come from love.
Why did you decide to write the novel in poems?
It's a memoir and this is how memory comes to me. To try to write a straight narrative would have been dishonest. The memory of my childhood is a lyrical one. There is so much poetry in my childhood, in the love, and the scenery, and the action. Look at the line breaks. It's like, here's this memory, and now let me take you to the next moment in time. I feel like in poems I'm showing the great simplicity and the utter complication of the moment.
The story is autobiographical, but did you make some of it up? Did your father really want to call you Jack?
My father did want to call me Jack. I get called Jack and Jackson. At one point it was Mary Jack. He loved the name Jack. The dialogue is not exactly as it happened. It's my memory of what happened. I know the moments in this book happened, but I can't always say for sure when they happened.
What was one of your favorite memories of your mother?
When we were living in Brooklyn, she would let me taste her coffee. She drank instant coffee with milk and sugar. There was something so loving about her holding the cup to my lips, and letting me carefully sip it. There was this small moment that we had together. I wasn't allowed to have coffee, but she broke the rules for me. It felt like a gift.
What helps you to remember the past?
In the southern tradition, we talk about stuff a lot. For African Americans, so much of our history is oral, because we weren't allowed to write it down. We didn't know how. So our stories were passed on orally. My siblings and I talk a lot about our childhood. Our past is very much with us.
You like to encourage young people to write. What do you advise them?
Read the books you love. Read and write every day. Don't be afraid. You have to be fearless as a writer. Don't be afraid that people are going to judge you. If you write poetry, you have to read poetry. If you write fantasy, you have to read fantasy. Read your work aloud, so you can hear if you're doing what you want to do.
Do you have a favorite place to write?
I sit in the office upstairs in my house, so I can look out the window and watch the dog dig up the garden. I write in Prospect Park or on my stoop here in Brooklyn. I write in my backyard.
Who were your favorite authors when you were a kid?
I loved Ezra Jack Keats' A Snowy Day, The Selfish Giant by Oscar Wilde, and The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen. Later on, I loved John Steptoe's Stevie. I can recite the book by heart because I read it so many times. It was the first book I found that had brown people in it, written by a brown man. I didn't know any writers of color before this. I didn't know they existed.
DJ Alex Angelo lives and breathes music. He listens to it everywhere he goes. He downloads the latest hits onto his computer, dances to music on a stage, and mixes songs on DJ (short for disc jockey) equipment in his room and on the road. "My life is all music," he told TFK. "I love music."
In May, the 13-year-old from Brecksville, Ohio, began hosting a weekend radio show on Radio Disney, called Radio Disney's Saturday Night Party with Alex Angelo. That makes him one of the youngest ever on-air personalities to produce and host a nationally-broadcast radio program. "Mixing is like an art form," he says. "You can really explore, put two genres against each other and see how they mix. It's really interesting.
Next week, Alex heads out on tour with teen pop star Austin Mahone (visit http://alexangelo.com/tour for dates). TFK spoke to the young DJ about his current wave of success.
Congratulations on the radio show. How has it been going to so far?
It's going great. People are saying they love it and I'm really happy that they are enjoying my work. I love seeing all the comments on Twitter and Instagram about it, telling me everything that they love and requesting songs.
How did Saturday Night Party come about?
I had done some gigs for Disney [including the Radio Disney Music Awards] and then they came to me with the idea of doing a mix show on Radio Disney every Saturday night, and I loved the idea. We did a test run and they loved it.
What is a typical show like?
A typical show includes two hours of me mixing, talking about different things that are going on, taking requests -- many different things. I like including my fans and including the live tweets and comments.
You started mixing when you were age 10. What got you into it?
I had been dancing before. I danced with the Cleveland Cavaliers when I was 7. Then I found an app on the iPad and I really had a lot of fun with it. It's a DJing app [called DJay]. I really wanted to explore DJing and do it for real. So I actually used money that I had for a birthday and I bought used equipment. I didn't care that it was old. I loved it. It was so much fun. I just kept going and going with it.
Who do you look up to in the entertainment industry?
I really look up to Justin Timberlake. I believe his squeaky-clean image is what I want. But also the rhythmic background that is something different and diverse.
You've talked about being bullied and made a YouTube video about it. What's your advice to kids about pursuing their interests in spite of bullying or teasing?
My best advice is to just do what you love, and be you. Just because other people don't understand you or don't like you, doesn't mean that you don't have to like you. So always be yourself, no matter what anybody else says.
Where do you record your show?
I record my show now in Cincinnati in my house, in my room. It's cool! I have equipment and I also have a rig that I'll be able to use when I go on the road with Austin. I can still record my music, my mixes, which is great.
What can fans expect when they see you on tour?
When you see me live, you will be able to see me versus just being able to hear me. I'll be DJing, dancing and singing, lots of energy, so it will get you hyped. It's a great time
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles -- Michelangelo, Leonardo, Donatello, and Raphael -- have been running the sewers of New York City since the crime fighters debuted in a comic-book franchise in the 1980s. The comic books went on to spawn several cartoon series and live-action movies, including an animated television series currently airing on Nickelodeon. The characters return to theaters today in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (rated PG-13), a $125 million CGI action film produced by Transformers filmmaker Michael Bay.
In the new movie, crime, violence, and fear have taken over New York City under the control of Shredder and his evil Foot Clan. The future is looking grim until the turtle brothers rise from the sewers. They must work with fearless reporter April O'Neil and her witty cameraman Vern Fenwick to save the city and unravel Shredder's wicked plans.
Actress Megan Fox, who plays April, says the turtle's origin story has been tweaked from previous versions, but they're still the same turtles fans know and love. "I think they stayed true to the turtle's personalities," Fox told reporters during a conference call. "It follows the comic book maybe a little more than the cartoon, but they stayed true to the original franchise."
The Turtle's Ally
Fox plays ambitious reporter April O'Neil, who befriends the turtles and finds out she has a special connection to them. Fox says she appreciates that April is depicted in the new movie as being just as heroic as the turtles. "April is a hero as well," Fox says. "She's very courageous, and she's very interested in exposing the truth and fighting for the truth. She doesn't get backed down."
Fox, who grew up watching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on TV, says she "did a little happy dance" when she got the role of April. Her favorite turtle hasn't changed since she was a kid. "Michelangelo is my favorite turtle," she told TFK. "He's going to be everyone's favorite turtle in this movie. He steals the movie. But he was always the comedian, and he never took anything too seriously, and he was really light-hearted. That's something I really appreciated in childhood."
On-Set Mayhem
The new movie, which is a mix of live action and CGI, shot some scenes right on the streets of New York. "That story has always been set in New York. It's almost like New York is another character," Will Arnett, who plays Vern Fenwick, told TFK. Fox agrees. "There's something unique about when you shoot [in New York City] and see it on film. You can't recreate that on a set anywhere else," she says.
But logistically, city traffic and pedestrians made filming tough. "New York is busy, it's fast-paced, it's moving constantly, and you sort of become this wrench in everything when you are trying to shoot a movie there," Fox says.
On set, the four actors who played the turtles wore motion capture suits, which tracked their movements and mannerisms. That information was used to create the CGI-animated turtles. "Working with the guys who are going to be the turtles was really fun," Arnett says.
Fox says the mood on set was pretty serious -- except for when the actors playing the turtles showed up. "Initially, we were shooting [a darker movie], so it wasn't a super light-hearted set. When the turtles were there and in particular Noel [Fisher, who plays Michelangelo], it was light-hearted and fun and exactly like the turtles movie should be."
On July 26, Disney Channel's animated series Phineas and Ferb takes their audience to a galaxy far, far away. In the hour-long special "Phineas and Ferb: Star Wars," the fate of the world falls into the stepbrothers' hands. They team up with classic Star Wars characters to save the galaxy. The plot follows the original 1977 movie Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.
Phineas and Ferb creators Dan Povenmire and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh, also the voices of Dr. Doofenshmirtz and Major Monogram in the show, gave TFK a sneak-peak at "Phineas and Ferb: Star Wars." Be sure to look out for Povenmire and Marsh in the episode. The two created animated characters of themselves! 
What is "Phineas and Ferb: Star Wars" all about?
It's Phineas and Ferb as Luke Skywalker's next-door neighbors. [Luke Skywalker is a main character from the Star Wars films]. We got this opportunity to do a crossover with the Star Wars Universe. We said: Star Wars is sacred. We'll leave Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope exactly the way it is, but our story will take place in and around it. 
Why did you decide to do a crossover episode with Star Wars?
We decided to do it literally the moment Disney bought Lucasfilm. [Lucasfilm was founded by filmmaker George Lucas, who created the Star Wars movies].
JEFF MARSH: 
Dan, being a quick artist, immediately drew the first drawing of Doofenshmirtz dressed as Darth Vader. 
Swampy [Jeff Marsh] and I were teenagers when Star Wars came out. The film was a big part of our formative years. I think I saw it 19 times in theaters that first summer.
How do you think Star Wars fans will react to the crossover?
I think they're going to love it. We've shown this to really hardcore Star Wars fans, and they have loved it more than anybody. We haven't touched the story that they love. There is so much humor that only they will get. 
MARSH: 
And we are those hardcore fans. We please ourselves.
What can fans expect of Phineas and Ferb this time around?
We've never seen Phineas and Ferb on opposite sides of an argument. They're almost two halves of the same person. They're so in sync with each other. This time, we have the opportunity to turn Ferb into a dark lord. The stepbrothers have a serious lightsaber duel that I think is going to blow kids' minds because they've never seen them fight in any way. 
Dan, you are the voice of Dr. Doofenshmirtz, and Jeff, you are the voice of Major Monogram. What roles do these characters play in the episode?
MARSH: 
[in Major Monogram's voice] Monogram is not a complex human. He's a one-dimensional guy, and still has the same job as boss of Perry the Platypus.
[in Doofenshmirtz's voice] Dr. Doofenshmirtz is evil, but he's got a little competition because Darth Vader is really evil. So he's trying to make himself more evil than Darth Vader.
What's it like to act as characters within the show that you created?
MARSH: 
It's gratifying to be, even in a very tiny, tiny way, some permanent piece of the Star Wars business. That just makes you giggle.
Thor and Captain America have starred in their own comic books for decades, and both have made the jump to the big screen in recent years -- in their own movies and in 2012's The Avengers, the third-biggest moneymaking film of all time. Now the two superheroes are about to get a major new look -- and it's not just their costumes that are changing. Marvel Comics, the company that publishes the characters, announced in July that Thor, the hammer-wielding god of thunder, is being replaced by a woman. Captain America, the blond-haired and blue-eyed Steve Rogers, is turning his red-white-and-blue uniform over to an African-American man.
The Goddess of Thunder 
Thor, introduced in 1962 in Journey Into Mystery #83, is one of Marvel's most powerful superheroes. Much of his strength comes from his magical hammer, given to him by his father Odin -- but to hold the hammer and possess its power, Thor must be worthy of it.
Marvel has not yet revealed the identity of the new female thunder god, or the reason that the original Thor is losing his job. In a statement, Marvel editor Will Moss said, "The inscription on Thor's hammer reads 'Whosoever holds this hammer, if HE be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor.' Well it's time to update that inscription." According to Moss, the female Thor "isn't a temporary female substitute -- she's now the one and only Thor, and she is worthy!"
Captain America Takes Flight
While the new Thor remains unknown, the new Captain America is a familiar face to comic-book readers. Sam Wilson, also known as The Falcon -- and a frequent partner of the original Captain America -- will take over as the "star-spangled Avenger." Wilson first appeared in 1969 in Captain America #117. Original Cap Steve Rogers, who first appeared in 1941 in Captain America Comics #1, is no longer able to carry on in the role after a recent storyline aged him rapidly and took away his super-strength. Rogers will serve as a mentor to his replacement. 
"Steve's spirit is as willing as ever, but his body is no longer up to the task of being Captain America, so he'll employ his skills as the new Cap's remote strategic adviser," said Marvel Executive Editor Tom Brevoort. "He'll also tutor Sam in how to throw the shield, a skill that's deceptively difficult for the new Cap to master."
Wilson will take on the role in Captain America #25, which will be published in September. The female Thor will star in an all-new Thor series that begins in October.
On July 18, Dusty Crophopper is flying back to the silver screen in Planes: Fire & Rescue. The animated film continues the story of Planes, in which the small-town crop duster became a worldwide racing champion. Now, Dusty is back home on the farm, enjoying his new celebrity status and gearing up for the next competition.
Dusty is feeling on top of the world until something goes wrong during a practice flight. Right when he reaches racing speed, his engine fails. He goes to visit Dottie the mechanic, his best buddy, but she tells him there is nothing she can do to help. Dusty must retire from racing.
After a fire breaks out on the farm, Dusty is inspired to switch gears and become a firefighting plane. He leaves home and joins a crew of rescue aircrafts, where he learns that bravery and courage are more important than speed. TFK spoke with the film's director, Bobs Gannaway, about how he created the world of Fire & Rescue, the movie's new cast of characters, and Dusty's journey from champion to hero.
How does Dusty's character evolve from the first Planes film to Planes: Fire & Rescue?
In the first film, Dusty was a small town crop duster who dreamed of bigger things and overcame impossible odds. It was a good sort of underdog story. It was also about him doing something for himself. He was pushing himself to do something more than he was built to do. In the second film, the story becomes more about selflessness. Dusty has to go out and embrace the world of firefighting, which is when you put your life on the line for others. It's a very selfless world. We take [the story] from Dusty being on top of the world [as a racing champion] and ground him in the world of fire and rescue.
Dusty's main challenge in Planes was to conquer his fear of height. What would you say is his biggest challenge in Fire and Rescue?
Because he pushed himself so hard in the first film, he customized his engine to the point where he was pushing his engine to do things that it was not designed to do. As a result, his engine has been damaged, specifically his gearbox. He's put too much stress on it. So in our film, it becomes a movie about second chances. Early in the story, he discovers that his engine is damaged and that he may never race again. So, during the story, he has to come to terms with the idea that he might have embrace something new with the same kind of passion he embraced racing.
Did you model the story's setting, Piston Peak, off a specific national park?
Piston Peak is modeled off of Yellowstone and Yosemite. We needed a little bit of both. For example, we wanted to have granite arches in the film, and those don't exist at Yellowstone. But Yellowstone has such fantastic geysers and the geothermal elements, and has the Old Faithful Inn. The Old Faithful Inn really informed the look of the movie's Grand Faithful Lodge.
In Planes there was a really amazing range in diversity because the story was set at an international race. How did you create that same diversity of characters in this movie's singular setting? 
This story takes place at Piston Peak, a fictional national park. This is a very Americana location. However, we populated it with a variety of new characters, specifically this Piston Peak air attack team. First, we have Blade Ranger, who is the chief. He's kind of the no-nonsense character. Then we have Dipper, who is the air tanker and Dusty's biggest fan, we come to find out. And I'm really excited that we have the character Windlifter, who is our heavy lift helicopter and is an American Indian. I wanted to have a character who was connected to nature, and represents the history of American Indians' involvement in firefighting and smoke jumping.
Who would you say is the story's villain, and how does he interact with Dusty?
We'd like to say that we don't have any villains; we just have people with "misguided good intentions." We like all of our characters to be appealing, and we describe our "villain" as a good bad guy who has a very strong reason for why he's doing what he's doing. So in our case, Cad Spinner, who is the park superintendent, is that good bad guy. He's more interested in impressing his superiors than many he is with being concerned about the safety and wellbeing of the park. He will do almost anything to protect the restored Old Faithful Inn. However, he does it to the expense of the safety of others and that's his mistake.
The Planes franchise is set in the same world as Cars. How do you create this environment?
It's very important that we create a believable world to place our appealing characters in. In order to create this world, we must do our research. There are a lot of details in this film that people wouldn't necessarily notice, but their foundation is in research. This allows us to create a history. For example, in this movie we have the camper couple Winnie and Harvey, who are coming back to Piston Peak for their 50th wedding anniversary, where they had their honeymoon. That small detail implies that the park has been around a long time, and that there's people who come to it
Is there a particular moment or scene in the movie that you're really attached to or is your favorite?
One of them would be the action sequence when Blade and Dusty are caught in a wildfire that is burning out of control. Blade takes Dusty into the safety of a mine to allow the fire to burn over them. This is the heart of the film, where Blade gives Dusty the wisdom he needs to be able to move on. This moment is is based on a real famous event in wild firefighting about a rescuer who saved a group of men by taking them into a mine, in the 1930s.
TFK: 
If Dusty were to go on a third adventure, where would it be? 
I have no idea. We are always working on ideas for new stories in [this world of living vehicles]. And, if we find the right stories, we pursue.
and love it. We also made sure each detail in the movie was true to the environment. When we showed birds, we made sure they were a species indigenous to the national parks off which we based Piston Peak.
Beloved wizard Harry Potter has done a lot of growing up in the past seven years since we last saw him in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows. Author J. K. Rowling has published a new short story on her Pottermore website that brings us back into the life of Harry Potter, who is now 33 years-old, and married, but still battling dark magic.
In Rowling's online story, Dumbledore's Army Reunites at Quidditch World Cup Final, Harry attends the final game of the Quidditch World Cup with his family and friends. He has three children with wife Ginny Weasley, and has maintained his long-time friendships with Ron and Hermione.
Life After Hogwarts 
The 1,500-word story is written in the style of a gossip column for the Daily Prophet, the newspaper of the wizard world. The column is written by Potter character Rita Skeeter, who explains that Harry has been out of the Hogwarts school for years, and now has a career battling dark magic. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows left off with Harry as head of the Auror Office. The Aurors are an elite unit within the Department of Magical Law Enforcement of the Ministry of Magic, trained to investigate crimes related to the dark arts. In the story, Skeeter writes that Harry has a mysterious cut on his cheekbone, related to his "top secret" work battling against Dark wizards and witches 
The new story updates readers about Ron and Hermione's careers as well. Ron is running the family joke shop, and Hermione is the Deputy Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
Throughout the story, readers get brief updates on the lives of characters like Viktor Krum, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood. A new generation of teenage wizards also makes an appearance.
Harry's New Looks
Throughout the story, Skeeter observes that Harry and his friends no longer have their youthful appearances. The older Harry now has "threads of silver" in his hair. Harry's friends have aged too. Ron Weasley's "famous ginger hair appears to be thinning slightly." She even criticizes Harry's classic "distinctive round glasses," saying that the style is better suited to a 12-year-old with no sense of fashion.
There have been seven books published in the wildly popular Harry Potter series. Rowling spokesman Mark Hutchinson said there are "no plans" for a new Potter novel. However, at the end of the article-style story Skeeter hints that there may be more information to come. At the end of the story, she writes:
"Harry Potter and his cohorts never claimed to be perfect! And for those who want to know exactly how imperfect the are, my new biography: Dumbledore's Army: The Dark Side of the Demob will be available July 31."
If you've seen Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, you've probably whistled along to the dwarf's classic jovial song, "Heigh Ho." This summer, the dwarves have a new song -- and look -- in Disney XD's animated series, The 7D. The new TV show features a catchy theme song written and performed by Parry Gripp, a songwriter popularly known for writing fake jingles and music to viral videos like "Hampster on a Piano" and "Do You Like Waffles?"
Gripp's theme introduces the 7D -- Happy, Doc, Grumpy, Sneezy, Bashful, Dopey, and Sleepy -- to the audience at the start of each half-hour show. "The theme song is in kind of a punk rock style," Gripp told TFK. "It's pretty fast and has guitars and the tone of my voice is a bit nasal and aggressive. But the music in the show really varies."
The Dwarfs Reimagined 
The 7D follows Happy, Doc, Grumpy, Sneezy, Bashful, Dopey, and Sleepy on their adventures working in a jewel mine in the town of Jollywood, before they met Snow White. Jollywood is ruled by Queen Delightful, a kind queen who calls on the 7D for any problem -- whether a monster is running through town or the Queen needs help opening a pickle jar.
Problems frequently arise as evil newlyweds Hildy and Grim Gloom scheme to take over the throne or steal magical jewels. "Grim and Hildy tend to be constant thorns in the side of the 7D and the Queen," executive producer Tom Ruegger told TFK. "Having Kelly Osbourne join the cast [as the voice of Hildy] has been a real bonus. Jess Harnell plays Grim, and Grim is such a dim bulb. The way Jess handles him is hilarious."
Ruegger, who previously worked on hit animated shows Animaniacs and Tiny Toon Adventures, has been developing The 7D since 2011. "It's old-school in that you have the same names as [in Snow White and the Seven Dwarves]," Ruegger told TFK. "But there is a lot of new-school to it: new designs, very colorful characters, brand new voices and settings."
Gripp -- who kids may know from an episode of Phineas and Ferb where he performed as himself -- writes most of the music that appears on The 7D. Gripp says one of his favorite songs so far is a disco-inspired tune he wrote for Queen Delightful called "Ye Olde Jollywood Spa." "People are just going to jump out of their seat and boogie when they hear this song," says Gripp.
Many of Gripp's songs are performed by Happy -- much to the annoyance of his polar opposite, Grumpy. "I think Happy is sort of the heart and soul of The 7D," says Ruegger. "He's so positive and his singing and the songs that he delivers add a lot of energy to the show."
Fittingly, Gripp says Happy is the 7D member he relates to most. "I am a happy dude and, in general, I try to look at the positive side of stuff," he says. "But my favorite character is Grumpy because he is so funny."
Gripp thinks the humor will keep viewers coming back to The 7D, which airs weekday mornings on Disney XD. "I have to watch [episodes] over and over, and even after 20 times, the lines and jokes are still so funny."
Teenage rapper Astro stars as Tuck, a curious young filmmaker, in Earth to Echo, in theaters now. The sci-fi movie is about a group of friends who use their phones and cameras to record their discovery of an alien named Echo, whom they resolve to help return home. "It's a great way to connect with this generation," Astro told TFK. "The whole film gives you the feel of E. T," he said, referring to the classic 1980s alien movie. The rapper-turned-actor spoke to TFK about making his first film.
You're known for your music and for being a finalist on The X Factor. Why did you do this movie? 
This is my first movie. It was an amazing script. Dave Green is an up-and-coming director and I'm an up-and-coming actor, so I figured it would be great to work with someone who is learning just like I'm learning. And it involved an alien. I'm not going to turn down anything that involves an alien. 
What's your character, Tuck, like?
Tuck and I can relate. We ask a lot of questions. Tuck doesn't settle for any type of lazy answers. He likes to discover and get to the bottom of things. He's a New York kid, but he lives in Nevada. Basically, some construction workers come into town saying they have to do roadwork. Tuck and his friends Munch [played by Reese Hartwig] and Alex [played by Teo Halm] get signals on their phones that lead them to the middle of nowhere and give them the opportunity to do something that only they know about.
What would you do if you came across an alien in real life?
If it were a small alien, like Echo, I'd be cool with it. But if it were, like, a big six-foot-tall alien, I don't know, I'd be kind of scared. I'd probably run away from that. But Echo is cool. He's small and portable. 
This movie was shot as if your character had made it, which gives it a found-footage feel. What do you think that added to the movie?
I think it's great because it's a way to connect with this generation. E. T. was a classic in its time. If we had just done the alien thing that would have been cool, but kids today wouldn't have felt close to it. The fact that we did the whole found-footage thing makes them feel like we do this every day. There are millions of kids that walk around with their own cameras and film what they are doing, so it's really relatable to the youth now. 
The movie also focuses on the close relationship between the three friends, and their new friend Emma [played by Ella Wahlestedt]. Did you bond with the other actors?
Definitely. When we were on set, it was a very easy cast to work with, and we were all up-and-coming, so we were all learning and bouncing off each other. I think that makes for great chemistry on camera. 
What did you do in your downtime on set? 
We shot a lot, so I'd relax and chill back, eat some snacks. I'd probably be on my phone. I'm like a technology addict. If I'm not on my phone, I'm on my computer. If I'm not on my computer, I'm sleeping till they are ready for me.
This summer has a lot of big movies coming out. What would you say to kids to encourage them to go see Earth to Echo?
It has an alien in it! What's the last movie we had starring young people and an alien? E. T. was a classic, but I wasn't even born [when it came out]. I didn't have the chance to see E. T. in the movie theater. So this movie is going to give kids today that experience. Earth to Echo is amazing. Trust me.