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Raya and the Last Dragon Creators Interview: Fun Facts & Easter Eggs

To celebrate Raya and the Last Dragon coming home, the creators discuss working from home and being Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.

RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON

© 2021 Disney. All Rights Reserved.

Raya and the Last Dragon is a story of trust above all else, and it is finally time for it to come home on Blu-ray and DVD. In order to celebrate this, the creators came together for a press event where they discussed the bonus features, making the film, and how excited they are for everyone to see it now.

Participating Interview Talent:

  • Director Carlos López Estrada
  • Producer Osnat Shurer 
  • Head of Story Fawn Veerasunthorn 
  • Director Don Hall
  • Writer Adele Lim
  • Writer Qui Nguyen
RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON

© 2021 Disney. All Rights Reserved.

Certified Fresh

Raya and the Last Dragon is certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, and is getting an incredible response from viewers of all ages. When asked what that feeling is like, many of the creators had something to say about just how amazing it feels to know their movie is loved so much, especially since it was created in such an unconventional way.

“It’s been really odd not to be able to sit in movie theaters with other people and hear where people laugh, and where they gasp. We’re kind of guessing and at some point we’re talking to each other — well if it made us laugh, then it’s a good joke. It’s been incredible to see the reaction.” – Producer Osnat Shurer 

The Head of Story, Fawn Veerasunthorn said that she went to see Raya in theaters as soon as she was able to, so that she could see the reactions of the audience. When she saw a grown man cry, she knew they did their job, and was pleased that others feel the same way she does about this film.

“Usually we get to screen the movie at work in the movie theater and hear the responses from our coworkers. In this case where we work from home, that was not an option. It was great to see responses on social media, and that’s how I know it’s touched people’s hearts.”  – Head of Story Fawn Veerasunthorn 

raya last dragon sisu

© 2020 Disney. All Rights Reserved.

Easter Eggs & Fun Facts

Fans of Easter Eggs and Fun Facts will be excited to hear that there is a bonus feature completely dedicated to them on the Blu-ray home release of Raya and the Last Dragon, so of course, it was important to know which fun fact or Easter Egg from Raya are the creators favorites. 

Director Don Hall did not even have to think about his answer — Hei Hei. Coming from Moana, he was very excited to have Hei Hei put into Raya. Especially because Hei Hei almost did not appear in Moana. There never seemed to be a place for him until they decided to make him very dumb, then he worked. So Hei Hei holds a very special place in Don’s heart.

A very touching fun fact that writer Qui Nguyen shared about Raya is their muse for her. When explaining to the powers that be exactly how Raya would be, and characters that she could be compared to, he quickly realized there were not many out there that embodied who Raya is. So who did he base Raya off of? The women in his life, people he knows like his mom, and also his co-writer Adele Kim, because she is “feisty and strong, and isn’t scared to bust your chops.

Speaking of Adele, she has a fantastic fun fact as well. Raya’s gender is never seen as an obstacle, something that many female viewers really appreciate about the film. Nobody ever points it out, or tells her she could be a “fantastic thing if only you were a man.” This is also seen in the leaders and the armies of the land of Kumandra — no matter where you are, there is a split of genders quite evenly.

Raya and the last Dragon concept art

RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON – Concept Art of Atmospherics before-and-after of Talon port. © 2021 Disney. All Rights Reserved.

Creating From Home

One of the bonus features on the home release of Raya and the Last Dragon talks about how the crew had over 400 people working from home due to the conditions of the world. Director Carlos López Estrada admits that at some point they thought it was impossible, and were really worried of what it was going to do to their creative collaboration.

It brought us together in a way that was powerful and really profound and forced us to have to trust each other. to believe that we were all working toward the same goal in over 400 different locations. what that did to our team and to each of us was really meaningful.” – Director Carlos López Estrada

Producer Osnat Shurer added that the movie became about life reflecting art, and about them all trusting each other to create this magic together. 

RAYA last dragon

RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON – Raya, a lone warrior whose wit is as sharp as her blade, must track down the legendary last dragon to restore her fractured land and its divided people. © 2020 Disney. All Rights Reserved.

Raya and the Last Dragon Bonus Features

One of the best things about a home release is all of the bonus footage that not only gives more meaning to the story, but literally takes viewers behind the scenes! The Raya and the Last Dragon bonus features do exactly that!

Here is a full list of all that is included:

  • An Introduction to Us Again – Director Zach Parrish takes you behind the scenes of the Walt Disney Animation Studios short.
  • Us Again – An elderly man and his young-at-heart wife rekindle their passion for life on one magical night.
  • Taste of Raya – Dine along with Kelly Marie Tran and the film’s creative team–virtually–over a Southeast Asian menu inspired by the countries that influenced the film as they discuss their experiences creating the world of Kumandra.
  • Raya: Bringing it Home – When the global pandemic of 2020 hit, production of Raya and the Last Dragon moved to the houses of over 450 people. We open a window into their lives and learn how they overcame massive obstacles to make an animated feature from home.
  • Martial Artists – You’ll get a kick out of learning about the martial art forms and weapons used in the film as co-screenwriter Qui Nguyen and visual anthropologist Dr. S. Steve Arounsack share the inspiration behind the film’s action-packed elements.
  • We are Kumandra – Meet members of the Southeast Asia Story Trust and discover the cultural influences that inspired the film…and how important this representation in a Disney animated film is to the people of the region.
  • Outtakes – Step into the homes and behind the mics of the cast of Raya and the Last Dragon as they experience voice-over sessions in closets and shaky internet connections, which made recording this film unlike any other.
  • Fun Facts & Easter Eggs – Take a look at some of the hidden surprises and behind-the-scenes secrets of Raya and the Last Dragon.
  • The Story Behind the Storyboard with John Ripa – Co-Director John Ripa invites you to get an inside look at his thought process as he pitches a storyboard sequence from the film and talks about his amazing career with Disney Animation.
  • Deleted Scenes:
    • Introduction – Head of Story Fawn Veerasunthorn introduces deleted scenes from Raya and the Last Dragon.
    • The Bridge – Raya confronts an early version of the Druun in this deleted storyboard sequence.
    • Escaping Namaari – See an early version sequence of an introduction to Namaari as an adult.
    • Dragon Blade – Discover an early version of Raya’s sword, when it used to have magical powers.
    • Meet Boun – Meet an early version of Boun before he was a chef and shrimp boat captain.
    • The Heart of the Dragon – Co-Director John Ripa introduces a deleted scene which brought the theme of hope into the film.

raya and the last dragon poster

Enter To Win

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Raya and the Last Dragon Digital Code