BURBANK, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 10: Chris Pine attends a Photo Call for Walt Disney Animation … [+]
Disney’s latest animated film, Wish, made its streaming debut on April 3. As you watch the film and listen to the movie’s soundtrack, you might be wondering whether Chris Pine is really singing in Wish or if it’s another person.
Wish follows a 17-year-old girl named Asha (Ariana DeBose) who lives in the Kingdom of Rosas. When she uncovers a dark secret about her land’s wicked ruler, Magnifico (Chris Pine), she asks the stars for help — including a magical, trouble-making star that fell from the sky. Angelique Cabral, Victor Garber, Natasha Rothwell, Jennifer Kumiyama, Harvey Guillén, and Evan Peters also make up the voice cast.
The film premiered in theaters in November 2023 and made its streaming debut on Disney Plus more than four months later. Songwriters Julia Michaels and Benjamin Rice wrote the film’s original songs, while Dave Metzger penned its original score. Songs featured in the movie include “Welcome To Rosas,” “I’m a Star,” “Knowing What I Know Now,” “A Wish Worth Making,” and more.
Does Chris Pine Sing In Wish?
Chris Pine as Magnifico in Disney’s ‘Wish.’
Yes, that really is Chris Pine’s singing voice in Disney’s animated film Wish. Although the actor showcased his vocals in 2014’s Into the Woods, he admitted that he was terrified to sing again. “It’s not my forte, it’s not my background,” Pine told Entertainment Weekly.
In the movie adaptation Into the Woods, Pine played Cinderella’s Prince Charming, and he touched on a specific moment when Stephen Sondheim came into his recording session with the full orchestra. The legendary Broadway composer and lyricist passed away in 2021 at the age of 91.
“As I was coming out, he said, ‘What was that note in the second stanza?’ I said, ‘Oh! B.’ He’s like, ‘It’s an A-flat.’” Pine recalled to EW. “The point being is that he heard me screw up. So, that’s a long way of saying, yes, I was terrified.”
Pine described the style of the songs in Wish, written by Julia Michaels and Benjamin Rice, as “sometimes offbeat to the musical element.” He continued, “There’s a dominant melody line and [Michaels] deliberately plays against it. I think that’s how you really hear the story of the lyric. It is Sondheim-esque, because his work is very similarly atonal. It’s always plot-driven and emotionally driven as opposed to just something in a pretty song.”
The 43-year-old star also admitted that he was “nervous” to sing opposite DeBose, a Broadway performer who has appeared in shows like Bring It On: The Musical, Motown: The Musical, Pippin, Hamilton, and A Bronx Tale.
“When you’re singing opposite Ariana… it’s a big deal,” Pine told Entertainment Tonight in November 2023. However, when DeBose learned her co-star had doubts about his singing abilities, she praised Pine for his talent.
“He can sing! He can absolutely sing,” she told ET. “When I found out that I was cast in this film, I was like, ‘Oh!’ I mean, did you see him in Into The Woods?… I think Chris is one of those examples of not understanding just how talented he is.”
The West Side Story actress continued, “I love the sound of his voice, the way that he molds words. He is a delicious villain. You know people are going to love to hate him, and I just love watching him work.”
Wish is now streaming on Disney+. Watch the trailer below.
