ANDRE MEADOWS: Today we're talking Marvel Studios' "Moon
Knight," sketching with Mark Henn
from "Sketchbook," and so much more.
I'm Andre.
And I'm Jenny.
This is "What's Up, Disney+," where
we talk all things Disney+.
[UPBEAT MUSIC]
ANDRE MEADOWS: We've officially come
full circle with the Marvel Studios' "Moon
Knight" finale waiting near.
That's right.
Marvel Studios' "Moon Knight" is a globetrotting
action-adventure series featuring
a complex vigilante with dissociative identity disorder.
Moon Knight finds himself thrust
into a deadly war of the gods against the backdrop
of modern and ancient Egypt.
Now, in honor of the big finale, we're looking back at some epic
moments from the series so far.
JENNY LORENZO: In the first episode,
we're introduced to mild-mannered museum employee,
Steven Grant, who falls asleep in London
and wakes up in an Alpine village.
ANDRE MEADOWS: There he meets the mysterious Arthur Harrow,
which leads to our first epic moment-- a thrilling and sweet
chase scene.
JENNY LORENZO: Our next moment comes when Steven is confronted
by Harrow at the museum.
Cornered, the only way out of the situation
is for Steven to allow Marc Spector, his altar,
to take over his body, which gives us
our first look at Moon Knight.
So cool.
So cool!
And then we get the moment when Khonshu
reveals himself to Steven.
It's our first look at the god, and we
have no idea if he's friend or foe, but he looks awesome.
JENNY LORENZO: There's a truly iconic moment
when Steven attempts to summon the Moon Knight suit
and ends up in a more formal version,
introducing us to Mr. Knight.
ANDRE MEADOWS: Finally, Steven gives Marc control of his body
to become Moon Knight.
We get a gripping fight where he and his estranged wife,
Layla, take on one of Harrow's jackals
and live to tell the tale.
Talk about an epic location for this one.
In Egypt, Marc and Layla attempt to stop Harrow
from finding Ammit's tomb.
Khonshu eclipses the sun to get the attention
of his fellow gods, leading Marc to the Great Pyramid of Giza.
Our next moment comes courtesy of another awesome Moon Knight
fight.
While trying to decode a clue in Senfu's sarcophagus,
Harrow arrives and chaos ensues.
We get a better look at Moon Knight's abilities,
and Mr. Knight returns, as they swap control during the fight.
JENNY LORENZO: At the end of episode three,
we get the incredible scene where
Khonshu literally moves the night sky
with the help of Mr. Knight.
If this isn't epic, I don't know what is.
ANDRE MEADOWS: In episode four, Layla gets an epic moment.
While navigating the pyramid with Marc,
she must take on a Heka priest.
JENNY LORENZO: For a second there, we think she's a goner,
but she manages to fight off her foe while balancing
on a precarious ledge.
ANDRE MEADOWS: What a moment.
Now we get to hear from the cast of Marvel
Studios' "Moon Knight."
Hello, everyone.
I'm Ethan Hawke, and I play Arthur Harrow.
And I'm May Calamawy, and I play Layla in "Moon Knight."
When we saw Oscar in his Moon Knight costume
for the first time, it became really real.
MAY CALAMAWY: Yeah.
ETHAN HAWKE: And real in a fun way, because there
is a little part of you when you act in these things that does
feel like you're a kid playing in your backyard.
It's just the costumes are much better
and the sets are much better.
You're just kind of creating myths and telling
these wonderful stories.
And it's playful.
It all became very real when I actually met Moon Knight.
Same.
JENNY LORENZO: Marvel Studios' "Moon Knight"
is now streaming on Disney+.
And don't miss the finale on May 4.
Night lights and telescopes encouraged, but not required.
I see what you did there.
And now here's what's new.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC]
ANDRE MEADOWS: Even louder, even prouder.
Season two of "The Proud Family:
Louder and Prouder" is officially in production.
And don't miss season one of "The Proud Family:
Louder and Prouder" now streaming on Disney+.
JENNY LORENZO: And Billie Eilish has come to Springfield.
"The Simpsons: When Billie Met Lisa" is now streaming.
[UPBEAT MUSIC]
ANDRE MEADOWS: "Sketchbook" is a six-episode series that's
part profile, part drawing lesson,
and features six uniquely different Walt Disney
Animation Studios artists.
We learn about the people behind the Disney Animation films
you know and love with every episode featuring
a Disney Animation character that relates
to the artist's journey.
Now we are honored to be joined by one of the artists
from "Sketchbook," Mark Henn.
Thank you so much for being here.
Thank you for having me.
So, Mark, you have been working for Walt
Disney Animation for 42 years.
Can you tell us about some of the movies
that you've animated?
Well, the very first feature that I worked on
was "The Fox and the Hound."
And I've pretty much worked on everything since then--
"The Little Mermaid," "Beauty and the Beast,"
"Aladdin," "Mulan," "Pocahontas"--
JENNY LORENZO: Our whole childhood.
MARK HENN: --"The Great Mouse Detective."
JENNY LORENZO: All of it. - Yeah.
It's just, like-- I think it's a total of 22 features
that I've worked on in that time frame.
JENNY LORENZO: Oh, my gosh.
So you are featured on "Sketchbook."
Can you tell us what "Sketchbook" is about,
and what it was like to be a part of that?
Well, "Sketchbook" is a really unique series.
We interview six different artists
that represent kind of a mix of different skill
sets that we have at the studio.
You get to kind of see us actually
drawing a specific character and kind of giving a little bit
of a drawing lesson.
But the other side of it is actually
kind of getting to know these artists and to hear their story
and how they ended up at the studio.
So can you give us a few tidbits
about what your story is about, that
we get to see in "Sketchbook"?
My particular story starts in Ohio--
I grew up in the Midwest--
and there were a couple of major influences in my early years.
One was seeing the movie "Cinderella."
That was probably the first feature film that I saw.
My mentor was Eric Larson, who was one of the original Nine
Old Men animators at the studio that worked with Walt.
And he animated a lot of "Cinderella,"
so I had the opportunity to work with him.
That's fantastic.
So I always had "Cinderella" kind of in the back of my mind.
But, secondly, at a weekend YMCA camp,
they showed the film "The Reluctant Dragon,"
which was Walt's attempt to pull the curtain
back and show people how Disney animated films were made.
And within that, Ward Kimball is doing a drawing of Goofy.
And Goofy starts to dance and come to life.
And I was-- as a kid--
I was just like--
[LAUGHING]
Oh, my gosh!
It was just like-- crunch.
The bug bit. You know?
Oh!
So from that point, it really became
a boyhood dream for me that I've been very
blessed to have lived out now.
JENNY LORENZO: You animated young Simba
in Walt Disney Animation Studios'
"The Lion King," which is what your episode of "Sketchbook"
is about.
So what was that like?
MARK HENN: I actually was very interested in doing Scar.
I had never really done a villain.
I'd love to just kind of step out of my box, my comfort zone,
and do something else.
But the producer, Don Hahn, in his amazing wisdom
pulled me aside and expressed the importance of Simba's role.
That's the heart of the whole picture.
It's his story, it's his journey.
For an animator, for an actor, you know, those kind
of roles where the character really goes on a journey
and grows and learn--
that's gold.
Since you draw young Simba in "Sketchbook,"
do you mind giving us a little drawing lesson?
I think we can accommodate you.
All right!
Wonderful!
I just happen to have my handy pencil here, and a sketch pad.
How convenient!
How about that?
[LAUGHING]
Simba was a lot of fun.
And I've learned over the years, as I've
drawn him many, many times for different things, his head's
kind of shaped like a light bulb.
And if you draw it from the front on,
it's kind of interesting-- JENNY LORENZO: Yeah.
MARK HENN: --where he's got his head,
and then he's got this jaw.
But that's how we start here.
We had experts talking to us about animal anatomy, lion
anatomy, bird anatomy, of all the different animals that
appear.
JENNY LORENZO: Wow.
MARK HENN: And all that goes into helping
the animators to understand the mechanics
of just how they move--
Yeah.
--and all those kind of things.
Like, you know, if you had a house cat--
Yeah. The shoulder blades.
MARK HENN: The shoulder blades. Exactly.
Exactly.
So, in Simba, researching the anatomy and mannerisms
of a lion was no different.
Then you do all this studying to see how these lions move
in real life to then incorporate to the animation, but then
how does it feel to then have to have them
do things that lions don't do?
Like do a whole musical number, or--
[LAUGHING]
Yes.
Well, that's the fun of animation.
Of course.
You know, I mean, that's the beauty of what we do.
All right.
So just a few more items here.
I'm going to put his paw kind of laying in over here like that.
I got the whiskers on and everything.
And I think--
ANDRE MEADOWS: Wow!
Oh!
Oh, that's so great!
Hakuna matata.
[LAUGHING]
It's so wonderful.
That is so cool to see.
Well, thank you so much, Mark.
It was such a pleasure to have you
here to talk about your journey in animation.
And it's going to be great to see your story, as well
as others, in "Sketchbook."
Well, thank you very much for having me.
And I hope everybody enjoys "Sketchbook."
"Sketchbook" is now streaming on Disney+.
[UPBEAT MUSIC]
ANDRE MEADOWS: We went over the moon for Marvel Studios' "Moon
Knight" finale and drew inspiration from "Sketchbook"
with Mark Henn.
That's our show.
Be sure to head on over to Disney+ to stream
all of these and more.
And just one more thing before we sign off.
Here at "What's Up, Disney+," we want to wish everyone a Happy
International Dance Day.
Cheers to the art of dance and to a few Disney+ icons
who know how to do it best.
[UPBEAT ROCK MUSIC]
When I'm king, what will that make you?
A monkey's uncle.
[LAUGHS] You're so weird.
You have no idea.
[UPBEAT FUNK MUSIC]