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Disney animator draws inspiration from Filipino family, friends

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Yong Chavez | TFC News Hollywood

<figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XdspxolXeNo?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>Mikee Sevilla is one of the talented artists behind Disney’s new animated film &#x27;Encanto: A Magical World.&#x27;</p><p>The Fil-Am animator, who went to high school and college in the Philippines, worked on the characters including the central character Maribel, a young woman who feels disconnected with her family but still tries her best to help them.<br/> <br/>&quot;I definitely connect with Maribel a lot. I know how she feels - her pain that she feels inside, and feeling like she&#x27;s not included and her longing to belong, be accepted and loved by your parents. I feel like I deeply connect with that, and I hope the audience feels that as well even listening to her sing and all of the songs. I hope all the Filipinos really connect and enjoy watching the film,&quot; Sevilla says.</p><p>There are many similarities in culture and physical attributes between Filipinos and Latinos so in drawing Encanto&#x27;s Colombian family, Sevilla felt right at home. &quot;I&#x27;m drawing a lot of inspiration from my mom. There&#x27;s a scene in the film where Abuela&#x27;s late for something and she&#x27;s touching her earring and fixing her hair. And people will see that and they&#x27;ll see Abuela, but it&#x27;s actually my mom.&quot;</p><p>Apart from Encanto: A Magical World, Sevilla&#x27;s other animation credits include &#x27;Raya and the Last Dragon,&#x27; &#x27;Smallfoot,&#x27; and &#x27;Spies in Disguise.&#x27;</p><p>&quot;Animation is about performance and acting. So I&#x27;m always looking for an authentic way to portray a character... Growing up in the Philippines, I&#x27;m always drawing inspiration from my family and my friends who are Filipino. As much as I can, I try to sprinkle that into my work.&quot;</p>

A Filipino mother served as an inspiration in drawing one of the main characters in the new Disney film, ‘Encanto: A Magical World.’